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In 2017, Monica Sementilli had an enviable life — an expensive home with a pool and a Porsche within the driveway — in a fancy space of Los Angeles.
However after spending nearly seven years behind bars ready via authorized delays and COVID, she is scheduled to go on trial for the homicide of her husband, celeb hairdresser and sweetness government Fabio Sementilli.
As “48 Hours” contributor Michelle Miller stories, it is a tangled story. Her defenders say Monica Sementilli is an harmless sufferer. However in the event you consider prosecutors, she’s a prison. Authorities describe a case of lust, greed, and homicide. Whichever it’s, the drama unfolded on Jan. 23, 2017.
Elyse Bleuel: There have been fireplace vans exterior of her home…and I used to be like, oh gosh … there was no police but. It was simply the primary responders.
Elyse Bleuel was a pal of Monica Simental’s. “48 Hours” spoke along with her in 2018. She says Monica texted her to come back over the evening Fabio was killed.
Elyse Bleuel: it was her and her daughters … She simply stored saying that “he is gone, that I am not a spouse anymore” … I simply held her. I simply held her.
Elyse Bleuel: It was so painful, simply the weeping…the not having the ability to breathe…she was past devastated… past devastated.
Monica’s husband, Fabio, was slumped over his chair by the pool.
Michelle Miller: Had you seen the physique? Had you seen?
Elyse Bleuel: Did not …
Elyse Bleuel: I simply wished to be the absolute best consolation. … I did not know the way to consolation that. … she could not converse in full sentences till just like the fourth day.
Detectives shortly realized the sufferer, Fabio Sementilli, had been a celebrity within the magnificence enterprise.
Mirella Rota
“48 Hours” spoke with those that knew him greatest in 2017. Fabio’s sister, Mirella Rota
Mirella Rota: He was a contented man. And he wished all people round him joyful.
Luigi Sementilli: One of the simplest ways to explain my dad, actually, is sort of a cup of espresso within the morning.
Luigi Sementilli is Fabio’s son from an earlier marriage.
Luigi Sementilli: He will get you going … he lifts your spirits … he will get you decided to cost the mountain of life.
Michelle Miller: Did your mates say, “Hey Luigi, is that your dad?”
Luigi Sementilli: Completely, yeah. It was form of a enjoyable factor, . … It is arduous to keep away from him once you sort in Sementilli on Google, it’s extremely arduous … in truth once you sort in my title, Luigi Sementilli, the very first thing that comes up is his profile! (laughs)
Fabio and his sister Mirella started chopping hair in Toronto, Canada.
That is the place Fabio met Monica, a buyer and make-up artist he married in 1997.
Joe Mercurio: The marriage was unimaginable.
Restauranteur Joe Mercurio grew up with Fabio. He was greatest man at Fabio’s marriage ceremony to Monica.
Joe Mercurio: We had been dancing proper to the very finish.
Mirella Rota: We noticed their relationship as a love story.
Fabio was additionally in love together with his profession — he and his sister Mirella had been getting well-known.
In 2008, Fabio was promoted to an government job on the magnificence big Wella and moved his household to L.A. Pete Castellano was Fabio’s colleague.
Pete Castellano: What occurred was was the chance … to essentially enable the issues that he wished for his household to come back to life by taking up a much bigger position.
He and Monica settled right into a life most of us can solely dream about.
Michelle Miller: He drove a Porsche.
Mirella Rota: Yeah.
Michelle Miller: What man does not desire a Porsche in Los Angeles?
Mirella Rota: You are completely proper.
They had been residing the life and elevating their two teenage daughters, Gessica and Isabella.
FABIO SEMENTILLI (video): My circle of relatives unit is probably the most most pricey to me.
Then got here that January day. It was late afternoon as he sat by the pool. Fabio was stabbed to dying. His then-16-year-old daughter Isabella found his physique.
To investigators, the Sementilli case began out a thriller. However from early on, that they had at the very least one intriguing clue.
From a neighbor’s safety digicam, they might see two figures in hoodies working near the Sementilli’s home on the time of the homicide. A short while later, Fabio’s Porsche was being pushed away. Again then, Investigators did not suspect Monica had something to do with Fabio’s dying. She wasn’t even house on the time he was killed. As a substitute, they checked out these two hooded figures.
