← Back to United States casesSally, Eric Hill, and others Injured in Murder Attempt by Rosa Hill, May Lee, and others, Dublin, California, United States
Case Summary
The source describes a custody-driven conflict involving separated spouses Rosa Hill and Eric Hill. After Eric obtained primary legal and physical custody of their daughter Elizabeth, Rosa allegedly attacked Eric during a confrontation at the home of his grandmother, Sally, while demanding that he surrender custody. Sally was found dead from strangulation, and Rosa, her mother May Lee, and her father Ping Lee were later arrested or prosecuted in connection with the homicide, attempted murder, burglary, and related conduct. Rosa and May were convicted of first-degree murder and premeditated attempted murder, although May's murder conviction was later overturned on appeal; Ping pleaded guilty to burglary and accessory after the fact to attempted murder.
Basic Information
Country: United States
State/Province: California, United States
City/Region: Dublin
Incident Type: Murder
Relationship Status: Separated
Relationship Duration:
Incident Date: Jan. 7, 2009
Incident Sequence and Additional Victims
Primary reported outcome: Attempted homicide or serious injury
Reported self-harm outcome: No suicide or attempt reported
Reported sequence: Order not reported / unclear
Additional victims reported: 1
Additional victim events:
- Sally — Family or household member; Killed; Order not reported / unclear
Relationship Journey
Relationship Origins:
- Family introduction
Relationship Stages:
- Married Living Together
- Separated
- Married Living Separately
- Police report filed
Analysis
Contributing Factors:
- Domestic Violence Allegation
- Custody Dispute
- Domestic Conflict
- Mental instability
- Divorce / Separation
- Family pressure
Red Flags:
- False accusations of infidelity
- Deception after incident
- Escalation Pattern / Violence
- Suspects identified
- Manipulative behavior
- Threats
- Stalking / Repeated Harassment
- Firearm Access / Concerning Weapon Behavior
- High-Conflict Household
Motives:
- Revenge
- Children Custody
- Control/domination
- Fear of exposure
Relationship Outcomes:
- Custody dispute
- Legal case ongoing
- Homicide before divorce
- Arrest made
- Weapon recovery
- Investigation still ongoing
Source Video
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People Link Graph
Sally, Eric Hill, and others Injured in Murder Attempt by Rosa Hill, May Lee, and others, Dublin, California, United States
Relationship Journey Graph
Origin
- Family introduction
How the relationship or connection began.
Status
- Separated
Stages
- Married Living Together
- Separated
- Married Living Separately
- Police report filed
Important relationship phases recorded for this case.
Warning Signals
- False accusations of infidelity
- Deception after incident
- Escalation Pattern / Violence
- Suspects identified
- Manipulative behavior
- Threats
- Stalking / Repeated Harassment
- Firearm Access / Concerning Weapon Behavior
- High-Conflict Household
Reported red flags or early concern points.
Pressure Points
- Domestic Violence Allegation
- Custody Dispute
- Domestic Conflict
- Mental instability
- Divorce / Separation
- Family pressure
- Revenge
- Children Custody
- Control/domination
- Fear of exposure
Contributing factors and possible motives from the available sources.
Incident
2009-01-07
Outcome
- Custody dispute
- Legal case ongoing
- Homicide before divorce
- Arrest made
- Weapon recovery
- Investigation still ongoing
Recorded relationship or case outcome.
AI Intelligence Assessment
Relationship Pattern
Custody Conflict
Pattern Analysis
The reported relationship pattern centers on a prolonged post-separation custody dispute. The source describes allegations against Eric, worsening court outcomes for Rosa, and an alleged escalation from litigation and accusations to a coordinated violent confrontation. The involvement of Rosa's parents created a broader family-system dimension, although the exact degree of planning and participation was litigated separately.
Investigative Notes
The source reports that police responded after a neighbor called 911 about a disturbance and found Eric injured or threatened, May bleeding with a stun gun nearby, Rosa hiding with a handgun, and Elizabeth unharmed. Sally's body was reportedly found in a shed with a rope and plastic bags, and the cause of death was strangulation. Investigators reportedly recovered weapons, ammunition, restraints, notes concerning Eric and Sally, directions to the residence, and internet searches involving weapons, burglary, murder, poisons, silencers, and strangulation. Rosa, May, and Ping were arrested in 2011. Rosa and May were reported convicted of first-degree murder and premeditated attempted murder; May's murder conviction was later overturned on appeal for insufficient proof of her involvement in Sally's murder. Ping reportedly pleaded guilty to burglary and accessory after the fact to attempted murder. The source reports prison sentences and parole eligibility dates, but the source contains chronology and naming inconsistencies.
