Monica Sementilli says she did not help plan the murder of her L.A. beauty exec husband. Will a jury believe her?

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 virtually seven years behind bars ready by means of authorized delays and COVID, she is scheduled to go on trial for the homicide of her husband, celeb hairdresser and sweetness govt Fabio Sementilli.

As “48 Hours” contributor Michelle Miller studies, it is a tangled story. Her defenders say Monica Sementilli is an harmless sufferer. However in case you imagine 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 outdoors 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 buddy of Monica Simental’s. “48 Hours” spoke along with her in 2018. She says Monica texted her to come back over the night time 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 needed to be the absolute best consolation. …  I did not know learn how to consolation that. … she could not communicate in full sentences till just like the fourth day.

Detectives shortly discovered the sufferer, Fabio Sementilli, had been a celebrity within the magnificence enterprise.

“48 Hours” spoke with those that knew him finest in 2017. Fabio’s sister, Mirella Rota

Mirella Rota: He was a cheerful man. And he needed all people round him glad.

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 pals say, “Hey Luigi, is that your dad?”

Luigi Sementilli: Completely, yeah. It was form of a enjoyable factor, you already know. … It is exhausting to keep away from him if you sort in Sementilli on Google, it is very exhausting … in actual fact if you sort in my identify, Luigi Sementilli, the very first thing that comes up is his profile! (laughs)

Fabio and his sister Mirella started slicing 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 finest man at Fabio’s wedding ceremony to Monica.

Joe Mercurio: We have 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 have been getting well-known.

In 2008, Fabio was promoted to an govt job on the magnificence large Wella and moved his household to L.A. Pete Castellano was Fabio’s colleague.

Pete Castellano: What occurred was was the chance … to actually enable the issues that he needed for his household to come back to life by taking up an even 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 need a Porsche in Los Angeles?

Mirella Rota: You are completely proper.

They have been dwelling 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 loss of life. 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 digital camera, they may see two figures in hoodies working near the Sementilli’s home on the time of the homicide. A short time later, Fabio’s Porsche was being pushed away. Again then, Investigators did not suspect Monica had something to do with Fabio’s loss of life.  She wasn’t even dwelling on the time he was killed. As an alternative, 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: Nicely, we name them the knock-knock burglars. 

Michelle Miller: So, that is LAPD footage?

Det. William Dunn: Yeah. They know what they’re doing, and so they know what they need.

Michelle Miller:  I imply… they’re working wild!

They have been hitting houses of celebrities throughout Los Angeles.

CRIME SCENE EVIDENCE LEADS TO A SUSPECT

It was 2017, and, for years, the houses of L.A. celebrities have been focused.

LOCAL NEWS REPORT: Not less than seven celebrities had tons of of 1000’s of {dollars}’ value of bijou taken.

LOCAL NEWS REPORT: Excessive-profile victims embrace $300,000 from former Lakers star Derek Fisher, $175,000 for Nikki Minaj…and $2 million from Alanis Morrissette’s Brentwood dwelling.

Det. William Dunn | LAPD (watching surveillance video of a knock-knock housebreaking): They’re shifting 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 individual’s put jewellery or money in a number of 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, have a look at what we have discovered. Now have a look at what number of seconds, and this can be a actual heavy secure. … however they’re very decided … they put a number of effort into it and it is so heavy he cannot – he cannot elevate the factor. However have a look at how he is simply gonna slide that factor out.

Michelle Miller: In order that they received the secure, that is pay grime, 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 digital camera close to Fabio’s home proper across the time of his homicide seemed rather a lot just like the knock-knock burglars.

And the Sementilli dwelling had its personal cameras. Detectives hoped they might discover much more video of these hooded figures on these tapes.

There have been 4 cameras outdoors 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 should have taken it. 

Surprisingly, in addition to 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 probably 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 have been hanging on to an enormous 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 ultimately led to a suspect.

Capt. William Hayes | LAPD: We have been in a position to develop forensic proof … a few of that was DNA, which recognized Robert Baker.

Robert Baker had been a racquetball league director at a Los Angeles gymnasium, not removed from Fabio’s home. And Monica’s buddy, 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 gymnasium guys — you already know, 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 understand how 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, you already know, stored every little thing — he was in cost.

He was additionally twisted up within the porn trade, even doing a little performing.

Bleuel did not know a lot about Baker’s background, however she did hear about his film profession from a buddy 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: Nicely, it was fairly anticlimactic, I am going to inform ya.

Michelle Miller: Actually?

Elyse Bleuel: Yeah. ‘trigger a lotta occasions once we would have lady speak she’d get slightly prude-y.  Like slightly 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 Seaside case. It is for lewd and lascivious acts with a minor.

Police say Baker served time for that offense towards a teenage lady.

