Deana Hubbard Wild, a 20-year-old white female, tragically lost her life on April 2, 1987, after falling from a cliff in Big Sur, California. Initially, her death was considered an accident, as she had been visiting the scenic coastal overlook with Virginia and Billie Joe McGinnis, a middle-aged couple she had been living with in Chula Vista, California. Virginia, a retired hospital worker, claimed that Wild was wearing high heels and may have stumbled along the cliffs.
Photographs taken before the fall confirmed that she had been near the edge.
Wild, originally from Kentucky, had moved in with the McGinnis couple in December 1986 after separating from a Navy man stationed in San Diego. Her loved ones in Kentucky, however, questioned whether her fall was truly accidental. Investigators soon discovered that Virginia McGinnis, along with her husband and son, were beneficiaries of a $35,000 life insurance policy taken out on Wild just one day before her fatal fall. Virginia sought to collect on the policy within days of Wild’s death, raising suspicions.
Further investigation revealed that Wild’s autopsy report indicated the presence of Elavil, a drug used to treat depression and induce drowsiness, despite her medical records showing no conditions necessitating its use. Authorities obtained a search warrant for the McGinnis residence, uncovering additional evidence that led them to suspect foul play.
On September 15, 1989, Virginia and Billie Joe McGinnis were arrested for Wild’s murder. However, Billie Joe, aged 52, died from HIV-related complications while awaiting trial. Nearly five years after Wild’s death, Virginia’s trial began on January 6, 1992. She was ultimately convicted and sentenced for her role in the murder of Deana Hubbard Wild.
