GUILTY CA - Fabio Sementilli, 49, renowned hairdresser, murdered in LA, 23 Jan 2017 *Arrests, 1 guilty*

[TwinkieDefense]

I realize now, I missed so much of the trial. I just found a trial video titled View attachment 576943 Monica Sementilli’s Friend EXPOSES Her Shocking Secrets in Court! Full Testimony Revealed! On a youtube channel Justice is a Process. Did you get to see when Monica's friend, Elise Bleuel, took the stand? I'm going to watch it now. Thought I'd mention it, in case you didn't catch it.​

Thanks @Curious Me. Watching it now; questioning by prosecutor. Here’s what I’m hearing the (imo likable and honest) witness say from her recollection of Monica/madonna behavior after the murder -

Where’s the insurance

No fear for herself or daughters in the house

No talk of leaving house

No talk of replacing home security or safety

No talk of Who killed Fabio

Much talk of Why no insurance

Talk of Why can’t I get my phone back

Bought New mustang because Fabio would want her to have it (my own snark - I guess that is after he was no longer around)

Talk of her girls having to figure things out for themselves

Her and Baker would work together and travel

Stressed about money but enthusiast about new ventures

No grieving or talk about missing Fabio - except on social media

No mention of being involved with Baker

 

[BrownRice]

This case is so curious to me.

Baker must have targeted Monica as a bored, lonely housewife (but her life looked pretty good to me!). Starts flirting with her and within WEEKS she starts messing around with him. Even though I can’t see it, he must have had a pretty charismatic personality. And the sex must have been great for her. That’s the ONLY thing I can think of.

So within a couple of months or maybe sooner, he starts leaving tiny little breadcrumbs of what their life could be if they were to end up together. And she starts believing it. I don’t think he’s capable of love; was only seeing the money, trips to Vegas, etc.

Remember, he talked Christopher Austin into helping him kill Fabio. Austin, a man with literally no criminal background. Married with a baby. Who had a job with troubled youth.

So Baker must be pretty persuasive. It’s too bad Monica didn’t fess up when Obad asked her if she was having an affair. Then perhaps someone could have talked some sense into her (not about the murder, which she’d never admit to help coordinate, but just the fact she’d give up her family for this convicted child sexual offender, former pornstar).

 

[Satchel411]

Has anyone been watching closing arguments? The State has taken at least an entire day or 2 even and still not done with closing. I'm not sure how effective such a long closing arguement is.

 

[Kavya01]

Has anyone been watching closing arguments? The State has taken at least an entire day or 2 even and still not done with closing. I'm not sure how effective such a long closing arguement is.

It's very effective for me. Monday will be trial day 40 I believe, but in total this trial started IIRC on January 23rd,and so, has stretched out over 9 weeks already. It's good to revisit the early weeks of witnesses for me, likely also for those factfinders, I am thinking. IMO a lot of the State's case is circumstantial and the factfinders have heard a lot of witnesses that seemed on loose-ish terms with truthfulness,(also professional expertise, for that matter). I am glad Ms. Silverman is reminding them of this in her detailed closing, and I appreciate how she is clearly pointing out all the dots the Jury can connect during their deliberations.
I am sure they'll get their instructions and the case perhaps on Tuesday... or Wednesday

 

[Niner]

