Southern California(Thechieftainspear) – Nearly eight years after the brutal murder of celebrity hairstylist Fabio Sementilli, one of the men convicted in the case testified in court, claiming that Sementilli’s wife played no role in the deadly scheme. However, prosecutors continue to argue that she orchestrated the killing to collect a $1.6 million life insurance payout.
Sementilli, 49, was discovered mortally wounded on the patio of his Woodland Hills home on January 23, 2017. His daughter, Isabella, found him bleeding and called 911 in a desperate attempt to save his life.
Two men, Robert Louis Baker and Christopher Austin, were later arrested and convicted for their roles in the crime. Baker, 62, a former adult film actor and registered sex offender, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and received a life sentence without parole. Austin, an Oregon parole officer, was convicted of second-degree murder and faces up to 16 years in prison when he is sentenced next month.
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According to Austin’s testimony, he and Baker entered the home through an unlocked front door before attacking Sementilli, who was on the patio making business calls. Austin stated that he restrained the victim while Baker repeatedly stabbed him. The attackers then fled the scene in Sementilli’s Porsche, abandoning it a few miles away.
While Baker testified in court that he acted alone out of love for Monica Sementilli, the victim’s wife, Austin’s account contradicted that claim. He alleged that Monica deliberately left the door unlocked for them and that Baker referred to her as his “girl,” saying she wanted her husband dead to escape an unhappy marriage and secure the insurance money.
Investigators linked Baker to the crime through DNA evidence found at the scene, which was in the system due to a prior conviction. They also discovered that the home’s security system had been removed, and a forensic expert later recovered messages from Monica instructing Baker on how to locate and disable it.
Further evidence connecting the suspects included financial records showing Baker had purchased a plane ticket for Austin to travel to Los Angeles before the murder, as well as surveillance footage capturing the two men together. After becoming prime suspects, police monitored Monica and Baker, observing them spending time together in bars, at a comedy club, and on a trip to Las Vegas.
In June 2017, officers pulled over Monica’s black Mustang with Baker behind the wheel. While detained in a police car, investigators recorded Monica advising Baker to “deny everything and don’t talk.”
Despite the prosecution’s claims, Monica’s defense team argues there is no credible proof that she planned her husband’s murder. Attorney Blair Berk stated that Monica had been misled and was unaware of Baker’s role in the killing.
The trial continues as prosecutors work to convince the jury that Monica Sementilli was the mastermind behind the deadly plot .
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