'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQL/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAMFiCv/EAB0QAAICAwADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIDAREABRIEMoL/2gAIAQEAAT8A1rdO8RWHiuF8d28qkZ+cYnkyiQXcTXrn/8QAFREBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADH/2gAIAQIBAT8Ar//EABYRAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAEf/aAAgBAwEBPwAcv//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The sixth episode of Fatal Affairs Season 1 titled Murder She Wrote investigates the case of Elizabeth Sullivan whose disappearance and murder shook San Diego. The episode aired on Tuesday, August 27, 2024 on Investigation Discovery and it explored how Elizabeth Sullivan, a 32-year-old Navy wife and mother of two, anonymously ventured into a steamy affair via Tinder.
It depicts critical clues following her sudden disappearance on October 13, 2014 and the subsequent discovery of her decomposed body in the San Diego Bay, less than half a mile from her former residence on October 6, 2016.
Autopsy reports indicated that her body had decomposed only one to two months before it was discovered, which suggested that her remains were kept hidden post-mortem. The cause of death was determined to be stabbing with major injuries including a fractured skull.
Trending
How was Elizabeth Sullivan murdered by Matthew Sullivan?
The brutal revelation of her murder shifted the focus of the investigation towards her immediate family particularly her husband, Matthew Sullivan. Matthew was a U.S. Navy serviceman and had initially cooperated with the police. He allowed the search of their home and even passed a lie detector test. But his behavior and purchases around the time of Elizabeth’s disappearance raised suspicions. Notably, he bought a large quantity of carpet cleaner the day after Elizabeth Sullivan was last seen which later tied to forensic findings at their home.
Investigations revealed that the couple's marriage was fraught with issues including disputes over money and child custody. Elizabeth's friends described it as abusive.
Elizabeth Sullivan had been involved in an extramarital affair which Matthew had discovered shortly before her disappearance. In the early stages of the investigation Matthew claimed that Elizabeth had left to start a new life which was a claim contradicted by the grim evidence that later emerged.
Detectives found traces of Elizabeth’s blood under the carpet and on the wooden floors of their bedroom. In a critical discovery, a knife stained with Elizabeth's blood was hidden in the attic directly above their bedroom. Cadaver dogs also signaled at a freezer in their garage, supporting the theory that her body was kept there before being moved to the bay.
Matthew Sullivan was arrested on January 31, 2018 in Delaware where he had relocated with his new girlfriend shortly after Elizabeth’s body was found. He was extradited back to San Diego and charged with murder.
During his trial, which began on February 21, 2020 prosecutors presented evidence of his attempts to clean the crime scene and his efforts to dispose of Elizabeth’s body. Despite his defense attorney's attempts to paint Elizabeth as unstable and self-destructive the jury found Matthew guilty of second-degree murder.
On March 12, 2021 Matthew Sullivan was sentenced to 16 years to life in prison. He remains incarcerated at the North Kern State Prison in Delano, California. The case was marked by its delayed discoveries and tragic outcomes. It showed the hidden dangers of domestic violence and the challenges of proving a murder case with delayed evidence of a crime.
You can watch Fatal Affairs Season 1 which airs on Investigation Discovery.