For months, police watched Baker and so they found two issues. First, he was undoubtedly not one of many knock-knock burglars, and second, he made 1000’s of calls and texts to of all folks, Monica Sementilli.

The truth is, simply days after Fabio’s loss of life, Monica held a wake in her yard and Baker really confirmed up.

Michelle Miller: You probably did meet him?

Mirella Rota: I did.

Rota says she noticed Monica hanging out with Baker.

Mirella Rota: I noticed her again … outdoors once more, with a drink, smoking, and speaking to this man. … I came upon that that was his identify, Rob. And he or she launched me to him.

Luigi seen him, too.

Luigi Sementilli: Robert and Monica have been within the nook speaking to one another, type of away from the social gathering.

And there was one thing else Luigi seen about Baker.

Luigi Sementilli: He had bandages on his palms.

One visitor even snapped photos of Monica and Robert Baker collectively. In case you 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 dwelling utilizing what they referred to as a “ruse” — telling her they have been investigating the knock-knock burglars, when in actual fact they have been investigating her and secretly following Monica and Baker. And based on authorities, it paid off. They are saying they discovered proof that Monica and Baker have 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 info and recognized Robert Baker, 55 years previous of Canoga Park and Monica Sementilli, 45 years previous, of Woodland Hills, who’s the spouse of our murder sufferer, as accountable 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 line with the prosecution … these two have been plotting and planning to kill Fabio so they may reside their life collectively.

Mary Fulginiti is a former federal prosecutor and a “48 Hours” advisor.

Mary Fulginiti: It was a really sophisticated investigation.

As authorities hustled Robert Baker and Monica Sementilli into court docket, they every pleaded “not responsible.” However virtually six years later, Baker modified every little thing.

Mary Fulginiti:  When he got here to court docket that day, folks have 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 isn’t any effing approach … I used to be there. She was decimated. 

After months of crying and grieving alongside Monica, Fabio’s household could not imagine 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 entire household felt that approach 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.

JUDGE RONALD COEN (in court docket): The utmost sentence on this case is life imprisonment with out the potential for parole plus one 12 months. … You perceive this?

ROBERT BAKER: Sure, sir.

However whereas Baker was accepting accountability for Fabio’s loss of life, 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 now we have carried out for the final six years, and we’ll struggle for her innocence.

As Monica ready to go to trial, her protection legal professional 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 group wasn’t answering questions earlier than trial, so “48 Hours” requested New York-based protection legal professional Julie Rendelman to assessment Monica’s protection group’s pre-trial motions.

Julie Rendelman: There is no witnesses that we all know of to date which might be going to come back ahead and testify that she deliberate this homicide. 

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 individual 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 loss of life of their beloved one, definitely not past an inexpensive 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 towards Monica.

Michelle Miller (outdoors the Sementilli’s dwelling): So, that is the scene of the crime?

Mary Fulginiti: Yeah … , that is the place the 2 joggers, you already know, got here based on 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 individual 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 straightforward. I imply, that is love and cash. This is likely one of the oldest crimes within the e-book the place, you already know, two lovers desperately eager to be collectively, and so they attempt to eliminate 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. And so they imagine Monica was deeply concerned.

Mary Fulginiti: They imagine … she was the one which coordinated every little thing, the one which confirmed him, you already know, 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. How one can get into the home.

And that is not all. The prosecutor says six months earlier than the homicide, Monica forwarded an electronic mail sharing particulars of her dwelling safety system with Baker.

Mary Fulginiti: She supplied the password, the username, the log in credentials, in addition to the consumer handbook 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 conduct that day is a key ingredient of her position within the conspiracy to kill Fabio. In line with prosecutors, surveillance video reveals Monica left dwelling 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, based on prosecutors, to determine her alibi?

Mary Fulginiti: So, rather a lot 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 individual was Robert Baker. Monica then goes alone into the Goal retailer and begins buying. However as she leaves, prosecutors say this surveillance picture reveals her fixated on her telephone.

They’d inform a grand jury it seems she was streaming video from her dwelling — a number of it.

THE EVIDENCE AGAINST MONICA SEMENTILLI  

So what was Monica Sementilli watching on her telephone that afternoon at concerning the time her husband was being murdered?

Mary Fulginiti. The telephone information and information present that she’s connecting to a novel 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 giant quantity of information is in line with video streaming, i.e, the surveillance video of the home.

Surveillance video? In line with the DA, it might need been video from her dwelling safety cameras.

However might Monica have been watching the precise homicide?

Mary Fulginiti: No… The surveillance cameras in the home are — are dealing with outdoors, however they don’t seem to be dealing with within the pool space, which was the place Fabio was situated on the time. So, they did not really seize the homicide, however they might seize clearly who was coming and going.

Monica might have been watching every little thing 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 go away right here and go dwelling.

Prosecutors say whereas she is watching the feed, Baker and his confederate have been on the Sementilli property stalking Fabio.

