Who Murdered Aileen Seiden in Room 15?

Summary

48 Hours Podcast Summary

Episode: Who Murdered Aileen Seiden in Room 15?
Host: CBS News
Date: August 25, 2025

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Brief Overview

This gripping episode of "48 Hours" unpacks the harrowing case of Eileen Seiden’s murder in a quiet Florida motel room. Through in-depth interviews and investigative reporting, the episode delves into Eileen's troubled personal life, the complicated dynamics of a love triangle, and details of the violent act that shocked a small coastal community. The story ultimately traces the twists and turns of the investigation, culminating in the trials of Zach Abel and Christina Araujo nearly six years after the crime.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

Discovery of the Crime (01:13–07:44)

• Initial Crime Scene:
  • Lt. Ronnie Jones receives a call about a body found near Highway 98. The body is later identified as Eileen Seiden, displaying signs of extreme violence and overkill.
  • Quote: “She suffered. I've never seen anything like—was extreme violence. Extreme violence, overkill.” – Lt. Ronnie Jones (01:50)
• Motel Crime Scene:
  • The Sportsman's Lodge Motel in Apalachicola becomes the focal point after housekeepers discover a blood-soaked room.
  • Attempts to clean the crime scene are detected, with luminol revealing extensive blood traces, particularly in the bathroom.
  • Evidence: Eileen’s blood is confirmed in the room; a palm print (later identified as Zach Abel's) and blood are found on a shower curtain rod.

Eileen’s Background and Vulnerabilities (07:44–11:00)

• Eileen’s Family Losses:
  • After losing both parents at a young age, Eileen’s older sister Francesca becomes her guardian. Both sisters struggle to grieve and adjust.
  • Eileen becomes independent, working as a property manager in Miami before reconnecting with Zach Abel, a figure from her teenage years.
• Zach’s Influence:
  • Eileen’s independence declines after her relationship with Zach resumes.

The Throuple & Escalating Abuse (11:00–17:38)

• Relationship Dynamics:
  • Zach is involved with Christina Araujo, but starts dating Eileen. Eventually, Christina proposes a three-way relationship (“throuple”) after Zach tries to end things.
  • The arrangement leads to jealousy, spiraling conflict, and violence—allegations emerge of both women fighting, but some interviewees say Zach was the primary abuser.
  • Quote: “Eileen, you have to break up with this guy. Someone's going to end up dead.” – Allie, Eileen’s best friend (17:55)
  • Eileen refuses to go to the police, fearing Christina’s father, a high-ranking law enforcement officer, could sway outcomes.

The Fateful Road Trip & Final Days (18:18–27:01)

• Trigger Events:
  • Eileen, financially trapped, moves in with Zach and Christina. Plans to leave fall apart after Christina’s interference and the trio embarks on a chaotic road trip.
  • Christina bombards Zach and Eileen with threatening texts when they leave without her but later joins them in Texas. Old patterns of conflict resume.
  • Quote: “She's like, I think they're gonna kill me. No joke…run to the nearest gas station.” – Francesca Seiden (21:30)
• Arrival on the Forgotten Coast:
  • The trio arrives in Apalachicola, parties at local spots, and checks into room 15 at the Sportsman’s Lodge.

The Night of the Murder (27:01–34:34)

• Inside Room 15:
  • The prosecution relies on Christina Araujo's testimony after she takes a plea deal. She claims Zach became violently enraged after Eileen posed a question. Both Zach and Christina beat Eileen, but Christina leaves the room for a time.
  • She returns to find Zach in the bathroom, using a shower curtain rod as a weapon, then a wooden stick (later broken and recovered with Eileen’s DNA).
  • The assault involves sexual violence and extensive beating; Eileen succumbs to her injuries after a night of suffering.
  • Quote: "Christina's description of the crime was horrifying to listen to. Eileen clearly suffered terrible death." – David Adlerstein, reporter (33:32)

Cover-up and Arrest (25:22–27:47)

• Aftermath:
  • Zach and Christina appear at Mike Pickavet’s home and give conflicting stories (Christina claims Eileen “ran away,” Zach says she’s dead).
  • Mike contacts Christina’s father, who ensures a formal statement is made to the authorities.
  • Zach and Christina are arrested and charged with murder.

