Wife who hired hitman to kill her Beverly Hills hairdresser husband smirks in court
A Los Angeles woman accused of murdering her celebrity hairdresser husband was seen grinning in court as her trial continues to be postponed.
Monica Sementilli, 51, was taken into custody six years ago for allegedly killing her husband Fabio ‘Big Daddy’ Sementilli in 2017.
Her boyfriend, Robert Baker, 62, was sentenced to life in prison without parole after admitting to stabbing the hairstylist and leaving him in a pool of blood on a back patio in 2023.
In late October, prosecutors further alleged that a man named Christopher Austin, 38, was also involved in the murder plot and was at the crime scene.
Since her arrest, Monica has pleaded not guilty, and her attorney, Leonard Levine, has claimed she was falsely accused.
In images obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com, the widow is seen grinning during her last court appearance on November 5, as both sides argued over a new motion.
Monica Sementilli, 51, was seen grinning during her last court appearance on November 5
The defense lawyer has argued that they should have been notified of Austin’s arrest because they said the arrest could affect her upcoming trial.
Judge Ronald S. Coen scheduled a hearing for Wednesday to discuss a trial date.
According to ABC NewsCurrently, her trial is scheduled for December, but many believe this could change in light of the new arrest.
Fabio, a professional hairdresser and vice president of cosmetics giant Coty, was found stabbed several times in the face and body on the patio of his Woodland Hills home in January 2017.
His vehicle, a black 2008 Porsche Carrerra 911, was also reported missing and is believed to have been used as a getaway car.
His home on the 5000 block of Queen Victoria Road is heavily secured with an entry gate, home surveillance and night vision cameras.
She was taken into custody six years ago for allegedly killing her husband, Fabio “Big Daddy” Sementilli, in 2017.
Since her arrest, Monica has pleaded not guilty, and her lawyer has claimed she was falsely accused
Judge Ronald S. Coen scheduled a hearing for Wednesday to discuss a trial date
Officials previously accused Monica of plotting to kill her husband to claim her share of his $1.6 million insurance policy.
The couple, who had previously lived in Toronto before moving to Los Angeles, had been married for 20 years.
Prosecutors had told the grand jury that Monica was the opposite of a grieving widow in the aftermath of her husband’s death, according to the transcript obtained by LA legal blog Trials and tribulations.
“She’s a liar, she’s a manipulator, she’s a cheater and everything that comes out of her mouth you have to take with a huge grain of salt… Big enough that you could choke on it,” prosecutors said.
Officials previously accused Monica of plotting to kill her husband to claim her share of his $1.6 million insurance policy
The defense argued that they should have been notified of Austin’s arrest, claiming the arrest could affect her upcoming trial
Her boyfriend, Robert Baker, 62, was sentenced to life in prison without parole after admitting to killing the hairdresser and leaving him in a pool of blood on a back patio in 2023.
They described Sementilli as an “Academy Award-winning actress” because she posted on Facebook how much she missed her husband and allegedly kissed her lover in a bar a day later.
At the bar that same day, prosecutors say Sementilli was caught going for a cigarette, then grabbed the bouncer by the thigh and made out with him.
“This is a credit to Baker … because of course he got rid of the husband and this is how she pays him back, right to his face,” prosecutors told the jury.
According to testimony before the grand jury, Baker allegedly told friends that Sementilli was demanding in bed and that she preferred anal sex.
Her lawyers have argued that parts of the testimony, particularly the sexual elements, are irrelevant to her murder charge and could jeopardize a fair trial.