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Remains found under home identified as missing SoCal woman
Maiorca was 29 years old when she was reported missing in 2007. The remains were discovered years later, hidden in a crawlspace beneath a home in the 39000 block of Forest Road. Authorities now say the discovery has led to a murder investigation and the arrest of Maiorca's former husband.
The Discovery Came in 2020
The case began to unravel on Oct. 28, 2020, when the homeowner contacted authorities after discovering what appeared to be human remains in a crawlspace beneath the residence.
Deputies and Big Bear Fire Department personnel responded and confirmed the discovery. An autopsy determined that the person had been killed, but investigators were initially unable to identify the victim. DNA testing and other investigative efforts did not produce an identification at the time.
The homeowner was not accused of knowing that the remains had been concealed beneath the property. Authorities said the remains had been hidden there without the homeowner's knowledge.
Cold Case Investigators Revisit the Evidence
The investigation received a new push in 2023, when the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department's Cold Case Homicide Team took over the case.
Investigators submitted the remains for additional DNA analysis, which ultimately identified the victim as Jill Maiorca, who had been reported missing from Big Bear Lake in 2007.
Authorities say further investigation indicated that Maiorca had been murdered in November 2006, before she was officially reported missing, and that her remains were concealed beneath the home.
Her Former Husband Is Arrested
Investigators eventually identified Maiorca's former husband, Jeff Maiorca, as a suspect.
Jeff Maiorca, now 53, was arrested on Sept. 21, 2026, and booked into the Big Bear Jail on suspicion of murder, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. He was taken into custody without incident.
Authorities have not publicly released the specific evidence that led them to identify him as a suspect or detailed what investigators believe happened to Jill.
He has been accused of killing his former wife; those allegations have not been proven in court.
A Mystery That Lasted Nearly 20 Years
For years, Maiorca's disappearance remained an unanswered question for investigators and those who knew her.
The eventual identification of her remains has transformed the case from a missing-person investigation into a homicide investigation, giving authorities a clearer picture of what may have happened while leaving many questions still unanswered.
The Sheriff's Department says the murder investigation remains ongoing.
Authorities Ask for Information
Investigators are asking anyone with information about Jill Maiorca's disappearance or death to come forward.
Anyone with information can contact Detective Malcolm Page or Sergeant Justin Giles with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department's Specialized Investigations Division at 909-890-4916. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through We-Tip.
After nearly 20 years, the identification of Jill Maiorca's remains has finally given her family and investigators an answer about what happened to her — while the investigation now turns toward establishing exactly how and why she was killed.
Source: KTLA 5
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