Investigation Confusion
The initial police response did not establish who was responsible because Eric, Rosa, and May were involved in a violent struggle and multiple weapons were present. The source presents competing accounts of the confrontation, including Rosa's alleged self-defense narrative and the prosecution-supported interpretation of a planned attack. The deceased person's name is inconsistently presented as Sally and Selma or Saway, and the transcript gives conflicting years for the incident and subsequent searches.
Case Reconstruction / Puzzle Pieces
According to the source, Rosa and Eric married in 2005, had Elizabeth in 2006, separated in 2007, and then engaged in a custody dispute. Eric later received primary custody, after which the source says Rosa's court position deteriorated and accusations against Eric continued. On the reported incident date, Eric returned to Sally's residence with Elizabeth, encountered May inside, and was then allegedly attacked by Rosa and May with an electrical weapon, baton, firearm, and other force. Witnesses heard disturbance sounds and Eric calling for help, prompting the police response. The discovery of Sally's body, weapons, notes, searches, and alleged surveillance information connected the custody conflict to a broader alleged plan, while later convictions and appellate proceedings differentiated the roles and proof against Rosa, May, and Ping.
Risk Assessment
The source describes a high-risk combination of separation, custody conflict, alleged repeated accusations, access to weapons, reported threats, and escalating violence. Reported searches, weapons, surveillance-related notes, and concealment materials suggest possible preparation, but conclusions about individual intent should remain tied to the convictions and court outcomes rather than the commentator's psychological speculation.
Key Takeaways
The case illustrates how a prolonged custody dispute can become a severe violence risk when combined with alleged deception, perceived loss of control, family involvement, weapons, and escalating threats. Reported preparation indicators included weapons accumulation, concealment materials, surveillance-related information, and searches concerning violent methods. The source is useful for pattern comparison but includes commentator speculation, inconsistent dates, and inconsistent naming that should be checked against court records.
AI Case Q&A
What early signals mattered most?
The source identifies the prolonged custody dispute, repeated allegations against Eric, Rosa's worsening court position, reported erratic and argumentative behavior, and the reported accumulation of weapons and violent planning materials as important early signals. These descriptions are partly legal or commentator characterizations and should not be treated as clinical findings.
Which clues helped connect the case?
Reported clues included the condition of Sally's body, the weapons and ammunition recovered near the residence and in vehicles, directions to Sally's house, notes concerning Eric and Sally, internet searches about weapons and murder, and Eric's account of the custody demand during the attack. Witnesses' reports of popping sounds and Eric calling for help also helped connect the confrontation to the police response.
Which evidence types appeared strongest?
The source presents the strongest evidence as physical evidence, including the body and alleged strangulation materials, firearms and ammunition, electrical weapons, a baton, restraints, weapons in vehicles, handwritten notes, computer searches, and surveillance-related information. Eric's account and the observations of Jeffrey, Uta, the neighbor, and responding officers were also reported as significant. The legal weight of each item is not fully detailed in the transcript.
Witness / Eyewitness Statements
Eric reportedly said Rosa attacked him with a stun gun, May struck him with a baton, Rosa pointed a firearm at him, and the women demanded custody of Elizabeth. Jeffrey and Uta reportedly heard popping sounds and left to seek help. A neighbor reportedly heard Eric screaming and called 911. Responding officers reportedly heard screaming and a male voice saying he did not want to die. The source does not provide full verbatim witness testimony.
How did follow-up reports change the understanding?
Follow-up investigation reportedly shifted the case from an unclear household struggle to a homicide and attempted-murder prosecution after Sally's body, weapons, planning notes, computer searches, and other materials were recovered. Later appellate proceedings narrowed May's legal responsibility by overturning her murder conviction while leaving her attempted-murder sentence in place, according to the source.
What remained unclear?
The exact incident date is unclear because the source says January 7, 2019 while also describing searches and legal chronology consistent with 2009. The identity and naming of the deceased person are inconsistently presented as Sally and Selma or Saway. The transcript does not fully establish the precise sequence of Sally's death, May's knowledge before the attack, or the complete evidentiary basis for each conviction beyond the commentator's account.