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Fabio Sementilli was a celebrity within the magnificence enterprise. He started slicing hair in Toronto, Canada, and finally moved to Los Angeles when he was promoted to an government place at Wella. He settled in a house in Woodland Hills together with his spouse Monica and their two teenage daughters.
On Jan. 23, 2017, Fabio was in his yard by the pool when two individuals broke into the house and stabbed him to dying. In keeping with prosecutors, the suspects staged the scene to appear to be a theft gone improper. However when Los Angeles Police Division detectives started investigating the homicide, they mentioned they discovered blood on the scene that did not belong to Fabio. They usually mentioned in addition they discovered proof that his spouse was having an affair on the time.
Jan. 23, 2017 | 3:26 p.m.: Monica Sementilli’s alibi
On the day Fabio was killed, prosecutors mentioned a neighbor’s safety digital camera captured Monica Sementilli leaving residence in her black Ford F-150 pickup truck. She was headed to Goal the place prosecutors mentioned she was establishing her alibi. Earlier than Monica entered the shop, in line with prosecutors, there may be video the place it seems a person received into Monica’s truck. Prosecutors mentioned that particular person was Robert Baker, an area racquetball coach who Monica had been having an affair with for a few 12 months previous to Fabio’s homicide. Monica’s protection attorneys have disputed the prosecution’s interpretation of the video from the car parking zone. In keeping with the district legal professional, Monica then went alone into the Goal retailer and started purchasing.
Jan. 23, 2017 | 4:18 p.m: Suspects caught on digital camera
A neighbor’s safety digital camera captured two hooded figures jogging close to Fabio’s home proper across the time of the homicide. In keeping with prosecutors, the particular person within the inexperienced hoodie was Baker. And prosecutors mentioned that Baker and the unknown co-conspirator entered the Sementilli residence and attacked Fabio from behind. They then staged the scene to appear to be theft.
Jan. 23, 2017 | 4:32 p.m.: Monica Sementilli pictured at Goal the day of her husband’s homicide
Los Angeles County Superior Courtroom
At 4:32 p.m. on the day of Fabio’s homicide, Monica Sementilli was seen on surveillance video strolling out of the Goal retailer and, in line with prosecutors, she was fixated on her cellphone and sure monitoring her residence surveillance cameras remotely. Prosecutors additionally mentioned that across the time of Fabio’s homicide, cellphone information confirmed that Monica’s iPhone was linked to her residence’s IP deal with and her cellphone was consuming a considerable amount of information in keeping with streaming dwell video.
The prosecution said in pre-trial motions that Monica was monitoring the comings and goings at her residence in order that Baker and the unknown confederate may enter and kill Fabio “with none interruption.” However in line with Monica’s protection workforce, there isn’t a proof that may show what precisely she was watching on her cellphone at the moment. In court docket paperwork, the protection raised the likelihood that Monica may have been remotely streaming a TV present.
Jan. 23, 2017 | 4:53 p.m.: The getaway automotive
About 35 minutes after the hooded joggers had been seen close to the Sementilli residence, at 4:53 p.m., Fabio’s black Porsche was seen on the identical neighbor’s safety digital camera being pushed away. Prosecutors mentioned this was Baker and his unknown co-conspirator leaving the crime scene. In keeping with detectives, the Porsche was found two days after the homicide parked about 5 miles away from the Sementilli residence. Prosecutors additionally mentioned Baker’s blood was discovered contained in the Porsche.
Jan. 23, 2017 | 4:54 p.m.: A daughter’s heartbreaking discovery
Instagram/Monica Sementilli
Only one minute after the black Porsche is captured, Monica and Fabio’s daughter Isabella’s car was captured on a safety digital camera as she is returning residence. Isabella, who was 16 years outdated on the time, found her father’s physique and known as 911. A couple of minutes later, Monica arrived again residence.
February – June 2017: The investigation into Fabio Sementilli’s homicide
Los Angeles County Superior Courtroom
As detectives started investigating Fabio’s homicide, they mentioned they found DNA on the crime scene that belonged to Baker. His DNA was within the database as a result of he was a registered intercourse offender. In keeping with prosecutors, Baker lower his left index finger when he killed Fabio and that is why his blood was on the scene.
In keeping with the indictment, Investigators additionally discovered that within the 12 months main as much as Fabio’s homicide, Baker made 1000’s of calls and texts to Monica.
In February 2017, an LAPD detective went to go to Monica at her residence. Prosecutors mentioned that when the investigator requested Monica about Baker, she informed them she wasn’t certain of his final title.
For the subsequent few months, investigators mentioned they surveilled Monica and Baker’s secretive romance and mentioned the connection continued after Fabio’s homicide. In keeping with the district legal professional, the couple took two journeys to Las Vegas and a visit to Myrtle Seaside collectively.