Legal Proceedings and Verdict (29:44–39:49)

• Delays & Trials:
  • Multiple trial delays leave Francesca and the community in limbo. Christina takes a deal for second-degree murder in 2023, implicates herself and Abel.
  • Christina testifies that Zach was the primary assailant; her detailed account is pivotal for the prosecution.
  • Defense claims Christina is solely responsible, citing evidence of her injuries, threatening texts, and control over events post-murder.
  • Quote: “They lived together. They worked together... The only thing they didn't do together was kill Eileen Sidon. No way.” – Prosecutor Jared Patterson (37:46)
• Verdict:
  • Jury struggles with intent but convicts Zach Abel of second-degree murder, matching Christina’s plea deal.

Sentencing and Aftermath (40:01–44:42)

• Sentencing Reactions:
  • Zach Abel: Life in prison.
  • Christina Araujo: 25 years (eligible for release in 2043).
  • The judge expresses regret at not being able to issue a harsher penalty due to legal guidelines.
  • Francesca and Allie reflect on domestic abuse, the barriers to leaving, and the need for compassion and systemic support.
  • Quote: “I think that every woman kind of thinks I would leave if I was in that situation… but the 5% that are bad are so bad.” – Allie (43:12)
• Community Remembrance:
  • Eileen is mourned as a victim beloved by her family and, ultimately, embraced by the Franklin County community.
  • Quote: "She was left here, and she'll always be remembered by Franklin county." – Lt. Ronnie Jones (38:27)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Lt. Ronnie Jones (on the brutality of the crime): "I've never seen anything like—was extreme violence. Extreme violence, overkill." (01:50)
• Francesca Seiden (on her sister's desperation): "She said, I need your help... I told her to run." (03:02)
• Allie (warning Eileen): "Eileen, you have to break up with this guy. Someone's going to end up dead." (17:55)
• Francesca Seiden (on phone call from Eileen): "She's like, I think they're gonna kill me. No joke…run to the nearest gas station." (21:30)
• David Adlerstein (reporter, on the trial): "Christina's description of the crime was horrifying to listen to. Eileen clearly suffered terrible death." (33:32)
• Prosecutor Jared Patterson (on shared guilt): “They lived together. They worked together, they own a business together. ... The only thing they didn't do together was kill Eileen Sidon. No way.” (37:46)
• Judge (on sentencing): “I have been in the justice system in one form or another for 40 years. Rarely have I seen the sort of injuries that I saw on Eileen Seiden.” (41:27)
• Lt. Ronnie Jones (on unresolved questions): "It's not a mystery on exactly what happened, but exactly why it happened. That is what still bothers me to this day." (40:20)
• Francesca Seiden (on Eileen): "I want her to be remembered as a sweet, loving human being who unfortunately had lost her parents at such a young age. But she was still so sweet." (43:28)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• The Crime and Initial Discovery: 01:13–07:44
• Background and Family: 07:44–10:03
• Abuse and Throuple Dynamics: 11:00–18:18
• Road Trip and Eileen's Final Days: 18:18–24:40
• Motel Night and Murder: 24:48–34:34
• Investigation & Arrests: 25:22–27:47
• Trials and Courtroom Drama: 29:44–39:49
• Sentencing, Reflection, and Aftermath: 40:01–44:42

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Tone and Reflections

Throughout the episode, the tone remains somber and investigative—alternating between pain, anger, and resolve. The correspondents and interviewees are direct and compassionate, offering unvarnished insights into the complexity of abusive relationships and the devastating ripple effects of violence. The episode ultimately serves not only as a true crime report but also a call to recognize and address the challenges faced by those ensnared in domestic violence.