On the time of Fabio’s homicide in 2017, L.A was plagued with break-ins from infamous groups of criminals.
Michelle Miller (watching video of a knock-knock housebreaking): What do you name these guys?
Det. William Dunn: Effectively, we name them the knock-knock burglars.
Michelle Miller: So, that is LAPD footage?
Det. William Dunn: Yeah. They know what they’re doing, they usually know what they need.
Michelle Miller: I imply… they’re working wild!
They had been hitting properties of celebrities throughout Los Angeles.
CRIME SCENE EVIDENCE LEADS TO A SUSPECT
It was 2017, and, for years, the properties of L.A. celebrities had been focused.
LOCAL NEWS REPORT: At the very least seven celebrities had lots of of hundreds of {dollars}’ price of bijou taken.
LOCAL NEWS REPORT: Excessive-profile victims embody $300,000 from former Lakers star Derek Fisher, $175,000 for Nikki Minaj…and $2 million from Alanis Morrissette’s Brentwood house.
Det. William Dunn | LAPD (watching surveillance video of a knock-knock housebreaking): They’re transferring simply as fast as they will.
Det. William Dunn: Out and in in about three minutes … they ransack a bed room, discover some jewellery and get out.
William Dunn, a Los Angeles Police Division detective on the time, had hours of videotape of the knock-knock burglars in motion throughout rich Los Angeles neighborhoods, together with one from a house just some miles from Fabio’s, months after his homicide.
Michelle Miller (watching surveillance video of a knock-knock housebreaking): They appear to know what to search for.
Det. William Dunn: Proper, they’re searching for jewellery. They’re searching for money.
Michelle Miller: Take a look at him!
Det. William Dunn: Yeah, see he is checking garments, he is feelin the garments to see if any person’s put jewellery or money in among the pockets.
Det. William Dunn: See? Now he is seeing that secure.
Michelle Miller: Ah!
Det. William Dunn: See, and now he will get – he tells his buddy. Hey, take a look at what we have discovered. Now take a look at what number of seconds, and this can be a actual heavy secure. … however they’re very decided … they put numerous effort into it and it is so heavy he cannot – he cannot raise the factor. However take a look at how he is simply gonna slide that factor out.
Michelle Miller: In order that they obtained the secure, that is pay filth, and off they go.
Det. William Dunn: They’re gone. Yup! You see? They’re gone.
To detectives, these two hooded figures recorded on a neighbor’s surveillance digicam close to Fabio’s home proper across the time of his homicide seemed quite a bit just like the knock-knock burglars.
And the Sementilli house had its personal cameras. Detectives hoped they’d discover much more video of these hooded figures on these tapes.
There have been 4 cameras exterior the Sementilli home, however when police got here to search for the video, it was gone! A DVR was within the storage, it saved all of the surveillance. Whoever broke in will need to have taken it.
Surprisingly, moreover taking Fabio’s Porsche, that black field was one of many solely issues stolen from the home, say investigators. Monica advised them she thought some cheap jewellery and $11,000 in money was presumably lacking, however she wasn’t positive. Detectives say the house secure hadn’t been touched.
Luigi Sementilli: The one factor I assumed that was uncommon was why did not they take extra? Why did not they take his watch?
The suspected burglars left behind an $8,000 Rolex on Fabio’s wrist.
However inside months, the knock-knock burglars started to fade as police suspects as a result of the police had been hanging on to a giant secret. No one besides investigators knew it on the time, however they found blood on the crime scene that didn’t belong to Fabio Sementilli. That meant detectives had DNA to work with. DNA that finally led to a suspect.
Capt. William Hayes | LAPD: We had been capable of develop forensic proof … a few of that was DNA, which recognized Robert Baker.
Randy Lam
Robert Baker had been a racquetball league director at a Los Angeles health club, not removed from Fabio’s home. And Monica’s pal, Elyse Bleuel, knew him. “48 Hours” spoke to her about him in 2018.
Michelle Miller: How would you describe Rob Baker?
