What did John Formisano do? Former Newark cop sentenced to 79 years in prison over murder of estranged wife

John Formisano, who was convicted of several charges including first-degree murder, has been sentenced to serve 79 years in prison. The 52-year-old was convicted on October 3, 2022, by a Morris County Jury.

In 2019, former Lt. John Formisano murdered his estranged wife Christie Solaro-Formisano (then 37) and attempted to kill the man Christie was seeing. John Formisano was also accused of making a fake 911 call after murdering Christie, in an attempt to misdirect the investigation.

Several law enforcement agencies were involved in the investigation. These included the Jefferson Township Police Department, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit and Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (SERT), and the Livingston Township Police Department, among others.

---

John Formisano who fatally shot his estranged wife has been sentenced to serve prison time

On July 14, 2019, former Newark Lt. John Formisano murdered his estranged wife, Christie Formisano. When John shot Christie at their Jefferson Township residence, he was off-duty but still in his uniform. John also injured a man named Timothy Simonson (then 40), who Christie was seeing back then.

At around 11:21 pm, 911 several calls were made from the area and it was reported that the residents heard shots being fired. After making a fake 911 call to confuse the authorities, John Formisano fled to his mother’s residence in Livingston, New Jersey. Formisano was arrested from Livingston at about 2 am local time.

John Formisano claimed that the prosecutors had lied about various facts of the case. He said:

“Give them a Christmas present. Give them the maximum sentence. To see them knowingly lie about the facts of the case…”

Formisano also ranted about Christie who he had murdered back in 2019. During his trial, he said also began blaming Christie for whatever happened to her. To this, Judge Michael C. Gaus was infuriated and said that it one of the most narcissistic statements from a defendant that was ever said in a courtroom.

It was discovered that Christie and John Formisano were about to get a divorce. Surveillance footage captured John chasing Christie before fatally gunning her down. Judge Gaus said that the footage showing Formisano hunting his wife like an animal.

The Judge also mentioned that when John Formisano was asked by a neighbor what he was doing he said that he was busy with something important. Gaus continued,

“He’s just doing some busy work. Some busy work. Gunning down his wife, the mother of his children on the next-door neighbor's front porch while she's desperately trying to get help.”

During the horrific incident, John and Christie’s young children were at the residence. However, they were unharmed. Christie’s heartbroken mother Susan recalled the tragic death of her daughter and said that it was due to their father that the children's childhood was shattered and broken.

She added that although she knew it wasn't a nice thing to say, she hated John and that she feared hearing or seeing him again.

Susan continued that there isn't much joy or peace in her heart in the Christmas season as she mourns the day her late daughter would've turned 41.

---

John used his service pistol to kill Christie and police found it in his car

The trial went on for eight days, and the verdict was that John Formisano, the veteran police officer was guilty.

He was convicted based on the following charges:

• First-degree Murder, first degree attempted aurder
• Two counts of second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose
• Second-degree Official Misconduct
• Two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child
• Third-degree Hindering Apprehension or Prosecution.

Julie Rivera, a resident recalled the night of July 14, 2019, and said:

“We heard three shots. I’ve never heard gunshots before so in my mind, I’m thinking they were fireworks. And then we hear police.”

Rivera added that following the shooting, everyone's phones began blowing up with people giving warnings about there being a shooting in the area. Following this, people began to see news of the shooting everywhere as the stories began coming out.

Authorities found that the murder weapon that John used was his police-issued weapon. Prosecutors mentioned that they found the pistol in the trunk of the car that he was driving.

Prosecutors also said that the veteran cop was extremely angry when he saw Christie and Timothy together at their house which he and Christie once shared. John took the defense claiming that he supposedly blacked out, and ended up killing his wife and injuring her boyfriend due to a mental issue. According to his defense, he supposedly did not intend to do it.

The then 40-year-old Timothy Simonson testified in the court and said that he had been dating Christie for about a month before the horrific shooting.

In her obituary, Christie Formisano has been remembered as a beloved mother and a loving daughter. Christie Formisano was finally given justice when the Morris County Jury found her John Formisano guilty and sentenced him to serve 79 years in prison.