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Final Thoughts

Eileen Seiden's murder exposed the dark intersections of love, jealousy, and control, unsettling a tight-knit Florida community. Through the voices of those who loved her and relentless investigation, "48 Hours" provides a powerful account of trauma, resilience, and the slow wheels of justice. The episode raises pressing questions about what drives violence and how outsiders can best help, making this a story with both specific and universal resonance.

Transcript

[Francesca Seiden]

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[Narrator/Host]

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[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

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[Narrator/Host]

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[Francesca Seiden]

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[Reporter/Interviewer]

This is where it all began, right?

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

This is where it all began. April 23, 2018. I received the call that body was located off of Highway 98. I come over to this area and approximately here was about where the head of the body was at and stretched out across the ditch with the feet facing in that direction. She had bruises from head to toe covering her entire body. She had lacerations on her face, stomach, legs.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

So this woman suffered before she died.

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

She suffered. I've never seen anything like was extreme violence. Extreme violence, overkill.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

And who would do something like that at the time?

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

You don't know. And what you worry about then is are they losing our community? What type of individual am I dealing with or individuals? Is there one person? Is there two? You have a million questions that you can ask but you have no answers at the time. The next day they identified the woman that is Eileen sidon, a young 31 year old female in the Miami area.

[Francesca Seiden]

I've known eileen Seiden for 25 years. She was my best friend. Eileena called me. She had told me it was pretty where she was. The last talk I had with Eileen was very different. She told me just these horrific things. You never think you'll hear from your best friend. She said, I need your help. It was like a movie. My sister's involved and I don't know what's happening. I told her to run.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

You used the word run. Did you say run?

[Francesca Seiden]

100% I said, run. Get out of there. Go. She's like, I can't. She was scared to death. This doesn't happen. This doesn't happen to us. This doesn't happen in real life.

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

We received a call from the Sportsman's Lodge Motel. There was a room that they were in the process of cleaning. There was blood.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

And what goes through your mind as you walk through all this beauty?

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

This right here would be the last place that you could ever imagine a homicide taking place. Especially right here in this piece of paradise. I'll take you to room number 15.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Now, when the housekeepers first came through this door, what did they see?

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

They said the furniture was knocked over onto the floor. As they started cleaning the room, they found more and more stuff to be wrong. They noticed stuff missing from the beds, the sheets, anything like that. This bed here was completely covered in blood stain.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

So that tells you there was a violent scene going on.

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

Yes.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

And what happened in room 15?

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

It's unknown.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

If these walls could talk, right?

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

Oh, if they could talk, I'd like to hear them.

[Narrator/Host]

Peter Van Sant reports.

[David Adlerstein]

Who killed Eileen seiden in room 15?

[Prosecutor Jared Patterson]

Apalachicola, Florida, is a wonderful small place.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

For Franklin county assistant prosecutor Jared Patterson, the sleepy Gulf coast town of Apalachicola and surrounding countryside are among the last remnants of a bygone era.

[Prosecutor Jared Patterson]

It certainly still harkens back to a time before there was condos on every inch of the beach and before there were high rises were referred to here, the counties along this area of the coast as the Forgotten Coast.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

But when a couple heading to a nearby fishing pond discovered Eileen Seiden's battered body on April 23, 2018, Patterson wondered what had brought a killer to Florida's Forgotten Coast.

[Prosecutor Jared Patterson]

The horror that it really was. It absolutely shocked people.

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

It looked like someone was in a hurry. Whoever it was dumped the body and took off.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Lead investigator Lt. Ronnie Jones, then with the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, says documenting Eileen's unsettling dump site was the first of two ominous events over the next 24 hours. He was soon dispatched to the second crime scene at the Sportsman's Lodge Motel and that bloody Spectacle inside room 15. So what's it like for you to be back?

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

Brings back some pretty bad memories.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Joan's memories live in stark contrast to the tree shaded grounds of the otherwise peaceful motel.

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

As soon as I came in, I noticed the bed. You couldn't miss it. I mean, this whole area was covered and had blood stains on it.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

And when you saw that kind of blood loss, what did that tell you.

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

I just put two and two together and I automatically put that back to the body that was found the day before.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

You did that quickly, like that had to have.

