Shocking new details about the mysterious murder of Miami heiress Aileen Seiden will be revealed tonight on a new episode of “48 Hours.”
Seiden, the daughter of well-known Miami businessman Frank Seiden, died after succumbing to horrific injuries she suffered at the Sportsman Lodge.
At the time, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office arrested her boyfriend, Zachary Abell, and their mutual friend, Christina Araujo. The case has remained a mystery ever since. oh well
But tonight, in a new episode of CBS’s “48 Hours” investigation entitled “Who Killed Aileen Seiden in Room 15?”, investigators will explore the turbulent dynamic between Seiden’s best friend’s sidekick, “Allie.”
Assistant Franklin County Prosecutor Jarred Patterson and former Franklin County Sheriff’s Office investigator Ronnie Jones – both of whom were involved in the case before retiring – gave chilling accounts of what the crime scene looked like.
Shocking new details about the mysterious murder of Miami heiress Aileen Seiden will be revealed on a new show tonight
Franklin County Assistant Prosecutor Jarred Patterson and former Franklin County Sheriff’s Office investigator Ronnie Jones – both of whom were involved in the case before their retirement – gave chilling accounts of what the crime scene looked like
‘She had bruises… from head to toe, covering her entire body. She suffered…I’ve never seen anything like it,” Jones said.
“I just put two and two together. It wasn’t just someone who cut themselves and bled a little on the bed. I mean, the amount of blood… tells me whoever was here is probably deceased,” he added.
“We needed to know what happened in that hotel room, three people came in and two came out with a body,” said Patterson.
Allie, who knew the victim for 25 years, also told viewers that a scared Seiden often told her that Abell would physically abuse her, and that she would sometimes have physical altercations with Araujo.
“This whole dynamic started to change, where one of them always seemed like the odd one out or jealous. And that’s when things just started to spiral out of control.
“Aileen called me… and said, ‘You have to come here, like he hurt me again.’
“She doesn’t tolerate anyone messing with her normally. However, something else was going on,” the friend says in the short trailer.
“I just put two and two together. It wasn’t just someone who cut themselves and bled a little on the bed. I mean the amount of blood… tells me whoever was here is probably deceased,” Jones said
Allie, who knew the victim for 25 years, also told viewers that a scared Seiden often told her that Abell would physically abuse her and that she would sometimes have physical altercations with Araujo.
She also claimed that the Seiden called and asked for help before embarking on the road trip that took her life.
But by the time she figured out how to pull her away from Abell and Araujo, Seiden was dead.
“It’s the most brutal beating I’ve seen in my 40 years in law enforcement,” Franklin County Sheriff AJ “Tony” Smith said The Miami Herald at the time of the murder.
“She had broken ribs, broken limbs, a shattered skull. Just terrible.’
Authorities say the suspects dumped Seiden’s body on the side of the road as they drove back to their North Miami home.
Police said Seiden could still be alive.
“For all we know, she might have been alive when they dumped her,” Smith told the Herald.
She also claimed that the Seiden called and asked for help before going on the road trip that took her life
Seiden was the youngest daughter of Frank M. Seiden, a Miami businessman who sold furniture to high-profile beach hotels, cruise ships and Disney resorts
Araujo is the daughter of Colonel Tony Araujo, Colonel of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. She and Abell have a history of drug arrests. Colonel Araujo is a 36-year veteran of the force and the agency’s fourth-highest ranking official.
Police believe what happened at the motel between Araujo, Abell and Seiden may have been sex-related.
“It’s kind of a love triangle,” Smith told the Herald.
“We believe the male suspect may have been involved with both women. We know he abused both women in the past. He’s a real villain, a criminal.’
Video captured by the sheriff’s office shows the moment Abell was transported to the Broward County Jail.
He was seen with handcuffs on his wrists and ankles and wearing a white shirt with black shorts.
Police believe what happened at the motel between Araujo, Abell and Seiden may have been sex-related
Araujo, Abell and Seiden knew each other and all lived in the same apartment building. They also worked for Abell’s used car business and auto insurance business
Both were charged with manslaughter and tampering with evidence.
Abell was convicted in January and sentenced to life in prison. Araujo pleaded guilty in May 2023 and was later sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Araujo, Abell and Seiden all lived in the same apartment complex and worked for Abell’s used car company and auto insurance company.
The trio had just returned from Texas when they stopped at the motel where Seiden was killed.
After beating Seiden to death and dumping her body, they fled to a friend’s house in South Florida.
Seidens older sister, Deborah Seiden, who worked as an investigator for the Miami-Dade County Prosecutor’s Office, told the Herald that her “heart is broken.”
“I’m devastated,” Deborah said. “Especially with the way she died. My sister didn’t deserve this.
The episode airs at 10/9c on CBS and streams on Paramount+