Suvechha Sarkar
Fabio Sementilli was a beloved celebrity hairdresser, a loving husband, and a dutiful father to his three children. However, tragedy struck in January 2017 when he was brutally killed in his home in Los Angeles, California. What initially appeared to be a home invasion gone wrong soon unraveled into something far darker that stunned the community and tore apart a family. CBS’ ’48 Hours: The Monica Sementilli Affair’ sheds light on the investigation that revealed a hidden affair and a deadly conspiracy. It also features interviews with his loved ones and experts delving deeper into the pursuit of justice.
Fabio Sementilli Was Stabbed to Death in His Los Angeles Home
Lovingly referred to as Big Daddy by a lot of his friends and family members, Fabio Sementilli was born on July 13, 1967, in Toronto in Ontario, Canada. He arrived as a bundle of joy in the lives of his parents, Luigi and Maria Giannicchi Sementilli. Growing up, he was surrounded by the love of his parents and his sisters, Loredana and Mirella Rota. However, the household experienced a great tragedy when Luigi passed away in 1978. As Maria gradually overcame the grief before moving on, she married Davide Verre. Fabio had always been known for his infectious laugh and positive attitude. After a stint in college, he traveled to Italy to explore his heritage and eventually fell in love with the craft of hairdressing. Fabio considered his sister, Mirella, his professional mentor, and they soon opened a salon together in Toronto.
Eventually, Fabio got married and welcomed his son, Luigi, into his life. By then, the salon was flourishing, and he moved forward to reach global hairstyling competitions. At one point, he moved on from his previous marriage and, soon after, met Monica Cresentini. They grew closer and tied the knot in 1997. Fabio and Monica welcomed their two daughters, Gessica and Isabella, into the world. In his professional life, Fabio climbed the ranks and eventually earned a promotion to an executive position at Wella. He then moved with his family to Los Angeles, California, where his life revolved around his work and family. After joining Wella, he created the Hairdressers at Heart program, which provided mentorship and assistance to hairdressers at any point in their careers.
However, Fabio’s life came to an abrupt halt on January 23, 2017. Fabio was alone at home, sitting by the back patio. Between approximately 4:18 pm and 4:53 pm, two men ambushed him and stabbed him multiple times before fleeing the scene with his 2008 black Porsche. When Isabella discovered him, she promptly called 911 at around 5:05 pm to report the incident. As officials arrived at the scene, they found Fabio deceased. Although the missing vehicle indicated a robbery gone wrong, an untouched safe and an $8,000 Rolex watch in Fabio’s hand raised suspicions. They also found blood at the scene, which did not belong to Fabio. Furthermore, the DVR in the garage, which contained footage from the house’s four front-facing CCTV cameras, was also missing. The autopsy revealed his cause of death to be three fatal stab wounds targeting the neck that led to severe blood loss.
A Secret Affair and Greed for an Insurance Payout Led to Fabio’s Murder
As the investigation began, officials found CCTV footage from a neighbor’s home. It captured two hooded men entering the residence and leaving with Fabio’s vehicle. A few hours later, the car was found abandoned on Califa Street. The blood found at the scene turned out to be a match for Robert Louis Baker, whose DNA was already in the database because he was a 1993 convicted sex offender against a teenager. When the detectives began following his moves, they discovered that he had made thousands of calls and texts to none other than Monica Sementilli. Moreover, just a few days after the murder, Monica had held a wake in her backyard, which Robert attended. Fabio’s son, Luigi, had even noticed a bandage on a finger in his left arm, which was captured in a picture, explaining the blood at the scene.
As they dug deeper, investigators found evidence of an affair between Robert and Monica, which the latter had kept a secret from Fabio. They reportedly found out that six months before the murder, she had given Robert the password to their security system via email. On that fateful day, she had left home around 3:26 pm and entered a Target store parking lot, creating an alibi, where the CCTV captured someone entering her car. Police believed that it was Robert. She then went shopping, checking her phone continuously. Digital analysis later revealed she was streaming something, the IP address of which matched her home surveillance. Furthermore, officials believed that Robert wouldn’t be able to know about the DVR in the garage if Monica had not told him.
Monica had also inquired about Fabio’s life insurance payout of $1.6 million right after the murder. Detectives had wired her and Robert’s car. In one instance, they were pulled over under the ruse of checking for a stolen vehicle. The wire recorded her stating, “Somebody must have talked,” and “They must have something.” Moreover, officials found explicit photos that Monica had reportedly sent to Robert, confirming their affair. Based on all this evidence, both of them were arrested on June 14, 2017, and charged with one count each of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. The identity of the second killer, a parole officer named Christopher Austin, was revealed through phone records and surveillance analysis. He was arrested on October 18, 2024, in Washington state, following which he was extradited to Los Angeles and charged with murder, including special allegations involving the use of a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit murder.
Robert Baker, Monica Sementilli, and Christopher Austin Have All Been Found Guilty of Murder
After his arrest, Robert had first pleaded not guilty. However, on July 7, 2023, he entered a no-contest plea to the charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. He also reportedly admitted the special circumstance allegations of financial gain and lying in wait. Right after, Robert was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The trial for Monica began in April 2024. The prosecution reportedly presented several love letters exchanged between Monica and Robert in the holding cells. They put forth Christopher as the key witness. In exchange for his testimony at her trial, he was allowed to plead no contest to a lesser charge of second-degree murder.
Christopher was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison and will be eligible for parole in August 2034. He testified how Robert had initially asked him to ambush Fabio when he went outside to buy dinner. However, when the plan was botched, they decided to attack him at his home. Christopher further testified that Robert had informed him that Monica was going shopping and she would leave the front door unlocked. It would give them enough time to commit the crime. After the murder, they had fled from the scene with the Porsche to make it look like a failed robbery. Furthermore, Robert reportedly told him that Monica had a lot of money and wanted her husband gone. However, when Robert was called to testify, he admitted that he had murdered Fabio because he “wanted her.”
On the other hand, the defense argued that there was no direct evidence that actually pointed to Monica planning the murder. The defense also questioned the credibility and sincerity of Austin’s testimony since he had taken a plea deal. After deliberation, on April 11, 2025, the jury found Monica guilty of first-degree murder with special circumstances of financial gain and lying in wait, and conspiracy to commit murder. On June 23, 2025, she was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Therefore, today, at the age of 53, Monica is detained at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, California, awaiting transfer to a state prison. As of writing, Robert is serving his time at Wasco State Prison in Kern County, California, and Christopher is incarcerated at Ironwood State Prison in Blythe, California.
Read More: Robert Louis Baker: Where is Fabio Sementilli’s Killer Now?
