Homeowner’s horrifying discovery in crawl space leads to arrest in 20-year-old cold case

A Southern California man was arrested Monday years after his wife’s remains were mysteriously found in a crawl space underneath a home in Big Bear.

The remains of Jill Maiorca were originally found in October 2020 by deputies from the Big Bear Sheriff’s Station after responding to a service call along Forest Road in Big Bear Lake.

At the time, the homeowner did not know the remains were hiding in his home and they had yet to be identified as belonging to the woman.

In 2023, DNA analysis reviewed by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department revealed the remains were Maiorca’s and further investigation identified her former husband as a suspect in her murder.

Jeff Anthony Maiorca, 53, was arrested Monday, Sept. 21 by San Bernardino authorities, nearly 20 years after Jill was killed.

Arrest records show that he has was detained at the Big Bear branch library on Garstin Drive. He is being held at the High Desert Jail in Adelanto, without access to bail.

San Bernardino County Superior Court records show that he was charged with murder and use of a deadly weapon during a court hearing on Wednesday.

His next court date is set for Oct. 12.

Jeff Anthony Maiorca had filed for divorce from Jill Maiorca in Los Angeles County in 2004, according to public records.

Jill was originally reported missing in Big Bear Lake in 2007, but evidence from authorities’ investigation indicate that she was murdered in November 2006. She was 29 years old at the time.

An autopsy conducted on the remains determined that the manner of death was a homicide.

The investigation into what happened to Jill remains ongoing.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is encouraging anyone from the public with information to contact them.

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