Virginia Beach, Va. - Virginia Beach police won’t say whether a Holiday Inn in Summerville, S.C. is connected to their investigation into the suspicious powder they recovered on Monday, from a home located in the 2000-block of Cape Arbor Drive.
However, a civil lawsuit uncovered in a special NewsChannel 3 investigation, raises questions about a possible connection.
According to the Berkley County, S.C. Coroner's Office, back in 1993, a man was rushed out of the Summerville Holiday Inn by paramedics. He died a day later in the hospital.
The coroner’s office identified the man as Thomas Ivan Hill, who was married to a Debbie Seirs-Hill.
Hill’s death was ruled a suicide by drinking antifreeze.
Fast forward 23 years later.
A NewsChannel 3 investigation uncovered a lawsuit involving that same woman, Debbie Seirs-Hill.
She was living with a different man, Fred Brooks, when he was rushed to Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital on February 18th.
According to the lawsuit, Brooks was taken off life support the next day.
In the lawsuit, the family claims Siers-Hill poisoned their father to death in an attempt to gain control of his estate.
The family also says Siers-Hill refused to allow Brooks’ children to see him just before he was taken off life support.
According to the lawsuit filed by Brooks’ family, Brooks retired from his job in March 2015 for stomach problems which seemed suspicious.
In January 2015, the lawsuit states a co-worker asked Brooks if Siers-Hill was poisoning him.
Brooks’ allegedly told his co-worker Siers-Hill’s first husband had died from a suspicious toxic substance.
In the lawsuit, the family also says Siers-Hill tried to change Brooks’ trust by forging his signature on a Distribution of Personal Property document. The document, according to the lawsuit, leaves 72 percent of Brooks’ possession with Siers-Hill, however the family claims Brooks’ left everything in his trust and will to his three children.
Siers-Hill denies all of these allegations.
Related articles:
NewsChannel 3 Investigation: Court records allege girlfriend poisoned Virginia Beach man to death
Virginia Beach Police conduct investigation at home after suspicious substance is found
