Susann Sills lived what seemed to be a perfect life, filled with success both personally and professionally.
She was married to her husband, Eric Scott Sills, for a decade and together they had boy-girl twins. The couple also co-founded a fertility clinic in Carlsbad, California. However, behind closed doors, a darker story was unfolding.
On November 13, 2016, tragedy struck when Susann Sills was found dead at the bottom of the stairs in her San Clemente home.
At first, it was believed that she had fallen accidentally. However, upon further investigation, it became clear that Susann’s injuries were not consistent with a fall. Bruising around her neck indicated strangulation, and evidence suggested that her body had been moved. Bloodstains in her daughter’s bedroom and clumps of hair at the scene pointed to a struggle.
It took years for authorities to gather enough evidence to charge Eric Scott Sills with his wife’s murder. In 2019, he was arrested on his way to work and charged with second-degree murder. Despite his defense attorney’s arguments that Susann had simply lost her footing due to her migraines and medications, Eric was found guilty in December 2023 and sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer condemned Eric’s actions, stating, “Dr. Sills was sworn to care for the sick and injured and his chosen profession as a fertility doctor brought joy to many patients, yet he brutally murdered the mother of their children.”
The case of Susann Sills will be featured in an upcoming episode of Dateline on Friday, May 3, 2024, shedding light on the tragic events that led to her untimely death.
The story of Susann Sills serves as a reminder that not everything is as perfect as it seems on the surface, and that sometimes, the truth behind closed doors can be far more sinister.