Elyse Bleuel: He was cool. All of us actually preferred him.
Elyse Bleuel: He was a kind of health club guys — , grrr!
Bleuel performed in his league.
Elyse Bleuel: He was very alpha. He was a really alpha male. There was additionally form of a sexual-ly factor about him.
Michelle Miller: There was one thing sexual about him. What do you imply?
Elyse Bleuel: You know the way some guys simply have simply have this sexual form of, I do not know, he was very manly … he was in form, and he was form of, , stored the whole lot — he was in cost.
He was additionally tousled within the porn business, even performing some appearing.
Bleuel did not know a lot about Baker’s background, however she did hear about his film profession from a pal who occurred to identify him in an grownup movie.
Elyse Bleuel: That is just like the form of gossip that … you simply want to inform somebody.
Michelle Miller: Who did you inform?
Elyse Bleuel: I advised Monica.
Monica was additionally in Robert Baker’s racquetball league.
Michelle Miller: What was her response?
Elyse Bleuel: Effectively, it was fairly anticlimactic, I am going to inform ya.
Michelle Miller: Actually?
Elyse Bleuel: Yeah. ‘trigger a lotta instances after we would have woman discuss she’d get a little bit prude-y. Like a little bit prude.
What Bleuel did not know was that Baker was additionally a registered intercourse offender.
Capt. William Hayes: Robert Baker has a 1993 conviction out of a Lengthy Seashore case. It is for lewd and lascivious acts with a minor.
Police say Baker served time for that offense in opposition to a teenage woman.
For months, police watched Baker they usually found two issues. First, he was positively not one of many knock-knock burglars, and second, he made hundreds of calls and texts to of all individuals, Monica Sementilli.
In truth, simply days after Fabio’s dying, Monica held a wake in her yard and Baker truly confirmed up.
Michelle Miller: You probably did meet him?
Mirella Rota: I did.
Rota says she noticed Monica hanging out with Baker.
48 Hours
Mirella Rota: I noticed her again … exterior once more, with a drink, smoking, and speaking to this man. … I came upon that that was his title, Rob. And she or he launched me to him.
Luigi seen him, too.
Luigi Sementilli: Robert and Monica had been within the nook speaking to one another, form of away from the occasion.
And there was one thing else Luigi seen about Baker.
Luigi Sementilli: He had bandages on his palms.
48 Hours
One visitor even snapped photos of Monica and Robert Baker collectively. If you happen to look intently, you may simply make out a bandage on Baker’s finger. Police would later conclude Baker minimize that finger when he killed Fabio. And that is how his blood was on the scene.
Detectives visited Monica at house utilizing what they referred to as a “ruse” — telling her they had been investigating the knock-knock burglars, when in truth they had been investigating her and secretly following Monica and Baker. And in line with authorities, it paid off. They are saying they discovered proof that Monica and Baker had been having an affair and conspired to kill Fabio.
JUSTIN EISENBERG | LAPD Chief of Detectives [to reporters in June 2017]: Over the previous a number of months, investigators have developed data and recognized Robert Baker, 55 years outdated of Canoga Park and Monica Sementilli, 45 years outdated, of Woodland Hills, who’s the spouse of our murder sufferer, as answerable for his homicide.
Mirella Rota: He mentioned, “We arrested Monica for the murder of your brother, and Robert Baker for the homicide of your brother.” And I used to be in shock. I am like, “They’re — you positive?” ? I — I used to be in shock.
Mary Fulginiti: In keeping with the prosecution … these two had been plotting and planning to kill Fabio so they might stay their life collectively.
Mary Fulginiti is a former federal prosecutor and a “48 Hours” marketing consultant.
Mary Fulginiti: It was a really difficult investigation.
LAPD
As authorities hustled Robert Baker and Monica Sementilli into court docket, they every pleaded “not responsible.” However nearly six years later, Baker modified the whole lot.
Mary Fulginiti: When he got here to court docket that day, individuals had been shocked.
ROBERT BAKER PLEADS NO CONTEST TO MURDER OF FABIO SEMENTILLI
Monica Sementilli was being accused of dishonest on Fabio with that racquetball coach Robert Baker after which—together with Baker— planning Fabio’s homicide.