Monday, April 7th:
*Trial continues (Day 41)-Closing Arguments continue [State & Defense] & VERDICT WATCH! (@ 9am PT) – CA – Fabio Sementilli (49) (Jan. 23, 2017, Los Angeles) – *Monica Sonia Crescentini Sementilli (45/now 53) (wife) arrested (8/18/17), indicted (8/31/17), charged (8/18/17) & arraigned (8/31/17) with capital murder with special circumstances of murder for financial gain & conspiracy to commit murder. Plead not guilty. Held without bond. DA will not seek DP. LA County
Jury Selection began on 1/21/25 & ended 1/22/25. No info on jurors. Juror #2 was replaced by an alternate on 3/19/25. Juror #2 [new one] was replaced by an alternate on 3/20/25.
Trial began on 1/24/25 & on 3/12/25 Prosecutors rested their case. Defense began their case on 3/12/25 & rested their case on 4/2/25. Closing arguments began on 4/3/25 with State. Dark on Fridays (sometimes).
Trial: 38 days of testimony with 44 state & 13 defense witnesses.
Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Coen. Deputy DA Beth Silverman, Ryan Heath Erlich, Dep. DA, Melissa Hannah Opper, Dep. DA, & Heather Joy Steggel, Dep. DA.. Defense attorneys Leonard Levine & Blair Bernholz Berk.
Court hearings from 6/5/18 thru 1/28/25 & Jury Selection Days 1-2 (1/21-1/22/25) & Trial Day 1-39 (1/24 & 1/29-4/3/25) reference post #817 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...a-23-jan-2017-arrests-1-guilty.327994/page-41
4/4/25 Friday, Trial Day 40: Closing statements by Deputy DA Beth Silverman continued & will continue on Monday & the Defense will start their closing on Monday.
Trial continues on Monday, 4/7/25 also with jury deliberations.
*Christopher Austin (38/now 39) – Plead guilty on 1/17/25. Sentencing hearing on 4/30/25.
*Robert Louis Baker (55/now 62) (wife’s BF) plead no contest/guilty on 7/7/23 & sentenced to life without parole.

 

[Curious Me]

Monica Sementilli’s Friend EXPOSES Her Shocking Secrets in Court! Full Testimony Revealed! On a youtube channel Justice is a Process. Did you get to see when Monica's friend, Elise Bleuel, took the stand...

...Watching it now; questioning by prosecutor. Here’s what I’m hearing the (imo likable and honest) witness say from her recollection of Monica/madonna behavior after the murder... snipped to reply

What causes someone to overlook rotten teeth in their greener-grass mindset?? I realize that dental care is expensive but how can you not think that there are underlying issues for a man his age. I would be thinking that his career choices are slim to none because of that.

@Luna20, I'd say looks don't matter as much as what's inside, but we all know what's inside Baker is rotten too.

This may surprise you, it did me, but if you listen to Elise Bleuel testifying she said the three women took racquetball together, and became friends. It felt to her like they were camp buddies. They'd joke around and get together after at Monica's firepit drinking wine.

One of them, Fay, had a crush on Robert Baker. Elise was asked in court, said she thought Rob was manly and somewhat sexy describing him as muscular, and having a military take charge confidence. Said Rob seemed like the cool camp counselor to her.

At that time, Rob used to have to rush off because he had a girlfriend someplace else. Later, Monica would tell Elise she thought he was just saying that, a way to let Fay know he wasn't interested in her.

Apparently, and I certainly don't understand it, but Baker had some kind of energy that got women interested. MOO, it makes me sick and puzzled, how Monica seemed to fall under some kind of evil lust spell, not to just have an affair which is one thing, but to ultimately betray Fabio and knowingly plan his murder, it's horrible, but IMO, she sure did take part in having him murdered. Part for the money, but also some strange sick connection to Baker.

ETA-- IMO, Monica wasn't a sincere friend to Elise, at least towards the end. She hurt Elise, posting photos of a party and that she didn't invite Elise to, right before the murder. Elise was actually mad at Monica when she got a call from Monica saying she needed her right after Fabio was murdered. She used Elise to comfort and observe her grieving act, but Elise's testimony revealed insight into how ungrieving Monica was being actually. @TwinkieDefense's great post, up thread, lists all that Elise managed to convey in her testimony. Great list, BTW, and surely Jurors noted such, too.​

 

[BrownRice]

Wondering if this will jury will be as quick as the Alex Murdaugh verdict.

 

[Niner]

Wondering if this will jury will be as quick as the Alex Murdaugh verdict.

