Monica Sementilli, the wife of a celebrity hairstylist, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after being found guilty of masterminding the murder of her husband, Fabio Sementilli, for a $1.6 million life insurance policy. The trial took place in Los Angeles, where jurors convicted Sementilli of orchestrating the brutal killing of her husband in 2017 at their upscale home in Woodland Hills, Calif.
During sentencing, LA County Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Coen emphasized that Sementilli was the driving force behind the conspiracy to commit murder. He dismissed the defense team’s plea for a lesser sentence, stating that the crime was a result of Sementilli’s greed and lust. Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman echoed this sentiment, describing the murder as a senseless act driven by Sementilli’s desire for financial gain.
The prosecution presented evidence that Sementilli had enlisted her porn-star lover, Robert Baker, to carry out the murder in order to collect her husband’s life insurance payout. Baker, a convicted sex offender, confessed to the killing in court, claiming that he committed the act out of his own desire for Sementilli. He fatally stabbed Fabio Sementilli while a third accomplice, Christopher Austin, held him down.
After the murder, Baker fled the scene in Fabio’s Porsche, which was later found abandoned miles away from the crime scene. Sementilli and the couple’s daughter, Isabella, discovered Fabio’s body shortly after the gruesome act. Although Austin denied Sementilli’s direct involvement in the murder, he claimed that she had facilitated the crime by leaving the door unlocked for them.
Both Baker and Austin were sentenced for their roles in the murder, with Baker receiving a life sentence without the possibility of parole, and Austin receiving a 16-year prison term. Fabio’s sisters urged the judge to impose the maximum sentence on Sementilli, describing the murder as an unimaginable betrayal.
In a statement released after the sentencing, Sementilli’s family expressed their unwavering belief in her innocence and vowed to continue fighting for justice. They emphasized that this was not the end of her story and that they would pursue every legal avenue available to prove her innocence.
Fabio Sementilli was a well-known hairstylist whose work was featured on networks like TLC. He held a prominent position as the vice president of education for Wella, the Salon Professional Division of P&G. His client list included celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Russell Crowe, and Jackie Chan, making his untimely death a tragic loss for the Hollywood community.
