Major update in murder trial of PhD student accused of beating her friend’s baby to death

A PhD candidate accused of killing her friend’s six-week-old baby is set to face a jury in a high-profile criminal trial.

Nicole Virzi, 29, faces the death penalty if found guilty of manslaughter, two counts of child abuse and three counts of aggravated assault.

The charges stem from the shooting death of Leon Katz in his Pittsburgh home in June.

Virzi was a friend of Leon’s parents Ethan Katz and Savannah Roberts and was babysitting Leon and his twin brother when he suffered fatal skull injuries.

During a preliminary hearing on Friday, the court set a date for the jury trial: Dec. 10, 2024.

There will be two status hearings before the trial, giving the defense and prosecution an opportunity to reach a resolution outside of trial.

Police allege she is responsible for causing Leon to suffer a fractured skull and several bleeds on the brain that were detected by a CT scan

Virzi’s attorney David Shrager told DailyMail.com that negotiations are still a long way off at this point.

“We’re just at the beginning,” he said.

The Public Prosecution Service surprised Virzi and her lawyer by publishing an update in late August stating that they planned to seek the death penalty.

Shrager said at the time that he had discussed with his client that the death penalty was a possibility, but he thought it unlikely the state would pursue it.

I didn’t believe [it] “what would happen,” he said. “Of course we discussed this as a possibility… I knew it could happen.”

Virzi responded to the news “as well as could be expected,” he said, noting that it was “obviously very difficult news and not what we were hoping would happen.”

Nicole Virzi, 29, will appear before a jury in December

Virzi was a “trusted friend” of the babies’ parents, Ethan Katz and Savannah Roberts, who babysat the twins while she was away on a study break

Despite the shock, Mr Shrager said both he and his client “have confidence in our defense of the case.”

“She’s looking forward to having the opportunity to tell her truth,” he said.

According to police, she is responsible for causing a skull fracture to baby Leon and for the multiple bleedings in the brain, which were detected on a CT scan.

She is also accused of injuring Leon’s twin brother Ari, but he survived.

The Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office said in a court document: “The defendant committed the murder while in the act of committing a felony. The offense was committed by means of torture.”

Virzi was a “trusted friend” of the babies’ parents, Ethan Katz and Savannah Roberts, who was babysitting the twins while she was away on college vacation.

Police allege she told officers she had gone into the kitchen to give one of the twins a bottle when she suddenly heard screaming. When she returned, she said the baby had fallen out of his bouncer. She then called 911.

Virzi’s attorney David Shrager (pictured) told DailyMail.com that they are still a long way from negotiations at this time.

She discovered an injury in Ari’s groin area, alerted his parents, and continued to watch Leon while they took Ari to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh to have the injury assessed.

According to court documents, a doctor told investigators that “the injuries sustained by both (twins) are consistent with injuries resulting from child abuse in that these injuries are not natural and are not accidental.”

Virzi continues to maintain her innocence.

Mr Shrager said Virzi is trying to stay positive in custody and is doing the best she can as she awaits her day in court.

“She’s using her time there productively and making the best of the situation,” he said. “Her parents … visit her regularly.”

Virzi is a PhD candidate focusing on behavioral medicine. According to her UC San Diego bio, her “research focuses on exploring the complex interplay between psychological factors, such as depression, stress, negative affect, and trauma, and critical health outcomes and behaviors.”

“I am particularly interested in examining these relationships within female and trauma-exposed populations. By focusing on these relationships, my research aims to shed light on the unique challenges and opportunities for intervention within these vulnerable groups,” she said.