Biographical Information

Carol was born December 19, 1971 in Laguna Beach.  She is the only child of Allen and Louise Hilliard.  Carol lived all her life in Laguna Beach.  She attended Laguna Beach elementary and high school.  Carol was said to be a good student, and was well liked by her classmates and teachers.  She was in several clubs at school, and was center for her high school soccer team.

 Upon graduation from high school in 1989, Carol left home to attend Allegheny College located in Northeastern Pennsylvania.  Again, Carol was a good student, and she was interested in pursuing a degree in psychology and social science.  Carol's ambition was to become a Marriage/family/child counselor. 

 Carol left Allegheny after two years because of her being terribly homesick (1991).  She enrolled at USC Fullerton, and began working towards getting her degree, which she received in June 1994. 

Carol began her internship at Families Counseling Center in Newport Beach in September 1994.  During this period, she began having an affair with the director of FCC, Hubert Stratton.  Stratton, 21 years Carol'' senior, was married at the time.  After one year's internship at FCC, Carol left the company.  Her reasons for quitting aren't clear.  Conjecture is that her affair with Stratton had turned sour.  But her family and co-workers at FCC felt that Carol had been "used" by Stratton.

 In February 1996, the Laguna Beach Police picked up Carol for Driving while Intoxicated.  She pleads guilty, and she was fined and warned.  On April 1996, Carol was involved in a police pursuit by Orange County Sheriff's Deputies in Laguna Niguel.  Carol was arrested again, and her license was suspended.  On July 4, 1996, Carol was involved in a hit and run when she sideswiped a parked car in Dana Point.  Again, Carol was arrested, and charged with DUI, leaving the scene of an accident, and driving on a suspended license.  Carol was sentenced to 30 days in Orange County jail, had her license revoked, and was ordered into a treatment center.  Following completion of her jail sentence, Carol voluntarily entered the Alcohol Recovery Center at Casa del Oro in Capistrano Beach.  Carol stayed in the halfway house there until February 20, 1997.  Carol was strongly involved in a 12 Step Program, and had no further incidents. 

 During this period, her parents were supporting Carol.  Carol applied for a position at "Marie's" clothing store at Monarch Beach Market in Monarch Beach on March 3, 1997.   She was hired later that week and, up to the day of her death, worked there from 10am to 6pm five days a week.  The storeowner, Marie Devereux, described Carol as a very conscientious and hard working young lady.  Patrons of "Marie's" and storeowners at Monarch Beach Market all liked Carol a lot.  Carol was very popular with all that knew her.

 Carol's father, Allen, is a retired Colonel in the USMC, and an investment counselor.  Her mother, Louise, is a homemaker, and patron of various charities.

 Interestingly, Carol was the girlfriend of Alfred (Yo-yo) Johnson, Victim #7.