Eric Naposki
Encyclopedia
Eric Andrew Naposki is a former American football
player who played in the National Football League
and World League of American Football
between 1988 and 1997. He played two seasons with the New England Patriots
, one season with the Indianapolis Colts
, and four seasons with the Barcelona Dragons
. He was also a reserve player in camps with both the Dallas Cowboys
and the New York Jets
. While with the Dragons he recorded 16.5 sacks in 3.5 seasons with one touchdown, one interception, and several blocked punts and field goals.
On May 21, 2009, Naposki was arrested in Connecticut
and charged with a murder
committed 15 years earlier in 1994 in Newport Beach, California
. He was charged with killing Bill McLaughlin so that McLaughlin's girlfriend, Nanette Johnston, could collect his life insurance
. Naposki was romantically linked to Johnston at the time. On July 14, 2011, Naposki was convicted of the murder. He was scheduled to be sentenced on October 21, 2011, however on that date sentencing was delayed until 2012. Naposki plans to appeal his conviction.
, played Pop Warner Football with the "Blue Devils" out of Eastchester, NY for 8 seasons. He later attended both Tuckahoe H.S. as well as Lincoln H.S., the latter in Yonkers, New York
, before transfer during his junior year to Eastchester HS. At Eastchester, he led the team in sacks and tackles for 2 years with the team going 17-3 during his tenure at linebacker position. He also played safety, tight end and running back in goal line situations. He was named All County in 1982, and All State in 1983. He graduated from Eastchester in 1984.
He was offered partial scholarships by New Hampshire, New Haven and Buffalo, but decided to attended the University of Connecticut
(UConn) on a full football scholarship. At the time, UConn played as a Div 1-AA in the now defunct Yankee Conference. However, midway through his third year at UConn, he quit the football team over a disagreement with his coach, Tom Jackson. Naposki who had NFL aspirations decided to forgo his scholarship and withdrew from the University. He returned to UConn to complete his degree in 1987, although he left again for 2 years to pursue the NFL and eventually received his degree in Physical Education in 1991.
jury found Naposki guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of William "Bill" McLaughlin in his Newport Beach
home in 1994. The panel also found true a special circumstance
allegation that Naposki committed the murder for financial gain and that he personally discharged a firearm, which would have made him eligible for the death penalty, although ultimately the state did not seek the death penalty. The jury heard during more than three weeks of testimony, which included 28 witnesses and more than 240 exhibits, that Naposki had conspired with Nanette Johnston, his secret lover, to murder McLaughlin for financial gain.
Witnesses testified that Johnston, also known in court documents as Nanette Packard McNeal (her married names), was an attractive young woman with two small children who seduced McLaughlin, who was a quarter century her senior, after the wealthy health care entrepreneur had gone through a nasty divorce with his first wife of 24 years. Johnston began living with McLaughlin in his luxury home in a tight-knit gated community in Newport Beach, and managing his personal financial affairs. The case went unsolved for 15 years before Naposki was charged in 2009. Johnston met McLaughlin after placing a magazine ad seeking the companionship of a wealthy man. She will stand trial on murder charges in November 2011. Witnesses testified that Johnston lived with McLaughlin in his luxury home in Newport Beach, and managing his personal financial affairs.
Naposki faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole at his upcoming sentencing hearing before Superior Court Judge William R. Froeberg. The sentencing was delayed until early 2012 on October 21, 2011. Naposki plans to appeal his conviction.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who played in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
and World League of American Football
World League of American Football
The World League of American Football was founded in 1990 with support from the National Football League to play professional American football in North America, Europe and later possibly Asia...
between 1988 and 1997. He played two seasons with the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, one season with the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, and four seasons with the Barcelona Dragons
Barcelona Dragons
The Barcelona Dragons were a team originally in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. Their home field in Barcelona was the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuic, the 1992 Olympic Stadium, and later the Mini Estadi. The Dragons were successful on the field, making it...
. He was also a reserve player in camps with both the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
and the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. While with the Dragons he recorded 16.5 sacks in 3.5 seasons with one touchdown, one interception, and several blocked punts and field goals.
