Newport Beach Cold Case Goes to Trial

Two suspects will face trial for the murder of multimillionaire Bill McLaughlin. The incident occurred in 1994 and police had suspected Nanette Packard, who was dating McLaughlin at the time and her lover Eric Naposki but there was not enough evidence to bring charges against them. According to the Orange County Register on December 15, 1994, shots were fired and McLaughlin was found dead in the kitchen of his Newport Beach home. The body was found by his son, who was in his room on the second floor when he heard the shots. Packard would have gained a total of $1,150,000 from McLaughlin’s life insurance and from an inheritance. Prosecutors are alleging that Packard convinced Naposki to kill McLaughlin and gave him a key to the house. The pair is now facing charges because of two anonymous phone calls that were made years after the murder; both callers have agreed to testify in court.