Oxygen’s ‘The Real Murders of Orange County’: Wendi Miller’s Family Feared the Worst – and the Worst Came True [Exclusive Clip]
The family of Wendi Miller feared the worst – that the mother had been murdered. Wendi’s true-crime disappearance and murder are documented in Oxygen’s The Real Murders of Orange County, which led to shocking realizations.
In an exclusive clip shared with Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Wendi’s family wonders how this could have happened. They share their raw reactions, recounting how they felt when they learned of her murder.
Wendi Miller’s mother recalls hearing her daughter was murdered
Wendi’s mother, Mary Lu Miller recalled the chilling news that her daughter had been murdered. “It was horrible,” she said through her tears in The Real Murders of Orange County clip. “I just broke down of course crying.”
“The detectives asked me the last time I heard from her,” she recounted. “And I said she was going to come over Easter. And then Sunday morning, before we went to church, I texted her and said ‘What time should I expect you?’ And I didn’t hear anything. This isn’t like Wendi. So it was some time in the afternoon Luke and Cambria called me [and asked], ‘Have you heard from mom?'”
Wendi Miller’s children start to worry about their mother
Wendi’s children, Luke and Cambria Carpenter were also interviewed for The Real Murders of Orange County docuseries. Luke recalled going for a good portion of the day without hearing from his mother. “We were like, ‘OK something’s going on,'” he shared.
Cambria became especially concerned as time ticked on and their mother was still missing. “It was like, no one’s heard from her,” she said. “My hope just kept getting smaller and smaller to the point of where you think of the worst.”
Mary Lu ended up calling the police department to report that Wendi was missing. Eventually, the family learned that Wendi had been murdered.
Wendi Miller’s family’s worst nightmare comes true on ‘The Real Murders of Orange County’
Wendi’s children shared their initial reactions. “I found out that she had been murdered,” Luke said. “And it was a … shock. My heart was pounding out of my chest and I just laid on the floor and cried.”
Luke became emotional recalling the horrific moment. “And like – oh my gosh – I was overwhelmed because it was the saddest I’ve ever been.”
“I said, ‘Tell me it’s a lie,'” Cambria shared. “Tell me it’s a joke. There’s no way. It’s not fair. I was in such disbelief. I just wanted to know my main question was, what the heck happened?”
In 2019 Wendi Miller and her friend, minor league hockey player Darren Partch were found murdered in a Newport Beach condominium. Friends recalled seeing Wendi and Darren leaving a Laguna Beach bar on Saturday. Darren’s roommate found Wendi and Darren’s bodies the next day.
So was the case solved and did Wendi’s family get answers as to why she was murdered? Also, the family had no idea how Wendi and Darren knew each other. The discovery of a link to another area attack launches the race to catch a killer.
Catch The Real Murders of Orange County, premiering Tuesday, June 13th at 9:00 pm ET/PT on Oxygen.