Elyse Bleuel: My on the spot and thorough and full response was there is not any effing means … I used to be there. She was decimated.
After months of crying and grieving alongside Monica, Fabio’s household could not consider it both.
Mirella Rota: Twenty-some years of my life she was like a sister. She was a cool aunt to my youngsters … she was loveable … my complete household felt that means about her (crying).
Then, in 2023, Baker skipped trial altogether and pleaded no contest.
Mary Fulginiti: Robert Baker pleads no contest. And that is in essence accepting accountability for the homicide. He is in the end sentenced to life with out parole.
KCBS/Pool
JUDGE RONALD COEN (in court docket): The utmost sentence on this case is life imprisonment with out the potential of parole plus one yr. … You perceive this?
ROBERT BAKER: Sure, sir.
However whereas Baker was accepting accountability for Fabio’s dying, Monica wasn’t.
MIRELLA ROTA (in court docket) : What he and Monica did to my brother, Fabio, is unforgivable.
However Monica’s personal daughters, Isabella and Gessica, supported their mother.
GESSICA SEMENTILLI (in court docket): We’ll proceed to face by our mom as we have now completed for the final six years, and we are going to battle for her innocence.
As Monica ready to go to trial, her protection lawyer Leonard Levine made an announcement.
LEONARD LEVINE: We’re assured that Robert Baker’s responsible pleas and his truthful testimony will lastly set up as soon as and for all that Monica Sementilli had nothing to do with the planning or the homicide of Fabio Sementilli, her husband.
Monica’s protection staff wasn’t answering questions earlier than trial, so “48 Hours” requested New York-based protection lawyer Julie Rendelman to assessment Monica’s protection staff’s pre-trial motions.
Julie Rendelman: There is not any witnesses that we all know of to this point which are going to come back ahead and testify that she deliberate this homicide.
Monica Sementilli/Instagram
She says Monica’s relationship with Baker does not show something.
Michelle Miller: It appears to strengthen the DA’s case that not solely did she have an affair, however the particular person she was having the affair with is the killer.
Julie Rendelman: I hear you, however the issue is — is that just because a person is having an affair, the — you can not take the leap to get to a person being accountable, um, for the dying of their cherished one, definitely not past an affordable doubt.
However the prosecution says the affair is vital to establishing a conspiracy between Monica and Robert Baker — an alleged conspiracy detectives spent months monitoring.
Michelle Miller: How lengthy was that investigation?
Mary Fulginiti: 5 months. 5 to 6 months.
Whereas the DA additionally declined an interview earlier than going to trial, former prosecutor Mary Fulginiti reviewed the case in opposition to Monica.
Michelle Miller (exterior the Sementilli’s house): So, that is the scene of the crime?
Mary Fulginiti: Yeah … , that is the place the 2 joggers, , got here in line with the video from a neighbor, uh, working up right here towards the home.
Prosecutors say that first hooded determine — within the inexperienced sweatshirt— is Robert Baker.
Michelle Miller: So, what about that confederate?
Mary Fulginiti: We do not know who that particular person is. … it is a thriller.
Michelle Miller: What does this indictment say about Monica Sementilli?
Mary Fulginiti: This indictment is a really detailed define and timeline of the plot to kill Fabio Sementilli.
Mary Fulginiti: Motive right here is easy. I imply, that is love and cash. This is among the oldest crimes within the ebook the place, , two lovers desperately eager to be collectively, they usually attempt to do away with one of many spouses to allow them to be collectively for what? For monetary profit. … And that may imply the three quarters of 1,000,000 life insurance coverage coverage, the home, 401ks.
Police say the plan was to stage the scene to make it appear like the work of the knock-knock burglars and throw police off their path. They usually consider Monica was deeply concerned.
Mary Fulginiti: They consider … she was the one which coordinated the whole lot, the one which confirmed him, , the place the home was, the place the DVR was, in order that he knew the place to go to tear it out of the partitions. Find out how to get into the home.
And that is not all. The prosecutor says six months earlier than the homicide, Monica forwarded an e-mail sharing particulars of her house safety system with Baker.
