Within months of meeting McLaughlin, Nanette brought her two young children to live with him. He provided her with a generous allowance and a lavish lifestyle. The couple were soon engaged and McLaughlin made Nanette a beneficiary of a $1 million life insurance policy.
At the same time she was engaged to McLaughlin, Nanette was also involved with Eric Naposki, a former NFL linebacker, who says he had plans to propose, as well. In fact, they were together at Nanette's son's soccer game the night Bill McLaughlin was fatally shot by an intruder in his home.
On Dec. 14, 1994, just one day before the murder, someone had written a check for $250,000, forging McLaughlin's name. Nanette, it turned out, had cashed it.
His family says Nanette embezzled close to $500,000 from his account altogether. It was clear to McLaughlin's family that Nanette had to end their father's life before he found out that she was stealing from him -- stealing for a future with Eric Naposki.
Nanette and Eric Naposki were suspects in the murder, but were not charged due to lack of evidence. In March 1996, Nanette pleaded guilty to forgery and theft and served 180 days. After being released from jail, she quickly began dating again.
Ron Goodger Photography
Nanette Johnston married twice following her release from jail. First, she married the very wealthy John Packard and had another child; that marriage ended in divorce. She quickly moved on, as seen here in a photo from her wedding to businessman Bill McNeal. The couple also had a child together.
According to retired Newport Beach Police Det. Dave Byington, "[Nanette] was a man hunter and, you know, so she used that sexuality as her main tool, to grab these guys."
"She was so aggressive that -- it wouldn't surprise -- if she had a trapeze set up in her bedroom," Det. Byington continued. "You needed a playbook to keep track of the marriages."