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

It wasn't just somebody cut their self and bled a little bit on the bed. I mean, the amount of blood that was on this bed tells me that whoever was here was probably deceased.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Jones recalled there was a smell of vinegar in the room. And what did that tell you?

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

That someone attempted to clean the crime scene.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

A luminol test for traces of human blood revealed what an apparently hasty cleanup couldn't hide.

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

The whole entire bathroom lit up.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

So that was the scene of perhaps some of her most vicious attacks. Was inside that bathroom?

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

Yes.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

And Jones says the shower curtain rod was a possible weapon.

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

On the rod was located a palm print and also blood.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

And that's significant evidence, right?

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

That's right.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Testing would soon confirm that it was Eileen's blood in the motel room. Now came the gut wrenching duty to notify Eileen's sister, Francesca Seiden.

[Francesca Seiden]

He said my sister was murdered. I don't know, like, what do you do? You look for support? That's all I could do. I didn't understand why, like, it was given to me again, like, to handle another loss.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

While growing up in Miami, then 16 year old Francesca and 9 year old Eileen faced their first tragedy when their beloved mother Martha passed away from cancer. How did the two of you deal with this?

[Francesca Seiden]

We didn't talk about it because it was so fast.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Six years later, their father Frank, a successful furniture manufacturer, who Francesca says shared a special bond with Eileen, suddenly died from a heart attack. It left Eileen, then 14, an orphan and 22 year old Francesca with a decision to make.

[Francesca Seiden]

I signed the papers and I became her legal guardian.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

And what did that mean? What were your responsibilities?

[Francesca Seiden]

I became a parent. I had to take her to school, I had to pick her up from school. I had to finish my own school. I was working. I didn't have time to grieve and I don't think that she did either.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Seven years later, Francesca moved to Los Angeles on her own. That's when she says Eileen, now in her 20s, began grieving their parents.

[Francesca Seiden]

She started to think a lot. She became more sensitive. Something like losing your parents has long lasting effects throughout your life. It's obvious that it did.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

This is Eileen's best friend. Not wanting her name associated with this case, she has asked 48 hours to refer to her as Allie. She remembers a strong and determined Eileen making it on her own in Miami.

[Francesca Seiden]

She Worked as a property manager. She lived in a great apartment. You know, she paid her own rent. She made her bills. She was very independent.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Francesca saw that independence firsthand when Eileen made an extended visit to LA in 2016. Looking back, do you wish she had stayed with you?

[Francesca Seiden]

100%. Because whatever happened when she went back to Miami is when she reconnected with Zach.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Zach was Zachary Abel, who Eileen had known since they were teenagers.

[Francesca Seiden]

I'm not sure if I had the best reputation in high school. At first, she wasn't really sure about him.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

But years later, she and Zach Abel started dating.

[Francesca Seiden]

I think in the beginning, Eileen found Zach fun, but I think it changed pretty quickly.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Investigators in Franklin county would soon learn all about Zach Abel. They discovered that Zach, Eileen, and this woman, Christina Araujo, had all been seen in the Apalachicola area. Detectives also learned the three shared a room at the Sportsman's Lodge, room number 15.

[Prosecutor Jared Patterson]

We needed to know what happened inside that hotel room. Outside of three people entered and two came out carrying a body.

[Francesca Seiden]

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[Reporter/Interviewer]

Off the coast of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Captain Mike Pickavet set sail on his 50 foot boat.

[Mike Pickavet]

It's kind of weird trying to remember any good times. There just weren't. There was always some issue.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Back in 2018, Mike would play a central role in Eileen Seiden's murder investigation. He knew Eileen and her boyfriend, Zach Abel.

[Mike Pickavet]

Well, Zach is just very entertaining. He's very extroverted.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Mike had met Zach by chance at a bar about seven years earlier.

[Mike Pickavet]

He came up to me at Duffy's and said, hey, I like your shirt.

[Narrator/Host]

And I'm like, okay.

