Theresa Neubauer received a shocking phone call at work five years ago informing her that her son-in-law, prominent fertility doctor Scott Sills, had been arrested on suspicion of murdering her daughter, Susann Sills. Susann’s body had been found at the bottom of a staircase in their home in Southern California in 2016. Neubauer had viewed Scott as a grieving widower raising their twins on his own and was unaware that authorities were investigating her daughter’s death as suspicious.
During Sills’ murder trial, the prosecutor alleged that he had strangled his wife after a violent struggle and staged her body on the staircase, while Sills’ lawyer argued it was an accidental fall. Sills was ultimately convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. Neubauer was shocked by the turn of events and had initially believed her son-in-law was innocent.
On the morning of Susann’s death, Sills found her body at the bottom of the stairs and called 911. Despite Neubauer’s belief that Susann must have suffered from a sudden ailment, investigators found evidence of a struggle, defensive wounds on Susann’s arms, and a ligature mark on her neck. There were also indications of problems in the couple’s relationship, including a cryptic note found in Sills’ office related to a bet Susann had made.
While Neubauer was unaware of these findings and believed there were no issues in the couple’s relationship, the investigators suspected foul play. It took a year for the coroner to determine Susann’s cause of death as homicide by strangulation. Though toxicology analysis found pain medication in Susann’s system, there wasn’t enough to affect her balance. The investigators also discovered that the bloodstains in the bedroom belonged to both Susann and Sills.
Despite the suspicions surrounding Sills, he continued to live a normal life, raising their twins and working as a fertility doctor until his arrest in 2019. The authorities believed that there had been a violent struggle in the bedroom that led to Sills strangling his wife and staging the scene. Sills was eventually convicted of second-degree murder, leaving Neubauer feeling a mix of relief and grief that justice had been served but her daughter was still gone.