June 14, 2017: Monica Sementilli and her then-boyfriend Robert Baker arrested
Los Angeles Police Division
LAPD detectives mentioned they got here up with a plan to secretly file Monica and Baker whereas they had been collectively. On June 14, 2017, Monica and Baker had been pulled over in her Mustang below the guise of a site visitors cease and had been informed that the automotive they had been driving might need been stolen. In keeping with the prosecution, the officers then handcuffed Monica and Baker and put them within the again seat of a police automotive, which was wired for sound in order that they could possibly be recorded.
The detectives who had been investigating Monica and Baker for months mentioned they had been listening to them from a van parked close by. And that is when investigators mentioned Monica was recorded telling Baker, “Any individual will need to have talked. Any individual is doing this to us.” The couple was then taken to the LAPD Van Nuys Station the place they had been positioned in separate cells and questioned by detectives in regards to the homicide of Fabio.
Later that day, investigators mentioned they informed Monica that Baker’s blood was discovered on the crime scene. In keeping with detectives, Monica defined why Baker’s blood could be inside her residence. She informed them that she “cracked” Baker on the finger with a racquet and he bled all around the racquetball court docket, so she gave him a towel after which introduced that bloody towel residence along with her.
Aug. 14-18, 2017: The grand jury listening to
The prosecution offered its case to a grand jury in August 2017. They described Monica’s actions on the day her husband was killed intimately and mentioned she was establishing her alibi for the time of the homicide.
The prosecutors additionally offered proof that six months earlier than Fabio’s homicide, Monica communicated with a safety digital camera firm to improve the system at her residence. The improve allowed her to remotely entry her surveillance cameras from her cellphone. In keeping with the prosecution, Monica forwarded the log in credentials and consumer guide for her safety system to Robert Baker on the identical day it was upgraded.
Within the months following Fabio’s homicide, prosecutors mentioned that whereas Monica was posting on social media that she was grieving her husband’s dying, she was additionally secretly spending time with Baker. Pals of Monica and Baker’s testified that they went out on double dates and noticed affectionate habits between the 2. On the conclusion of the listening to, Monica and Baker had been indicted by the grand jury for homicide and conspiracy.
Aug. 31, 2017: Defendants plead “not responsible”
CBS Information
On Aug. 31, 2017, each Monica Sementilli and Robert Baker pleaded “not responsible” to the homicide of Fabio Sementilli.
Monica Sementilli’s protection presents its case
On Jan. 3, 2018, Monica’s protection workforce filed a movement to put aside the indictment towards her. Amongst their arguments, they said that through the grand jury listening to, the prosecution offered proof of Monica’s character that was irrelevant.
The protection mentioned, “the proof offered towards Ms. Sementilli establishes that she was a girl having an affair that she wished to maintain secret. Any further allegation that she wished to have her husband murdered, or stood to learn from his homicide, or orchestrated his homicide with Mr. Baker, was based mostly on pure hypothesis.”
The protection additionally said that the prosecution offered no communication between Baker and Monica that was proof of an settlement to homicide Fabio. The protection additionally took difficulty with the surveillance footage within the car parking zone that the prosecutors claimed to see Baker moving into Monica’s truck. They said of their movement that “… the video high quality is so grainy, and the focus so distant, in order to be borderline unwatchable,” and you can’t see a person depart Monica’s truck.
July 7, 2023: Robert Baker’s dramatic plea change
On July 7, 2023, Baker changed his plea from “not responsible” to “no contest.” At his sentencing listening to, the choose defined to him {that a} “no contest” plea is basically the identical as a “responsible” plea and requested if he understood to which Baker replied, “Sure, sir.” Baker was sentenced to life in jail with out the potential for parole. Monica’s attorneys had beforehand tried to have her case severed from Baker’s, which the choose denied. By pleading “no contest,” Baker created a big change in court docket proceedings going ahead. Now, Monica can be tried individually, with out Baker, for the homicide of her husband, Fabio.
Feb. 24, 2024: “48 Hours” talks to Robert Baker
“48 Hours” went to see Robert Baker in jail, and mentioned Monica had nothing to do with the homicide of Fabio and she or he by no means knew that he was Fabio’s killer. Baker additionally informed “48 Hours” that he is now not in contact with Monica and he has not determined if he’ll testify at her trial.
Monica Sementilli faces trial
Monica’s trial is scheduled to start on April 2, 2024. Gessica and Isabella, the daughters she shared with Fabio, are standing by their mom. Gessica spoke at Robert Baker’s sentencing and mentioned, “we’ll proceed to face by our mom as we now have accomplished for the final six years, and we’ll combat for her innocence.”
