Adam Hill’s tortuous journey to San Luis Obispo County

July 25, 2024

Editor’s note: This is the first in a four-part series regarding the history of former San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Adam Hill based on statements and interviews released as part of a federal criminal trial regarding corruption, bribery, and fraud.

By KAREN VELIE

Philanderer, corrupt politician, bully, and drug addict are just a few terms critics have used to describe the late San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Adam Hill. But where did he come from and who helped propel him to the top of the county’s political hierarchy?

Recently released court documents paint a picture of a man with a troubled past .

In March 2020, following years of local business owners and developers’ complaints that Hill was demanding bribes for votes and assistance FBI agents raided Hill’s Shell Beach home, his office in the county government center, and marijuana mogul Helios Dayspring’s San Luis Obispo home.

Dayspring later admitted to paying thousands of dollars in bribes to Hill for favorable votes on his cannabis business interests. While under a federal investigation, Hill committed suicide with an overdose of cocaine and antidepressants on Aug. 6, 2020.

As part of the corruption investigation, FBI agents arrested Ryan Wright, AKA Ryan Petetit, on Oct. 30, 2023. Wright and his co-conspirator attorney John Belsher allegedly paid nearly $100,000 in bribes and gifts to Hill, according to federal court records.

On Oct. 24, 2022, Hill’s second wife Dee Torres-Hill discussed with an investigator her life with Hill, Hill’s past, his political ties, and why she suspects he was murdered. Private investigator Heidi Alonzo was working on behalf of Wright’s attorney Jeff Isaacs.

Excerpts and information from Heidi Alonzo’s 2022 interview with Torres-Hill

Hill was born and raised in New Jersey. When he was young, his father lost his job and turned to alcohol. During this time, Hill’s father violently abused him.

Amid the chaos, Hill’s father moved out, his mother went to work and she continued to raise Hill and his sister.

After starting a new family, Hill’s father did not have any contact with Hill “until he was on his deathbed in 2016, when he reached out to his son,” according to Torres.

After high school, Hill earned master’s degrees from universities in Maryland and Fresno. He was a poet, wrote reviews for Rolling Stone magazine, and wrote for his college newspapers.

Shortly after graduation, “Hill applied to and was accepted by the CIA.” However, before he started “he received a letter rescinding the employment offer with no reason given.”

After writing a book he was unable to publish, in early 2000, Hill applied for and received a lecturer position in the English Department at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo.

While teaching at the university and living in an apartment in Pismo Beach, Hill met his first wife. They married in 2001.

Hill decided to run for a seat on the SLO County Board of Supervisors in 2007. Around that time, Hill met attorney Don Ernst.

“Ernst is an attorney who ‘runs the show’ among the local Democrats,” according to the report. “He has been in the San Luis Obispo area for over 40 years and attends all of the mixers and cocktail parties. If someone wanted to run for office as a Democrat, they had to connect with Ernst.

“Hill thought Ernst was his friend. Ernst started connecting Hill with important people in the county. One of Ernst’s right-hand people was Susan Devine, who was Ernst’s legal secretary for many years.”

After winning  the seat in the June 2008 primary, Hill selected Devine to serve as his administrative assistant. Torres believes Devine may have been working as a “mole” for Ernst.

“Another important person in San Luis Obispo County was Rita Neal, who was county counsel,” according to Torres’ interview. “She also formerly worked for Ernst. Torres believes that Ernst and other powerful people control a lot of what goes on in the county.”

Several years ago, Neal recommended the board vote to have Ernst represent the county in a class action suit against an opioid company, with a national law firm at the helm. The Board of Supervisors then agreed to a contingency fee contract with Ernst.

Ernst allegedly warned Supervisor Lynn Compton, after Compton voted against renewing Neal’s contract with the county, that if she did not agree to support Neal he would put enough money in to her opponent’s campaign to defeat her in the 2022 election.

Ernst’s wife and business partner then donated heavily to Jimmy Paulding’s successful campaign for supervisor. Neither Ernst nor Neal responded to requests for comment.

Read part-two, “Adam Hill’s widow recounts his hunger for money, women,” on Sunday.