Mary Fulginiti: She supplied the password, the username, the log in credentials, in addition to the person guide to Robert Baker, the identical day that she acquired it from the surveillance firm.
After which there’s the day of the homicide. Prosecutors say Monica’s habits that day is a key aspect of her position within the conspiracy to kill Fabio. In keeping with prosecutors, surveillance video exhibits Monica left house at 3:26 p.m. driving the household’s black Ford F-150 pickup.
Michelle Miller (standing in a Goal car parking zone): That is the place she got here, in line with prosecutors, to determine her alibi?
Mary Fulginiti: So, quite a bit occurs on this car parking zone. … she pulls in right here in her Ford-150 pickup truck proper in entrance of this retailer … stops for just some minutes.
Prosecutors say they’ve video the place it seems a person will get into Monica’s truck. They are saying that particular person was Robert Baker. Monica then goes alone into the Goal retailer and begins purchasing. However as she leaves, prosecutors say this surveillance picture exhibits her fixated on her cellphone.
They’d inform a grand jury it seems she was streaming video from her house — numerous it.
THE EVIDENCE AGAINST MONICA SEMENTILLI
So what was Monica Sementilli watching on her cellphone that afternoon at in regards to the time her husband was being murdered?
Mary Fulginiti. The cellphone information and information present that she’s connecting to a singular IP tackle. … It occurs to be the IP tackle of the home. And there is a considerable amount of information that is being consumed. And that enormous quantity of knowledge is in step with video streaming, i.e, the surveillance video of the home.
Surveillance video? In keeping with the DA, it may need been video from her house safety cameras.
However may Monica have been watching the precise homicide?
Mary Fulginiti: No… The surveillance cameras in the home are — are dealing with exterior, however they don’t seem to be dealing with within the pool space, which was the place Fabio was positioned on the time. So, they did not truly seize the homicide, however they’d seize clearly who was coming and going.
Los Angeles County Superior Courtroom
Monica may have been watching the whole lot else, prosecutors say.
Mary Fulginiti (with Miller within the Goal car parking zone): They will argue … she’s watching the scene, the scene of the crime to see the comings and goings of when Baker and the confederate are going into the home, when are they leaving the home in order that she is aware of when she will be able to depart right here and go house.
Prosecutors say whereas she is watching the feed, Baker and his confederate had been on the Sementilli property stalking Fabio.
Mary Fulginiti: In keeping with the prosecution, “it was a really focused assault that was completed with the intent to kill.” In addition they go on to say that “he was stabbed within the neck, it minimize his jugular vein, minimize the carotid artery.”
And there is extra proof of the plot to kill Fabio. Prosecutors say Baker was planning a future with Monica.
Mary Fulginiti: The DA says that about two months earlier than the homicide, Baker advised a pal that he had been courting this lady for a couple of yr, and that he despatched an image of that lady, and that lady was Monica.
Mary Fulginiti: After which two months later Fabio was killed.
Authorities additionally say Monica’s habits after the homicide is suspect. She did not transfer her teenage daughters out of the home or have her safety system repaired.
Mary Fulginiti: And the prosecutors argued that the explanation why she had no concern, as a result of she knew who the killer was, and she or he was with him.
Mary Fulginiti: This can be a lady who’s pretending to be a grieving widow and making all these posts on social media.
Mary Fulginiti: Who on the similar time is carrying on a torrid love affair with the person who truly killed her husband.
Prosecutors made specific pictures public in court docket filings. Some we won’t present you. They are saying its proof the secretive romance continued after Fabio’s dying.
Los Angeles County Superior Courtroom
Mary Fulginiti: I imply, that is a double life. … The D.A. introduced {a photograph} of Monica and — and Baker to the grand jury. And it was {a photograph} of Monica truly grabbing his crotch. … And this was one, uh, that was taken in Vegas.
Michelle Miller: There was additionally this — this picture of a mirror.
Mary Fulginiti: Proper. … it was a photograph of the again of Monica … with Mrs. Baker, uh, written lipstick on the mirror.
Michelle Miller: The … lipstick and the mirror … What — what does that inform them?
Mary Fulginiti: Once more, this all goes to motive. I imply, Mrs. Baker … she wished to be Mrs. Baker.
