Affidavit: 'Ongoing Romantic Relationship' Between Eric Miller's Wife, Co-Worker

RALEIGH, N.C. — Court papers from Thursday's court hearing raises more questions about poisoned UNC researcher Eric Miller's wife prior to his death.

A four-page document submitted in Thursday's court hearing revealed "an ongoing romantic relationship" between Eric's wife, Ann, and her co-worker Derril Willard.

Investigators say records from Ann Miller's home, work, and cellular phones show more than 100 calls between her and Willard during a one-month period in the fall of 2000.

That time period coincides with when Eric Miller got ill at a Raleigh bowling alley Nov. 15 after drinking a beer given to him by Willard.

The affadavit notes, "There is a marked increase in the frequency and duration of the telephone calls immediately before and after the poisoning which occurred on November 15, 2000."

Eric Miller was admitted to Rex Hospital Nov. 16 and spent much of the rest of his life either at Rex Hospital or UNC Hospitals until he died Dec. 2.

According to the affidavit, investigators subpoenaed phone records for Ann Miller's home, office and cellular telephones. The analysis showed that from Oct. 30, 2000 through Dec. 1, 2000 the following calls were placed:

Court papers just filed also add that, "It is also borne out in the telephone records that some of the calls made during the period of time Dr. Miller was hospitalized and immediately thereafter were made at very odd hours."

For example, police say the record shows a call made from Ann Miller's cell phone to Derril Willard at 4:16 a.m. on Nov 27. Also on the record is a 24-minute call Dec. 2 from Ann's cell phone to Derril's cell phone, made just three hours before Eric Miller died.

The affidavit states that numerous e-mails recovered from the hard drive of Ann Miller's computer from her workplace were "of a nature that can clearly be construed as indicative of a personal relationship existing between Miller and Willard."

Investigators discovered that the e-mails began in late October 2000 and continued until the time of Miller's first hospitalization on Nov. 16, 2000.

A judge ruled Thursday that attorney Richard Gammon must provide the court with information -- in a sealed affidavit -- about his conversations with Willard. After authorities searched Willard's house, Willard killed himself in his garage.

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