[Mike Pickavet]

Then Christina came up.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Christina Araujo Zach's girlfriend at the time. The two had been dating for about four years. Mike says Christina immediately started boasting about her powerful father.

[Mike Pickavet]

Right out of the gate, she said, oh, yeah, my dad's a major with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Department, and if we ever get into any trouble with the law, he can take care of it. I was like, what? Who says that?

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Despite their odd first meeting, Mike says he began hanging out with the couple. What followed were years of wild nights, wild parties, and lots of heavy drinking.

[Mike Pickavet]

That was their go to thing. Okay, we've got to do shots of this, shots of this.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

But Mike says there was an interesting power dynamic in the couple's relationship with Christina, who is eight years older than Zach, calling the shots.

[Mike Pickavet]

She was very controlling and very directing. He would follow her lead with stuff.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

One day in 2016, Zach stopped by Mike's boat, but not with Christina. Instead, Zach introduced Mike to Eileen Seiden. Mike could tell Zach now had two. Two women in his life.

[Mike Pickavet]

It was the weirdest thing. If your relationship's not working, just end it and move on.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

However, Mike says that Zach couldn't make a clean break from Christina, who was also his business partner.

[Mike Pickavet]

He tried so many times. He just didn't know how to. And then also all the threats all the time that she could make him disappear. Every time she got drunk, she'd say some weird things.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Eileen's best friend, Allie, says Zach and Eileen began to secretly date.

[Francesca Seiden]

She seemed to love him so much that she was still hoping that he would, you know, decide to be with her. He would lead her on to think he was trying to end it with Christina.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

In 2017, Eileen unexpectedly lost her job as a property manager.

[Francesca Seiden]

She was really starting to lose control of her own life.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Ali says that may explain why Eileen eventually started working at Zach and Christina's used car dealership.

[Francesca Seiden]

It wasn't the independent life that she had always lived.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Allie says Eileen continued to pressure Zach to break up with Christina for good. But when Zach finally tried to end things with Christina, she countered with an unconventional proposal.

[Francesca Seiden]

It was not the answer that anyone expected. Christina came back and said, well, why don't we try and all be in a relationship? Then it now became this opportunity for this throuple, three way kind of relationship.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

A throuple is a romantic relationship among three people. Ali says Eileen was against the idea.

[Francesca Seiden]

Eileen said, absolutely not. There's no way. It's never going to work. And there was kind of crickets for a few weeks.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

But Allie says Eileen later changed her mind, the trio was now a throuple.

[Francesca Seiden]

I was in shock, really, but also a little bit happy for them that maybe this could work.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

But it didn't work. Before long, there was trouble.

[Francesca Seiden]

This whole dynamic started to change, where one of them always seemed to be the odd man out or was jealous. At that point, it just started to spiral out of control.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

According to Mike Pickavet, things escalated, leading to irrational behavior and fights fueled by alcohol. He says Eileen and Christina traded punches, often usually resulting in black eyes on one or both of the women that they'd sometimes hide behind big sunglasses.

[Mike Pickavet]

It was an everyday thing, every second day thing I could say.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Allie remembers things differently. She says Zach was the main aggressor in the relationship.

[Francesca Seiden]

Eileen would call me and say, you have to come over here. Like, he hurt me again. And I'd rush over there and photograph her and beg her to go to the police.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

But Allie says Eileen refused, fearing Kristina's law enforcement connections would work against her. Eileen's sister Francesca was furious when she learned of the abuse.

[Francesca Seiden]

I wanted my sister out of this situation. I wanted her out.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

It's hard to leave.

[Francesca Seiden]

It's hard to leave. And I had this feeling that Christina was more violent of the two. It was really difficult to see her going through a time like this. It was just so hard. And she was scared to death.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Once, Allie says the abuse got so bad, she took Eileen to the emergency room.

[Francesca Seiden]

They took her to the hospital because they have to report things, but she wouldn't say where the bruises came from.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Eileen's best friend had to deliver a hard truth.