I say - if the jury gets the case later today - they'll get the paperwork all done - and come back late tomorrow, Tuesday with a verdict.... guilty of course!

 

[Curious Me]

Monday morning
April 7, 2025 Prosecution continues Closing Arguments






In Las Vegas partying with her lover, acting like a 20 yr. old on Spring Break, she posts this to appear as though grieving.

 

[Curious Me]

Prosecution knows the visual presentation really has great impact on Jurors and they're providing lots of visuals to support the Closing Arguments.​

Threw Robert Baker a Birthday party. Witnesses describe Monica grabbing strippers by their breasts and acting out of control.



Monica's pushing to get the money, whining they hardly can keep a a home over their head. Now, bringing out how Monica is in Myrtle Beach, but keeping up the missing Fabio act online while partying and lying to her daughters.​

In my own words because it's going at a break neck speed-- Reminding Jurors of Deborah Obad's testimony and her involvement trying to find out why Monica wasn't getting the insurance money. Obad tried to investigate on her own, giving detectives info, referring herself to a Nancy Drew. Silverman points out that Obad had suspicions of Rob and even Monica, but didn't warn Fabio before he was murdered. Silverman making digs that Obad had a need to feel important.​

Sister, Mother, Brother-in-Law in Toronto have a family meeting to confront Monica about their outrageous indignation at how Monica has been carrying on, and what they found on computer, and her calling herself Madonna.
​

Returns and arrest happens. Search Warrants served, devices seized, iPhone needs the password, and it's Robert Baker's birthdate. In the back of the patrol car convo.

 

[Curious Me]

Getting Justice for Fabio Sementilli

Murdered celebrity hairdresser from Toronto remembered as 'a beautiful soul'

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/fabio-sementilli-1.3952030

 

[Curious Me]

This is going on longer than I expected.


Monica says "I answered the way I was supposed to, I will figure out a way to break you out." The letters Monica writes-- Ride or Die 100%, Baker is her everything, calls herself Mrs. Baker, Ride or Die.

​

Baker refers to Monica as his "crimey" to someone else.

 

[geevee]

I'm beginning to think the judge should have put a time limit on closings...

 

[Curious Me]

Monica in jail is showing her daughter, the daughter of the murdered father, Monica's showing off the penned tattoo on the back of her neck she thinks is funny. "Ride or Die."

Defendant affected many other people's lives and lied to many. Destroyed people's lives.

.. Deputy DA Beth Silverman is moving towards the end of her 2 1/2 days-long Closing Arguments. Pointing out that Monica threw it all away to be with her lover. She tried to hide the truth, destroying and deleting evidence, hide the conspiracy. Monica and Baker needed to pay for the future they wanted to have together. Prosecution almost done now.

Done! Take ten minutes and then we'll go into the Defense's Closing Arguments.​

 

[Kavya01]

Ms Silverman is doing the closing of a life time. It's riveting, and thorough and all the visual aids are nails in Mrs. Sementilli's coffin I am thinking. What a tour de force!

 

[Curious Me]

Defense Levine already made a big mistake
calling her Monica Lewinsky! A stumbling start
by Defense.

Trying to look like an innocent victim when the killers were Baker and Austin. All Monica did was have an affair according to the Defense. He says she's been in jail for 8 yrs. because of that affair. Did Jurors need all those photos of Monica dancing and doing lurid things?​

 

[rebelchild]

oh boy .. here comes the pouting lips

 

[Curious Me]

Defense making Monica out to be the one wronged.
Time for her to bring back her poor me​

poor poor pitiful me face.

LUNCH TIME! BACK AT 1:30 Pacific Time.

 

[TwinkieDefense]

Monica Lewinsky - ha! Yeah, not a good start.

Still no tears. Despite the “sad” pouty face. Where are the tears?

Wonder if there’ll be any tears when/if she’s found guilty?

 

[imstilla.grandma]