Mary Fulginiti: In line with the prosecution, “it was a really focused assault that was carried out with the intent to kill.” Additionally 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 buddy that he had been courting this lady for a couple of 12 months, 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 conduct 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 he or she was with him.

Mary Fulginiti: It is a lady who’s pretending to be a grieving widow and making all these posts on social media.

Mary Fulginiti: Who on the identical time is carrying on a torrid love affair with the person who really killed her husband.

Prosecutors made specific photographs public in court docket filings. Some we won’t present you. They are saying its proof the secretive romance continued after Fabio’s loss of life.

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 really 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 needed 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 identify. They are saying she additionally advised them she wasn’t positive learn how 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 every little thing that comes out of her mouth must be taken with a big grain of salt giant sufficient in order that you could possibly choke on it.”

Mary Fulginiti: If they will present that Monica lied about her life-style, concerning the affair, about a wide range of different issues, that they’re going to persuade the jury that she’s additionally mendacity about her involvement on this conspiracy to kill Fabio.

And so they 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, you already know, taking part in racquetball with Baker and hitting him within the finger and that it was bleeding and there was a bloody towel and he or she needed to convey it dwelling and — and that is why his blood was on the home.

However Fulginiti says one of many greatest items of proof towards 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 have been driving.

Mary Fulginiti: It is a ruse by the police. … They are saying that they suppose the automobile that they are in is stolen and so they needed to, you already know, simply test it out and you already know, in all probability is not and so they handcuff them per protocol, put them into the police automobile. However what they do not know is that automobile’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: “Anyone should have talked. Anyone is doing this to us.” After which she mentioned, “They should have one thing. They should 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 line with detectives, Monica was additionally recorded telling her cellmate, “He is not simply my lover … he is my confidante … he is my every little thing.”

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 pondering. DESTINED!” And “I miss you a lot my love!”

Mary Fulginiti: Once you have a look at these items within the totality, it will 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 towards her is flimsy, and so they say Baker did it with out her.

Julie Rendelman: Robert Baker could have killed him as a result of he needed 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 any exhausting proof, really no proof that establishes Monica Sementilli participated in conspiracy.

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 reside from the house … the password being given to the killer … all of these issues, the sum of them, would not a jury imagine is simply an excessive amount of of a coincidence?

Julie Rendelman: Clearly, I am unable to reply for what the jury is gonna say. Um, the protection, I might 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 any query that she shared the password.

However Rendelman says there isn’t 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 any way to have her husband killed, not a textual content, not an electronic mail, not a dialog along with her finest buddy saying she’s over her relationship.

Julie Rendelman: The second concern is, there’s completely no proof that Robert Baker downloaded the app or ever even used the app.

Michelle Miller: Let’s speak concerning the actions within the car parking zone the day of the homicide. … somebody seems to be entering into the automobile.

Julie Rendelman: Maintain a pair issues in thoughts. One is from the protection’s perspective … the video footage is so grainy which you can’t make out who if anyone is entering into Monica Sementilli’s automobile.

And what concerning 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 cut-off date the place she appeared fascinated, fixated on her telephone.

Julie Rendelman: Nicely, I am going to inform you one factor. The prosecution does not know what she was watching on her telephone. They can not articulate nor will they ever be capable to articulate what was occurring in that telephone.

Michelle Miller: However it was being streamed from her dwelling.

Julie Rendelman: She may very well be watching a present, similar 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: Nicely, 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 through which 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 have been merely irrelevant to the query, whether or not they conspired to homicide Fabio Sementilli.”

However then why misinform investigators — allegedly saying she was not sure of Robert Baker’s final identify?

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 notably, legislation enforcement? 

Prosecutors did discover it suspicious that on the night time Fabio died, Monica was already inquiring about his life insurance coverage. However Rendelman says it is not odd.

Julie Rendelman: I perceive, um, the way it might look insensitive to start out asking a couple of life insurance coverage coverage so quickly after. However in case you’re, uh, a person that isn’t financially sound, you might have two ladies at dwelling, you might have doubtlessly a mortgage to pay, you might have payments to pay, you’ll be anxious concerning the monetary safety of your loved ones.

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 tougher 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, you already know, doubtlessly impacted, I feel, the jury on this case. And he is now not there.

Michelle Miller: Would you say it was his final present to Monica?

Mary Fulginiti: Yeah, I’d ‘trigger there’s completely no different purpose for him really to plead straight up, with none actual plea discount right here, to life with out the potential for parole, besides I assume his final murderous chivalrous act.

However it appears Baker could have a fair greater impression 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 he or she by no means knew that he was Fabio’s killer. Baker additionally advised us that he is now 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 imagine her in any case 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 films are product of. Thanks a lot.

Monica Sementilli’s trial is scheduled to start in April.

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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 chief story editor. Judy Tygard is the chief producer.