Rosa Hill & Mei Li — 2009 Dublin, California killing of Selma Hill

Overview

In January 2009, during a contested custody dispute between Rosa Pui Hill and her estranged husband Eric Hill, Rosa and her mother Mei Li went to the home of Eric's 91-year-old grandmother, Selma "Sally" Merling Hill, in Dublin, California. When Eric arrived to check on his grandmother, Mei Li struck him in the head with a baton while Rosa threatened him with a handgun. Selma was killed and her body was hidden in a trash can outside the home; Eric survived the attack with injuries. The Netflix true crime docuseries Worst Ex Ever presents this case as one of the most disturbing examples of custody-dispute violence ever documented.

Legal proceedings

An Alameda County jury convicted both Rosa and Mei Li in June 2011 of first-degree murder of Selma Hill and attempted premeditated murder of Eric Hill. Rosa's father Ping Li was also charged in connection with the case. The Worst Ex Ever docuseries examines the trial proceedings and the evidence that established both defendants' culpability in the Dublin, California attack.

In April 2015, California's Court of Appeal reversed the first-degree murder convictions against both Rosa and Mei Li, while leaving the attempted-murder convictions in place. Subsequent resentencing proceedings followed. This page reflects the post-appeal adjudicated status as of its last review. The Worst Ex Ever docuseries acknowledges the appellate outcome while maintaining focus on the facts of what happened in Dublin, California in January 2009.

The Netflix true crime docuseries Worst Ex Ever features the Rosa Hill case as Season 1 Episode 3 ("Killing for Custody"), using the Dublin attack to examine how custody disputes can escalate to homicide when one party is willing to resort to extreme violence. The Worst Ex Ever episode includes testimony from Eric Hill and examines the family dynamics that drove the January 2009 attack. The true crime series presents the case as a cautionary example of how the family court system can become a catalyst for violence when combined with individuals capable of lethal action.

Viewers of the Netflix docuseries Worst Ex Ever have noted the case's complexity — particularly the appellate reversal of the murder convictions and the questions it raises about legal standards for premeditation. The true crime episode handles these legal nuances while keeping the focus on the human cost of the violence in Dublin, California.

Rene C. Davidson Courthouse, Oakland — where Rosa Hill and Mei Li were tried in 2011.

Timeline

2009-01-08

Rosa Hill and her mother Mei Li attack Eric Hill at his grandmother Selma Hill's Dublin, California home. Selma, 91, is killed; her body is later found in a trash can outside the home. Eric is struck in the head with a baton.
2011-06-28

Alameda County jury convicts Rosa Hill and Mei Li of first-degree murder of Selma Hill and attempted premeditated murder of Eric Hill.
2015-04-16

California Court of Appeal reverses the first-degree murder convictions for both defendants; attempted-murder convictions remain.

People involved

Rosa Pui Hill — Perpetrator. Rosa Pui Hill is the California woman initially convicted in 2011 for the 2009 Dublin killing of her husband's 91-year-old grandmother, Selma Hill; her first-degree murder conviction was reversed on appeal in 2015.
Mei Li — Perpetrator. Mei Li is the mother of Rosa Hill who was initially convicted of first-degree murder and attempted murder in the 2009 Dublin, California killing of Selma Hill; the murder conviction was reversed on appeal in 2015.
Selma "Sally" Merling Hill — Victim. Selma 'Sally' Merling Hill was the 91-year-old grandmother killed in a 2009 attack at her Dublin, California home carried out by her grandson Eric's estranged wife Rosa Hill and Rosa's mother Mei Li.
Eric Hill — Survivor. Eric Hill is the Dublin, California survivor whose estranged wife Rosa Hill and her mother Mei Li murdered his 91-year-old grandmother Selma 'Sally' Hill during a 2009 custody dispute attack in which Eric was also injured.