Lakewood man extradited from Maryland on murder charge

LAKEWOOD — A man accused of murdering his girlfriend in their Leisure Village home is back in New Jersey to face charges after being found in Maryland, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

Lakewood resident John Filistovich, 59, has been extradited to Ocean County, to answer charges related to the death of 60-year-old Betty Perry.

On the afternoon of May 30, police were called to a home on Thornbury Court to conduct a welfare check on Perry. Responding officers found Perry's dead body on the floor of the bedroom. And further investigation revealed that Perry's vehicle was not at the residence.

Thornbury Court, Lakewood (Google Maps)

Perry and Filistovich had been in a dating relationship and were living together in the home, according to officials.

On the same day, Maryland State Troopers encountered Filistovich on the side of the road in Salisbury, Maryland, in Perry's Hyundai Elantra. He was transported to a local medical facility and charged with theft, officials said.

The next day, a post-mortem examination on Perry revealed that she had been killed as a result of blunt force injuries and asphyxiation. Officials identified Filistovich as the individual responsible for Perry's death.

Filistovich was released from the medical facility on June 1 and taken into custody, through his extradition to New Jersey.

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