LOS ANGELES—Nathan J. Hochman, the Los Angeles district attorney, announced Friday that a jury found Monica Sementilli guilty of murdering her husband, world-famous hairdresser Fabio Sementilli, in 2017. After a 10-week-long trial, she was found guilty of one count of murder with special circumstance allegations to kill for financial gain.
She was also found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit murder. District Attorney Hochman explained, “This was a cold and calculated crime motivated by greed and betrayal. […] We extend our deepest sympathies to Fabio Sementilli’s loved ones as they continue to mourn his tragic loss.”
Robert Baker and Sementilli were both arrested in January 2017 for murder. Baker was a former adult performer and talent manager who had an affair with Sementilli. AVN previously reported that Baker entered a plea of no contest and testified that his former lover had no role in the murder.
In an attempt to sway the court during the prolonged trial, Baker took full responsibility for the murder. Serving as the star witness for the defense, Baker’s words were being presented to defend Sementelli’s plea of not guilty to the charges of murder with special circumstances and felony conspiracy to commit murder. Baker faces a life sentence himself and had a central role in the case against Monica Sementelli. Such a verdict makes her eligible for a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Sentencing for Monica Sementilli is scheduled for June 23 at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, explained the district attorney’s statement. DNA matching Baker’s was found at the crime scene and in the vehicle, turning up in a criminal database due to a 1993 conviction against him for “lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor,” which made him a sex offender. Another man, Christopher Austin, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Fabio Sementilli’s death and got 16 years to life.
