News

Actions

Court records: Girlfriend shoots boyfriend, manipulates his life insurance policy

Posted at 1:02 PM, Jun 15, 2016
and last updated 2016-06-15 18:25:27-04

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Did a Virginia Beach woman, Debbie Siers-Hill, play a role in her boyfriend’s death? It’s a question Virginia Beach police have been asking themselves since family members claim she poisoned their father, Fred Brooks, for his money.

Siers-Hill has always denied these allegations.

But court documents uncovered in a News 3 investigation, shows this isn’t the first time Virginia Beach police have investigated Siers-Hill.

In March 2012, police were called to Brooks’ home off Cape Arbor Drive. According to court records, a woman, Debbie Siers-Hill shot her boyfriend, Fred Brooks.

The shots were non-fatal, but the emotional wounds ran deeper.

Just a few days after Siers-Hill allegedly shot Brooks, a new lawsuit, uncovered by News 3, shows Brooks changed his estate plan, by removing Siers-Hill entirely, and putting his daughter Jessica in charge.

Siers-Hill searched

Debbie Siers-Hill's automobile was searched by police in April.

“Typically I don’t see clients modifying their plans, unless there’s been some change in family circumstances,” estate planning attorney Scott Alperin told News 3.

(Alperin weighed in on the case as a legal expert, and is not affiliated with Siers-Hill or Brooks’ family.)

Despite their “very volatile relationship”, according to one civil lawsuit, neighbors told News 3 Brooks and Siers-Hill stayed together.

According to the new lawsuit, Siers-Hill and Brooks stayed together long enough for Siers-Hill to allegedly manipulate Brooks’ life insurance policy.

The new lawsuit against her claims she forged Brooks’ signature, and made herself and her daughter from another man two of the three beneficiaries.

Brooks' family say Siers-Hill forged their father's signature. According to court records, Brooks' signature is on top, and the alleged forged signature is on the bottom.

Brooks' family say Siers-Hill forged their father's signature. According to court records, Brooks' signature is on top, and the alleged forged signature is on the bottom.

In February, the lawsuit shows Brooks put Siers-Hill once again back in charge of his estate plan, just nine days before his sudden death.

“It is unusual to have this amount of trust amendments in this short of time,” said Alerpin. “Not to say that it couldn’t happen, but it is not typical to see this type of pattern in someone’s estate plan.”

Brooks’ death lead police and the FBI to raid the home he shared with Siers-Hill in search of a white powder, a substance which has yet to be disclosed to the public.

When confronted last month by News 3’s Merris Badcock, Siers-Hill said this of the allegations: “Three kids got a million dollars, and are making accusations falsely.”

At the time the new lawsuit was filed, Brooks’ death certificate had still not been signed.

The lawsuit also alleges Siers-Hill has a secret storage unit. It is unclear if police searched that location as well.

Related stories:

New allegations in Virginia Beach suspicious death include secret storage unit, forged signature

Girlfriend of dead Navy man leads Virginia Beach police to South Carolina, West Virginia

Family drops lawsuit after accusing Virginia Beach woman of murdering their father for money

Girlfriend removes herself from dead man’s estate plan after family sues

Virginia Beach lawsuit links 2 dead men to same woman through toxic substances

Woman connected to suspicious Virginia Beach death searched

Court records allege girlfriend poisoned Virginia Beach man to death

Virginia Beach Police conduct investigation at home after suspicious substance is found