Off-duty New Jersey police lieutenant in custody after fatal shooting at ex-wife's home

William Westhoven and Anthony Zurita
An off-duty Newark police lieutenant surrendered to police after a shooting at his ex-wife's home. Newark has since suspended him without pay.

MORRISTOWN, N.J. - Law-enforcement officials were investigating a fatal shooting in Jefferson early Monday involving an off-duty Newark police lieutenant at his ex-wife's home.

The Morris County Prosecutor's Office confirmed that one woman was killed, and a man was seriously wounded, but did not identify the victims.

John Formisano surrendered to police during a motor-vehicle stop at 1:30 a.m. in Livingston, 30 miles from the crime scene, according to Livingston police, and was turned over to the Morris County Prosecutor's Office.

Formisano, a 24-year veteran of the department, was suspended from duty without pay after Newark police learned of the shooting, according to Newark police sources.

Morris County Prosecutor's Office spokesman Peter DiGennaro said police responded to the residence at 11:21 p.m. Sunday following a report of shots fired there.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 973-285-6200 or the Jefferson Police Department at 973-697-1300.

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A residential portion of Mirror Place remained closed at 9:30 a.m. for the ongoing crime scene investigation. Public records show Formisano purchased the home there a decade ago.

“I thought they were fireworks,” said a resident named Gianna, who declined to give her last name. Gianna said a friend who was listening to a police scanner notified her of the shots fired near her home. She then told her mother.

“It’s horrifying, it’s scary. It’s not anything you expect,” said Liliana Morgan, who has lived in the Oak Ridge portion of Jefferson for 21 years.

A 2017 family obituary said Formisano and his wife, Christie, have two children.

Civil Service Commission minutes show Formisano was suspended by his department in 2000 for "care of property and neglect of duty." The 35-day suspension was later reduced to five days.

Follow William Westhoven on Twitter: @wwesthoven

This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: New Jersey cop in custody after fatal shooting at his ex-wife's house