A California homeowner checking the crawl space beneath his house made a disturbing discovery in October 2020 when authorities found unidentified human remains hidden beneath the property in Big Bear Lake.
asserted
authorities → check → Lake
An autopsy determined that the person had died in a homicide, but investigators initially could not establish the victim’s identity despite DNA testing and other investigative efforts.
uncertain
investigators → determine → testing
The case remained unsolved for years until the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Cold Case Homicide Team took it up in 2023 and submitted the remains for additional DNA analysis.
asserted
Team → remain → analysis
The testing ultimately identified the victim as Jill Maiorca, a 29-year-old woman who had been reported missing from Big Bear Lake in 2007.
asserted
who → identify → 2007
Investigators later identified her former husband, Jeff Maiorca, as a suspect and arrested him in September 2026.
asserted
Investigators → identify → September
California homeowner discovered human remains beneath Big Bear home
The investigation began on October 28, 2020, when deputies from the Big Bear Sheriff’s Station responded to a call about a suspicious discovery in the crawl space of a residence in the 39000 block of Forest Road in Big Bear Lake.
asserted
deputies → discover → Lake
Deputies and personnel from the Big Bear Fire Department found human remains beneath the residence and recovered them from the crawl space.
asserted
Deputies → find → space
An autopsy determined that the manner of death was homicide.
asserted
manner → determine → death
However, investigators were initially unable to determine who the victim was.
asserted
victim → determine → ?
DNA testing and other investigative efforts failed to establish the person’s identity, leaving detectives with an unidentified homicide victim and no clear connection to a missing-person case.
asserted
testing → fail → case
Authorities later determined that the remains had been concealed beneath the residence without the homeowner’s knowledge.
asserted
remains → determine → knowledge
Investigators have not publicly explained how or when the remains were placed there.
asserted
remains → explain → ?
Cold case team revisits unidentified remains
The case received a new investigative push in 2023, when the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Cold Case Homicide Team assumed the investigation.
asserted
Team → revisit → investigation
Detectives submitted the remains for additional investigative DNA analysis in an effort to establish the victim’s identity.
asserted
Detectives → submit → identity
The additional analysis eventually produced a breakthrough.
asserted
analysis → produce → breakthrough
Investigators identified the remains as those of Jill Maiorca, who had been reported missing from Big Bear Lake in 2007.
asserted
who → identify → 2007
According to the Sheriff’s Department, evidence developed during the renewed investigation indicated that Maiorca was murdered in November 2006, approximately a year before she was reported missing.
uncertain
she → accord → November
Her remains had remained unidentified for years after being discovered beneath the Forest Road residence.
asserted
remains → remain → residence
Jill Maiorca had been missing since 2007
asserted
Maiorca → miss → 2007
Maiorca’s disappearance had been recorded as a missing-person case in Big Bear Lake in 2007.
asserted
disappearance → record → 2007
Her eventual identification gave investigators a name to work with and allowed them to examine her history, relationships and circumstances surrounding her disappearance.
asserted
them → give → disappearance
Los Angeles County court records show that Jeff Maiorca had filed for divorce from Jill in 2004.
asserted
Maiorca → show → 2004
The divorce case involved minor children, according to records cited by SFGATE.
uncertain
case → involve → SFGATE
Authorities have not publicly disclosed a possible motive for Jill’s killing.
asserted
Authorities → disclose → killing
They also have not detailed all the evidence that led investigators to focus on her former husband.
asserted
that → detail → husband
The Sheriff’s Department has said the investigation remains ongoing.
asserted
investigation → say → ?
Former husband arrested nearly 20 years later
asserted
husband → arrest → ?
After the renewed investigation and identification of Jill’s remains, detectives identified her former husband, Jeff Maiorca, as a suspect in her murder.
asserted
detectives → renew → murder
Maiorca, now 53, was arrested on September 21, 2026, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
uncertain
Maiorca → arrest → Department
Maiorca was taken into custody without incident on September 21 and booked into Big Bear Jail on suspicion of murder, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
uncertain
Maiorca → take → Department
The Los Angeles Times, citing incarceration records, reported that he was being held in a San Bernardino County jail without bail.
asserted
he → cite → bail
SFGATE reported that Maiorca was detained at the Big Bear Lake branch library on Garstin Drive and that his arrest record listed a murder charge.
asserted
record → report → charge
Maiorca has been accused of killing Jill, but the allegations have not been adjudicated in court.
asserted
allegations → accuse → court
Authorities have not said publicly what evidence specifically connected him to the killing or how they believe her remains came to be concealed beneath the home.
asserted
remains → say → home
Court hearing moved to October 12
asserted
hearing → move → October
According to ABC7 Los Angeles, Maiorca was initially scheduled for an arraignment on September 23, but the hearing was continued to October 12.
uncertain
hearing → accord → October
The outlet reported that he is facing first- and second-degree murder charges, along with an enhancement alleging the use of a deadly weapon.
asserted
he → report → weapon
The case remains an active homicide investigation.
asserted
case → remain → ?
The Sheriff’s Department has asked anyone with information about Jill Maiorca’s disappearance or death to contact its Homicide Detail.
asserted
anyone → ask → Detail
Investigators have also said they are continuing to work on the case nearly two decades after her suspected killing.
asserted
they → say → killing
The Aporia