However when detectives requested Monica about Robert Baker, prosecutors say she advised them she wasn’t even positive of his final title. They are saying she additionally advised them she wasn’t positive the way to work the house safety cameras.
Mary Fulginiti: To cite the prosecution right here, they are saying, “She’s a liar, she’s a manipulator, she’s a cheater. And the whole lot that comes out of her mouth must be taken with a big grain of salt massive sufficient in order that you may choke on it.”
Mary Fulginiti: If they will present that Monica lied about her way of life, in regards to the affair, about quite a lot of different issues, that they will persuade the jury that she’s additionally mendacity about her involvement on this conspiracy to kill Fabio.
They usually say when she was later confronted about why Baker’s blood was present in her home, she continued to lie.
Mary Fulginiti: She comes up with some cockamamie story about, , enjoying racquetball with Baker and hitting him within the finger and that it was bleeding and there was a bloody towel and she or he needed to convey it house and — and that is why his blood was on the home.
However Fulginiti says one of many greatest items of proof in opposition to Monica is what occurred when police got here up with a plan to secretly document the couple. It started once they pulled them over as they had been driving.
Mary Fulginiti: It is a ruse by the police. … They are saying that they assume the automotive that they are in is stolen they usually wished to, , simply test it out and , most likely is not they usually handcuff them per protocol, put them into the police car. However what they do not know is that car’s wired and that there is a van up the road with police in it listening to their each phrase. And it is at that time, Monica says, and I am gonna quote right here: “Any person will need to have talked. Any person is doing this to us.” After which she mentioned, “They will need to have one thing. They will need to have one thing.”
Mary Fulginiti: That is fairly damning proof. … as a former prosecutor that’s near an admission to being concerned on this conspiracy.
In keeping with detectives, Monica was additionally recorded telling her cellmate, “He isn’t simply my lover … he is my confidante … he is my the whole lot.”
Detectives additionally intercepted letters Monica wrote to Baker from behind bars saying, “I am at all times amazed how we each know what the opposite is considering. DESTINED!” And “I miss you a lot my love!”
Mary Fulginiti: If you take a look at these items within the totality, it’ll put collectively a fairly excellent puzzle right here. And the puzzle will paint this image that Monica conspired with Baker, that he didn’t do it alone, that they did it collectively.
However Monica’s defenders say the case in opposition to her is flimsy, they usually say Baker did it with out her.
Julie Rendelman: Robert Baker could have killed him as a result of he wished him out of the best way. Possibly he did it as a result of he hoped that by killing him, he would get Monica to himself. … That in and of itself doesn’t set up that Monica was in on the homicide.
DEFENDING MONICA SEMENTILLI
Monica Sementilli’s protection is adamant she had completely nothing to do with Fabio’s homicide.
Julie Rendelman: The protection’s place is that there isn’t a arduous proof, truly no proof that establishes Monica Sementilli participated in conspiracy.
Fabio Sementilli/Fb
And if you cannot show a conspiracy, you may’t show Monica’s guilt says Rendelman.
Michelle Miller: The sheer variety of circumstances that appear to weave collectively— the car parking zone assembly … the strolling into the shop and watching video that has streamed stay from the house … the password being given to the killer … all of these issues, the sum of them, would not a jury consider is simply an excessive amount of of a coincidence?
Julie Rendelman: Clearly, I can not reply for what the jury is gonna say. Um, the protection, I may promise you, goes to aim to poke holes — holes in each single piece of proof you simply spoke about.
Michelle Miller: So, let’s go step-by-step … the sharing of that password for the surveillance video.
Julie Rendelman: So, there isn’t a query that she shared the password.
However Rendelman says there is not any connection between sharing that password and a homicide plot.
Julie Rendelman: There’s completely no proof between the six months that she shared it and the day he was killed, that establishes there was any plan in place between them in anyway to have her husband killed, not a textual content, not an e-mail, not a dialog along with her greatest pal saying she’s over her relationship.
Julie Rendelman: The second situation is, there’s completely no proof that Robert Baker downloaded the app or ever even used the app.
