| For Immediate Release Case # 09HF0844 August 10, 2012 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami
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MAN SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE FOR 1994 NEWPORT BEACH COLD CASE MURDER FOR FINANCIAL GAIN OF LOVER’S BENEFACTOR
*Defendant’s former girlfriend has been convicted and sentenced in this case
SANTA ANA – A man was sentenced today to life without the possibility of parole plus an additional five years in state prison for the 1994 cold case shooting-murder of his lover’s benefactor-boyfriend in the victim’s Newport Beach home. Eric Andrew Naposki, 45, Greenwich, CT, was found guilty by a jury July 14, 2011, of one felony count of special circumstances murder for financial gain with a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a deadly weapon.
Naposki’s former girlfriend and co-defendant Nanette Ann Packard, formerly Nanette Ann Johnston, 47, Ladera Ranch, was found guilty by a jury Jan. 23, 2012, of one felony count of special circumstances murder for financial gain and was sentenced May 18, 2012, to life in state prison without the possibility of parole.
Circumstances of the Case
In 1991, Packard met and dated Bill McLaughlin. The wealthy victim had a successful medical technology business and began financially supporting Packard. Packard, who was divorced with two children, lived in a beach-front home owned by McLaughlin and also with the victim in his bay-front home.
While in a relationship and being supported by McLaughlin, Packard was also dating Naposki, a former National Football League linebacker for the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. Naposki worked as a bouncer at the Thunderbird Nightclub, which was located in Newport Beach only 131 yards from the victim’s home.
Packard convinced Naposki to murder McLaughlin for financial gain. She provided Naposki with a key to the victim’s home and information about McLaughlin’s schedule and when he was expected to be at the house. Packard had a $1 million life insurance policy on the victim and had provisions in his will that she would receive $150,000 in the event of his death and would have the right to live in his beach house rent free for one year.
At approximately 9:00 p.m. on Dec. 15, 1994, Naposki entered McLaughlin’s home using the house key and shot the victim six times while he was standing in the kitchen. McLaughlin’s son, a young adult who suffered brain damage as a result of being hit by a drunken driver, was upstairs listening to music and heard the gunshots. The victim’s son found his murdered father and called 911.
Naposki fled the scene and went to work. He was scheduled to work at 9:00 p.m. that night and showed up late.