On May 21, 2009, Naposki was arrested in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
and charged with a murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
committed 15 years earlier in 1994 in Newport Beach, California
Newport Beach, California
Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County, California, south of downtown Santa Ana. The population was 85,186 at the 2010 census.The city's median family income and property values consistently place high in national rankings...
. He was charged with killing Bill McLaughlin so that McLaughlin's girlfriend, Nanette Johnston, could collect his life insurance
Life insurance
Life insurance is a contract between an insurance policy holder and an insurer, where the insurer promises to pay a designated beneficiary a sum of money upon the death of the insured person. Depending on the contract, other events such as terminal illness or critical illness may also trigger...
. Naposki was romantically linked to Johnston at the time. On July 14, 2011, Naposki was convicted of the murder. He was scheduled to be sentenced on October 21, 2011, however on that date sentencing was delayed until 2012. Naposki plans to appeal his conviction.
Education
Naposki, a native of Tuckahoe, New YorkTuckahoe, New York
Tuckahoe is the name of some places in the U.S. state of New York:*Tuckahoe, Suffolk County, New York*Tuckahoe, Westchester County, New York...
, played Pop Warner Football with the "Blue Devils" out of Eastchester, NY for 8 seasons. He later attended both Tuckahoe H.S. as well as Lincoln H.S., the latter in Yonkers, New York
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
, before transfer during his junior year to Eastchester HS. At Eastchester, he led the team in sacks and tackles for 2 years with the team going 17-3 during his tenure at linebacker position. He also played safety, tight end and running back in goal line situations. He was named All County in 1982, and All State in 1983. He graduated from Eastchester in 1984.
He was offered partial scholarships by New Hampshire, New Haven and Buffalo, but decided to attended the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
(UConn) on a full football scholarship. At the time, UConn played as a Div 1-AA in the now defunct Yankee Conference. However, midway through his third year at UConn, he quit the football team over a disagreement with his coach, Tom Jackson. Naposki who had NFL aspirations decided to forgo his scholarship and withdrew from the University. He returned to UConn to complete his degree in 1987, although he left again for 2 years to pursue the NFL and eventually received his degree in Physical Education in 1991.
Murder Conviction
On July 14, 2011, an Orange CountyOrange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
jury found Naposki guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of William "Bill" McLaughlin in his Newport Beach
Newport Beach, California
Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County, California, south of downtown Santa Ana. The population was 85,186 at the 2010 census.The city's median family income and property values consistently place high in national rankings...
home in 1994. The panel also found true a special circumstance
Capital punishment in California
Capital punishment is a legal form of punishment in the U.S. state of California. The first recorded execution in the area that is now California took place on April 11, 1878 when four Native Americans were shot in San Diego County for conspiracy to commit murder. These were the first of 709...
allegation that Naposki committed the murder for financial gain and that he personally discharged a firearm, which would have made him eligible for the death penalty, although ultimately the state did not seek the death penalty. The jury heard during more than three weeks of testimony, which included 28 witnesses and more than 240 exhibits, that Naposki had conspired with Nanette Johnston, his secret lover, to murder McLaughlin for financial gain.
Witnesses testified that Johnston, also known in court documents as Nanette Packard McNeal (her married names), was an attractive young woman with two small children who seduced McLaughlin, who was a quarter century her senior, after the wealthy health care entrepreneur had gone through a nasty divorce with his first wife of 24 years. Johnston began living with McLaughlin in his luxury home in a tight-knit gated community in Newport Beach, and managing his personal financial affairs. The case went unsolved for 15 years before Naposki was charged in 2009. Johnston met McLaughlin after placing a magazine ad seeking the companionship of a wealthy man. She will stand trial on murder charges in November 2011. Witnesses testified that Johnston lived with McLaughlin in his luxury home in Newport Beach, and managing his personal financial affairs.
Naposki faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole at his upcoming sentencing hearing before Superior Court Judge William R. Froeberg. The sentencing was delayed until early 2012 on October 21, 2011. Naposki plans to appeal his conviction.