Shivangi Sinha
When renowned hairdresser Fabio Sementilli was discovered dead on his Los Angeles home’s patio, initial suspicions pointed towards a random botched robbery. However, as new evidence emerged, the police altered their investigation’s direction to focus on those close to him. They accused Fabio’s wife, Monica Sementilli, and her boyfriend Robert Louis Baker of planning and carrying out his murder. CBS’ ’48 Hours: The Monica Sementilli Affair,’ NBC’s ‘Dateline: The Widow of Woodland Hills,’ and ABC’s ’20/20: Sex, Knives, and Videotape,’ all meticulously depict the investigation that led authorities to these two culprits and establishes the motive behind the crime.
Monica Sementilli and Robert Louis Baker Were Involved in an Illicit Affair
Monica Crescentini wed Fabio Sementilli in 1997, and the couple initially settled in Toronto, Canada. At that time, Fabio was just building his career as a hairdresser, but the pair still soon welcomed two daughters: Gessica and Isabella. However, once the patriarch got an opportunity to spread his wings, the entire family relocated to Los Angeles, California. They purchased a lavish home with a pool in the upscale Woodland Hills neighborhood. Together, they actually presented an image of a close-knit and prosperous family thriving on their success.
However, everything turned upside down on the evening of January 23, 2017, as Isabella, the youngest daughter of the couple, discovered her father stabbed to death on their patio. Monica, who was out shopping at the time, reportedly became inconsolable and expressed profound sorrow upon learning about the incident. In the following days, appearing to be a grieving widow, she received extensive support from her in-laws.
Yet, during a gathering following Fabio’s funeral, family and close acquaintances observed an unfamiliar man identified as Robert Louis Baker to be quite close to Monica. Introduced as a friend of hers from the gym, he appeared to be near her at every moment, providing support throughout the social interactions. Notably, Baker had a bandage on his left index finger, raising some serious suspicions among the attendees, so photographs were taken and sent to the police. The authorities, who’d already discovered unidentified blood at the crime scene and in Fabio’s Porsche found a few miles away from the house, thus began investigating Baker in connection to the case.
Monica Sementilli’s Strange Behavior Didn’t Help in Dispelling The Suspicion on Her
Due to Baker’s proximity to Monica, officials also began closely monitoring her activities. Nevertheless, to avoid raising any suspicions in fear of the suspects getting away, they informed both Fabio’s family and Monica that they were looking into the murder as a robbery carried out by the notorious “knock-knock burglars.” Monica then went on to participate in a private memorial for Fabio at Wella’s Los Angeles headquarters too. During this, she paid tribute to her husband’s memory by singing Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” in front of the gathered attendees.
During this period, Monica also repeatedly urged detectives to expedite the processing of Fabio’s $1.6 million life insurance policy payout, citing financial difficulties. When the processing delay persisted, she even reached out to Fabio’s son from a previous relationship, Luigi Sementilli. She actually requested him to borrow $30,000 from the life insurance policy his father had taken out for him as part of the divorce settlement from his mother.
Continuing their investigation, the police closely monitored Monica as she traveled to Las Vegas, where she was seen celebrating Baker’s birthday. The two of them enjoyed the celebration, danced, and had a great time together. In June 2017, she, accompanied by her sister-in-law, traveled to Toronto to accept a posthumous lifetime achievement award being bestowed upon Fabio. Upon her return from the trip, she was arrested, along with Baker, on charges of murder.
Monica Sementilli and Robert Baker Had Conspired to Kill Her Husband
The police were actually able to match the DNA found at the crime scene and in Fabio’s car to Baker by this point. His DNA was already in the system as a registered sex offender. That’s because in 1993, he had been convicted of lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor. The authorities alleged his blood, discovered at the crime scene, resulted from an altercation during which he had cut his hand. A grand jury thus soon indicted both Baker and Monica on charges of first-degree murder. The third person involved in the crime, who helped Fabio execute the murder, was charged in 2024. Parole Officer Christopher Austin was arrested in Washington state and extradited to Los Angeles in 2024.
It was claimed that this duo had been having an affair for around 18 months and frequently communicated through secret messages to plan the murder. Moreover, on the day of the incident, it was reportedly Monica who had forwarded an email to her boyfriend, detailing how to access the house’s surveillance system, along with a timeline of when Fabio would be alone at home. The police believed they had orchestrated this crime to secure Fabio’s life insurance policy.
Robert Louis Baker is Serving His Time While Monica Sementilli is Still Awaiting Sentencing
Following their arrest and subsequent indictment, both Monica Sementilli and Robert Louis Baker pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. However, in July 2023, Baker changed his mind to enter a no-contest plea to the killing of Fabio Sementilli in exchange for a life sentence with no possibility of parole. Therefore, currently, the 62-year-old is incriminated at the medium-security Wasco State Prison in Kern County, California,. After Baker’s plea, Monica’s defense team has maintained her innocence, asserting that she was not involved in the crime.
However, when Monica stood trial for the charges against her, the evidence as well as the testimonies were widely against her. Robert did try to assert that she had no hand in the murder despite their romantic involvement, but the testimony of Christopher indicated otherwise. He has since pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and been sentenced to 16 years. In the end, following 10 weeks of proceedings, on April 11, 2025, the jurors found the mother of two guilty of one count of murder with special circumstance allegations of financial gain and lying in wait. She is currently awaiting sentencing, but she faces the same term as her then-lover – life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Read More: Fabio Sementilli’s Murder: How Did He Die? Who Killed Him?
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