Disclaimer: The article contains mentions of murder. Reader discretion is advised.
Dateline NBC will re-examine the gruesome murder of Susann Sills that took place in November 2016. Titled “If These Walls Could Talk,” the episode will unravel startling details about the crime and how an innocent woman lost her life. It would also shed light on how authorities investigated the case and came to a conclusion that Susann’s husband, Eric Scott Sills, might be responsible for her death. The episode will air on the network on Friday, May 3, at 9 p.m. ET.
In November 2016, police discovered the lifeless body of Susann Sills in her house in San Clemente, California. According to NBC San Diego, Susann’s husband, Eric Scott Sills, dialed 911 after he saw his wife’s body at the bottom of the stairs. During the initial interrogation, Eric told the investigators that his wife died after a supposed fall. Following this, police sent Susann’s body for an autopsy and initiated an investigation.
Police said the extensive injuries on Susann Sills’ body, especially her neck, made them believe that the victim died because of a fall. Moreover, the East Bay Times reported that Eric avoided giving CPR to his wife despite the dispatcher’s urges. Almost a year after Susann’s death, authorities determined that Susann Sills’ death was a homicide. NBC News reported that police investigated Susann’s murder for another one-and-a-half-year and arrested Eric Scott Sills in April 2019.
Per the Associated Press, police charged Eric Scott Sills with murder and the case went to trial. The jury found Sills guilty of the murder of Susann Sills and sentenced him to 15 years to life in prison, according to FOX Los Angeles. Currently, Sills is serving his sentence at the Wasco State Prison in Wasco, California. He will be eligible for parole in January 2033.
What was the motive behind Susann Sills’ death?
During the trial, prosecutors presented strong evidence that proved Eric Scott Sills’ involvement in the crime. Citing the prosecutors, NBC News mentioned that the investigators found blood stains on the wall and curtains of Sills’ bedroom. Additionally, a clamp of hair found in the house also showed evidence of a struggle. On the other hand, the jury members also heard Sills’ 911 call from the night of the murder.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Eric Scott Sills told the dispatcher that his wife, Susann Sills, fell from stairs in the middle of the night. During the call, Sills said, “We’ve got a patient here who’s fallen off the stairs and I don’t have a pulse. I think she tripped because it was dark.” Moreover, prosecutors claimed that the doctor “strangled” his wife after arguing with her. They also alleged how Eric wasted time searching for his pulse oximeter rather than saving his wife.
Meanwhile, the defense team told the jurors about the autopsy report and noted that medicines like benzodiazepine Valium and tramadol were found in her system. Citing the defense team, the Los Angeles Times noted that medicines could have left her confused on the stairs. The defense said, “We don’t know how she fell.”
Eric and Susann were going through a rough patch
Although prosecutors failed to come up with a strong motive for the slaying, the text messages showed that the couple was going through a rough patch in their marriage. One of the messages read, “I will never be free, ever. You are killing me, don’t you see? … I just want out.”
Per Los Angeles Times, the prosecution team also noted that Susann Sills uploaded a topless picture on the internet after losing a bet. However, the prosecutors told the court that they didn’t if that motivated Eric Scott Sills to allegedly kill her. The jury deliberated for a day and found Eric Scott Sills guilty of second-degree murder.
