San Clemente Fertility Doctor Sentenced for Killing Wife
A former fertility doctor from San Clemente was sentenced on March 15 to 15 years to life in state prison for the fatal strangling of his wife at their home in an upscale Talega neighborhood in November 2016.
Dr. Eric Scott Sills, now 58, was convicted this past December of second-degree murder in connection with the death of his wife, Susann, then 45, more than seven years after she was found at the bottom of the stairs in their home and five years after he was arrested and accused of staging her body to make it look as if she had died in an accidental fall.
Sills was sentenced in a Santa Ana courtroom last week by Orange County Superior Court Judge Patrick H. Donahue.
“Mr. Sills not only killed his wife, but he went one step further and tried to cover up his horrific crime,” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a press release from his office. “His actions have irreparably torn apart his family, as his children have to grapple with the immeasurable pain of losing their mother at the hands of their father.
“This was the ultimate betrayal by their father, and now he will spend his remaining days in state prison.”
On Nov. 12, 2016, Dr. Sills called 911 and said his 12-year-old daughter had awakened to find his wife’s body at the bottom of the stairs. He contended his wife had been suffering from migraine headaches that weekend and had been seriously injured in an apparent fall.
Law enforcement officials were skeptical about that scenario based on evidence at the scene – blood on curtains, a wall and a nightstand in another room, as well as marks on Susann’s neck inconsistent with a fall. After a lengthy investigation, her cause of death was determined to be strangulation, and Dr. Sills was arrested on his way to work in April 2019 and charged with murder.
“Based on the evidence that the court heard, it is clear that the murder occurred in another area of the house,” Donahue said during sentencing.
At the time of Susann’s death, the couple worked together at the Center for Advanced Genetics, an in vitro fertilization clinic in Carlsbad which Susann had co-founded and where she ran business operations and where Eric was the medical director. The couple’s 12-year-old twins, now 19, were sleeping at the time of the murder.
Circus-Themed Gala at Ocean Institute on Saturday
The Ocean Institute’s second annual “Sea-cret Soiree” is a “Speakeasy Circus Gala” this Saturday, March 23, from 6-11 p.m. in Dana Point Harbor. It’s being promoted as “an elevated fundraising experience that combines the allure of a speakeasy with the thrilling spectacle of a circus.”
There will be circus performances, a plated dinner, specialty drinks, dancing, a silent auction and a live program to support Ocean Institute’s programs. Former American Idol star Casey Abrams will provide the musical entertainment.
Suggested attire is “Black Tie with a 1920s twist.” Tickets are $500. For more information, go to oceaninstitute.org.
San Juan Hills High Presents ‘Crazy For You – The Gershwin Musical’
The San Juan Hills High School’s Visual and Performing Arts Department will present Crazy For You – The Gershwin Musical as its spring production, from April 17-20.
The iconic musical will feature more than 40 performers on stage, with 25 musicians in the pit, showcasing the beautiful music of George and Ira Gershwin. The show is directed by Sheila Silver, conducted by Dean McElroy and choreographed by Melissa Staab.
Crazy For You, a winner of three Tony Awards, is a romantic comedy that tells the story of a rich boy who meets a hometown girl, loses the girl and then wins her back with a song.
Performances on April 17, 18, 19 and 20 at 7 p.m., plus a 1 p.m. matinee on April 20.Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for children and seniors, and can be purchased online at sjhhstheatrearts.org/tickets.
Blood Drive in San Juan Capistrano on March 28
The City of San Juan Capistrano, in partnership with American Red Cross, will host a blood drive on Thursday, March 28, from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the San Juan Capistrano Community Center.
Sign up for an appointment at the American Red Crss website using sponsor code CityofSJC. The Community Center is located at 25925 Camino Del Avion. For questions, contact the city’s Community Services Department at 949.493.5911.