Michelle Miller: Let’s discuss in regards to the actions within the car parking zone the day of the homicide. … somebody seems to be stepping into the automotive.
Julie Rendelman: Preserve a pair issues in thoughts. One is from the protection’s perspective … the video footage is so grainy that you may’t make out who if anyone is stepping into Monica Sementilli’s automotive.
And what in regards to the allegation that she was watching video of the home because the homicide came about?
Michelle Miller: As soon as she went contained in the Goal — there was a time limit the place she appeared fascinated, fixated on her cellphone.
Julie Rendelman: Effectively, I am going to inform you one factor. The prosecution does not know what she was watching on her cellphone. They can’t articulate nor will they ever have the ability to articulate what was occurring in that cellphone.
Michelle Miller: However it was being streamed from her house.
Julie Rendelman: She might be watching a present, identical to any one among us watched your present whereas we’re strolling alongside.
Michelle Miller: The prosecution actually digs in on Monica’s character, the truth that she’s having an affair.
Julie Rendelman: Effectively, let me quote what the protection says in —with regard to that. “The prosecutor’s proof of Ms. Sementilli’s affair and particularly the sexist and lurid method wherein it was introduced … was irrelevant, improper and unfairly prejudicial to Ms. Sementilli.”
Julie Rendelman: They go on and say, “the sexual and romantic particulars of their affair had been merely irrelevant to the query, whether or not they conspired to homicide Fabio Sementilli.”
However then why deceive investigators — allegedly saying she was uncertain of Robert Baker’s final title?
Julie Rendelman: The query turns into, why is she mendacity? Is she mendacity as a result of she dedicated a homicide or is she mendacity as a result of she has been in a tryst with somebody for fairly some time and does not need the world to know significantly, regulation enforcement?
Prosecutors did discover it suspicious that on the evening Fabio died, Monica was already inquiring about his life insurance coverage. However Rendelman says it isn’t odd.
Julie Rendelman: I perceive, um, the way it may look insensitive to start out asking a couple of life insurance coverage coverage so quickly after. However in the event you’re, uh, a person that’s not financially sound, you might have two ladies at house, you might have doubtlessly a mortgage to pay, you might have payments to pay, you’re going to be nervous in regards to the monetary safety of your loved ones.
CBS Information
And are available trial, says Rendelman, what could actually assist Monica is that she will not be tried with Baker. The jury is not going to see the person who dedicated the precise homicide on the protection desk subsequent to Monica. And that would make the case more durable for prosecutors, says Fulginiti.
Mary Fulginiti: The truth that he is her lover and the killer, the one which the DNA’s round the home, I imply that — there’s a spillover impact. And that each one would’ve, , doubtlessly impacted, I feel, the jury on this case. And he is not there.
Michelle Miller: Would you say it was his final reward to Monica?
Mary Fulginiti: Yeah, I’d ‘trigger there’s completely no different motive for him truly to plead straight up, with none actual plea cut price right here, to life with out the potential of parole, besides I suppose his final murderous chivalrous act.
However it appears Baker could have a fair greater affect on Monica’s case. “48 Hours” went to see him in jail, and he advised us 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 advised us that he is not in contact with Monica and he has not determined if he’ll testify.
One other issue that would assist Monica, says Rendelman, the daughters Monica shared with Fabio are standing behind their mom.
Julie Rendelman: And so, there’s an argument to be made that the jury is trying on the daughter saying, “in the event that they consider her in spite of everything this, should not we?”
As for Monica herself, she’s by no means spoken publicly – besides at a memorial for her deceased husband.
MONICA SEMENTILLI (video from Fabio’s memorial): How fortunate am I to have lived the best love story of all time. A narrative that folks solely examine. A narrative that motion pictures are product of. Thanks a lot.
Monica Sementilli’s trial is scheduled to start in April.
Produced by Chuck Stevenson. Greg Fisher is the event producer. Gabriella Demirdjian and Hannah Vair are the sphere producers. Michael Baluzy, Grayce Arlotta-Berner, Wini Dini and Chris Crater are the editors. Patti Aronofsky is the senior producer. Nancy Kramer is the manager story editor. Judy Tygard is the manager producer.
