A woman's fall while skydiving looked like a tragic accident. Then the police discovered something sinister

Victoria Cilliers' parachute failed during a 4,000-foot jump in 2015

In April 2015, Victoria Cilliers was presumed dead after a 4,000-foot jump at a skydiving center known as the Army Parachute Association in Wiltshire, England. First responders and a body bag waited for her on the ground at Netheravon Airfield after her parachute and reserve failed. The Guardian reported, citing authorities.

Victoria, an experienced skydiving instructor, miraculously survived – authorities believe this was due to her small frame – but was left with serious injuries when she landed in the recently plowed field. The 41-year-old suffered a broken spine, broken ribs and pelvis, according to the newspaper.

Years later, Victoria spoke about her survival in a documentary.

“I think it was a mix of things,” Victoria said, according to an October 2024 story published by The independent. “It was a combination of luck [and] I try to slow it down as much as possible.”

But was it all an accident? After Victoria's near-fatal fall, the Army Parachute Association quickly suspected foul play and contacted police, according to reports from The independent. An investigation led police to target the husband of Victoria's army sergeant, Emile Cilliers.

The two, who both served in the British military, met in 2010 and married the following year before having two children together, the outlet reported. But in the years that followed, Emile's dark side would come to light.

Authorities say Emile tried to kill his wife twice. The first was a gas leak he orchestrated less than a week before the couple's near-fatal skydiving incident. The independent.

But why would he try to kill his wife? A Winchester Crown Court judge who presided over Emile's trial said his motive was the insurance policy he would receive on his wife's death, which would make room for him to pursue a relationship with another woman, reported BBC News. The judge also said Emile believed his wife's status as a senior army officer would jeopardize his own army career, the newspaper said.

According to BBC News, authorities said the life insurance policy totaled about £120,000, or the equivalent of about $155,000.

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Emile was ultimately found guilty of two counts of attempted murder in May 2018 and later sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum of 18 years. The Guardian reported.

During his sentencing hearing, he was described by the judge as someone who was “of quite exceptional callousness and someone who would stop at nothing to satisfy your own desires,” BBC News reported.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or visit thehotline.org. All calls are free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

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