June 11, 2024 10:29
Victoria Cilliers survived the 4,000ft fall.
Photo: Pixel8000
A woman whose husband tried to kill her by tampering with her parachute while skydiving has revealed in a new documentary how she protected him and visited him in prison.
On Easter Sunday 2015, Victoria Cilliers survived a 4,000ft fall despite both parachutes failing during a skydiving trip in Wiltshire gifted to her by her husband Emile.
Victoria suffered life-threatening injuries but managed to survive thanks to her skills as an experienced skydiver and the good fortune of landing on soft, freshly plowed soil.
After the incident, the military PT instructor said she believed the parachute’s failure to deploy was an unfortunate accident, but was later informed by police that her husband was suspected of tampering with the equipment.
Despite this, Victoria defended her husband in the ensuing investigation and visited him in prison as a result of the coercive control he exerted on their relationship.
They had been going through stress in their relationship and Victoria believed that the gift was an attempt by him, then a sergeant in the British Army, to make a fresh start.
Victoria defended her husband throughout the investigation and visited him in prison.
Photo: Pixel8000
A new three-part documentary titled “The Fall: A Skydive Murder Plot” takes a detailed look at the skydive and the events that led up to and after the incident.
The Channel 4 series combines documentary testimony with dramatic portrayals of those involved in the jump at Netheravon Airfield, police interviews and the trial.
According to Channel 4, the incident “triggered an investigation by two tenacious detectives, Detective Inspector Maddie Henagh and Detective Inspector Paul Franklin.”
Over the course of two years, they pulled at the threads of his life, uncovering affairs, debts, sex clubs, escorts and murderous intent.
Officers from Wiltshire Police said that as the investigation progressed it became apparent Emile had done a good job of covering his tracks.
They compiled audio, video and documentary evidence to construct “a compelling portrait of a sociopath narcissist who seduced and exploited everyone in his life.”
Victoria was an experienced skydiver.
Photo: MailOnline
But things become more complicated when Victoria rebels against the police and supports her husband, revealing what the documentary describes as “the insidious nature of Emile’s controlling behaviour”.
Inspector Paul Franklin added: “She was very stoic, very cold. You never really felt anything from her, you never got any emotion from her.”
“I didn’t feel like I really knew her. [it was] It’s very hard to build trust and find common ground.”
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Although Victoria claimed Emil had been a good father, police learned from a phone call from one of her friends that the marriage was not going well.
Investigators say they took the tip very seriously and Emile was quickly arrested.
They soon learned of his affair with a woman named Stephanie, whom Victoria did not know about, and that he no longer wanted to stay in his marriage.
Despite investigators’ discomfort with Emile’s presence, the lack of physical evidence hindered the investigation, and Victoria’s lack of cooperation made it worse.
Police discovered that Emile had checked out the nanny the day before the skydive.
Photo: PA
However, that all changed when Victoria gave a separate interview in which she revealed there had been a gas leak just before the skydiving incident and admitted it was the “first time I’ve ever been scared” of her husband.
She also revealed that for many years she had paid for all the expenses in their relationship, and that Emile would get angry when she questioned him about expenses such as meals that she was unaware of.
Police discovered that Emile had checked on his nanny the day before the skydive and had been in the bathroom for five to 10 minutes with Victoria’s parachute before the jump.
After consulting a psychologist it was determined Emile was mentally unstable and extremely dangerous, and the case went to trial at Winchester Crown Court in 2017.
But during her testimony, Victoria claimed her husband “gave a detailed account” of how long he had been in the bathroom before jumping, suggesting he may have damaged his parachute.
Victoria eventually told Emile she wanted a divorce.
Photo: Les Wilson
Investigators were disappointed with her husband’s defense, and the jury was unable to reach a verdict.
Speaking about her testimony in the series, she said: “I was always conscious of how every answer I gave could potentially affect my future. I don’t think I lied much. I think I hid a lot of secrets and kept them to myself.”
At the retrial, Victoria again defended Emile, but the police were able to convince the jury that she had been a victim of coercive control.
Emile was sentenced to 36 years in prison, with the judge describing his actions as “extremely serious” and saying his actions amounted to “two attempted murders.” [his] He faces a minimum of 18 years in prison.
Victoria visited him in prison and tried to convince him to get back together, but she eventually told him she wanted a divorce the moment she was “freed.”
She said: “I can see it all now. This person and what he did to me… I don’t understand how someone could do this to someone they loved and had children with.”