A former Newark cop has been ordered to spend the rest of his life behind bars.

A sentence of 79 years was handed down on Monday to John Formisano, 52, for murdering his estranged wife and attempting to kill her lover, with his two children at the scene.

The body of 37-year-old Christie Formisano was found by responding officers on the front steps of a home along Mirror Place in Jefferson Township at around 11:30 p.m. on July 14, 2019. According to police, she had been shot at her home two houses away and ran for help before being shot again and killed.

Inside Christie's residence, police located Timothy Simonson, 40 years old at the time, with multiple gunshot wounds.

Two minor children were inside the residence as well, unharmed.

Newark Lt. John Formisano convicted of murdering wife, Christie Solaro Formisano (Christie Solaro Formisano FacebookCBS NY via Youtube)
Newark Lt. John Formisano convicted of murdering wife, Christie Solaro Formisano (Christie Solaro Formisano Facebook/CBS NY via Youtube)
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John Formisano, who fled the scene was located in Livingston at approximately 2 a.m. later that night and taken into custody, police said. The firearm used along Mirror Place was recovered in the trunk of the car he was driving.

John Formisano's sentence includes 50 years on the count of murder, 15 years on the count of attempted murder, and 14 years on two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

John Formisano also was ordered to pay for reimbursement of medical expenses incurred by the victims, and he can't have contact with his children for six months.

The defendant was an acting lieutenant with the Newark Police Department, and was off-duty at the time of the crime. The force suspended him without pay in July 2019 in light of the incident.

Dino Flammia is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dino.flammia@townsquaremedia.com

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