[Francesca Seiden]

Eileen, you have to break up with this guy. Someone's going to end up dead. When Eileen was in real trouble, it was hard to get anyone to come rescue her.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

The path that led to Eileen Sidon's murder may have begun weeks earlier, in 2018. Ali was surprised that despite the violence in their relationship, Eileen had decided to move in with Zach Abel and Christina Araujo. The throuple was now working together, sleeping together, and living together.

[Francesca Seiden]

Eileen was trapped in the relationship because she was trapped financially, but she felt that that was one last chance to make it work. It was like a one month or two month trial, but within a few.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Weeks, Allie says, Eileen had had enough.

[Francesca Seiden]

Eileen was just going to move out. She was really done with the relationship.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

But Eileen's plans to leave were halted on April 7, 2018, after Zach and Christina had gotten into a violent fight. Allie says she got a call from Eileen on Zach's phone.

[Francesca Seiden]

She was going to leave and get Zach out of the house, but like to go to a coffee shop. The next call I got was from Christina. She was angry and furious.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Allie says Christina threatened to report the car Eileen and Zach were driving in as stolen in an apparent attempt to keep them from leaving her behind. Ali immediately warned Eileen and Zach.

[Francesca Seiden]

Instead of coming around and coming back like I thought they would, they hit the gas and went to Georgia. I said, what are you doing, Eileen? You don't have your phone. You don't have a wallet. This is crazy. She said, we're going on a road trip. This is a good thing.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

But the road trip wasn't a good thing to Cristina Araujo. She began harassing Zach and Eileen, sending a storm of angry texts. You two deserve each other. Christina sent more than 150 texts in roughly 24 hours. All went unanswered, including this one. My dad will be calling you later. Christina issued this threat. You effed me over, and now I'm effing you over.

[Francesca Seiden]

I was just trying to tell her, christina, why don't you worry about your own life?

[Reporter/Interviewer]

About 48 hours into the road trip, Zach and Eileen were heading to Texas, and Christina seemed to have a change of heart. Texting, if you want to come back home, come back. You never have to question my love. For reasons that are unknown, instead of coming home, Zach invited Christina to join them, and she flew to Dallas. But with a throuple united, the old problems returned.

[Francesca Seiden]

Eileen started to call me from Zach's phone at night, saying, you know, this is getting bad, and I don't know what to do. It wasn't until Christina arrived that that started to happen. I was really worried someone would get hurt.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

By day 10 of the road trip, Eileen's older sister Francesca, was also worried. She hadn't heard from Eileen in a while. When the trio stopped in New Orleans, Eileen finally called Francesca and shared an alarming suspicion.

[Francesca Seiden]

She's like, I think they're gonna kill me. No joke. Sola's like, eileen, run to the nearest gas station. Go tell the person, call 911. Yeah, run to. Like I said, run. Get out of there. Go. She's like, I can't.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Francesca, desperate to help, tried to get more details from Eileen.

[Francesca Seiden]

If I had where the address was, I would have called the police then and there. But she had to go. She had to get off. And she hung up. I was extremely frustrated, and I was scared.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

With no way to help her sister, Francesca hoped Eileen would stay safe. The road trip continued into its second week. The trio then Headed to Panama city, Florida. But a missed exit led them to the forgotten coast.

[David Adlerstein]

The road trip is difficult to understand. Partying one day and murdering the next.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

David Adlerstein is a reporter for the Apalachicola times, one of the oldest newspapers in Florida.

[David Adlerstein]

I've been covering the Eileen Seiden case since the week it happened.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

On the evening of April 21, the trio, seen here in this screenshot from surveillance footage, stumbled into the quiet peace of Franklin county.

[David Adlerstein]

They went to a popular restaurant, the red pirate, played miniature golf, Partied at.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

The recommendation of a local, the thruppel, headed to the nearby sportsman's lodge motel. They reserved the last vacancy of the night, room 15. The next morning on. On April 22, 2018, the thruppel made a plan.

[David Adlerstein]

They decided they'd spend another day there, not get back on the road and make it a party. So they got up in the morning and went to the liquor store.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Here they are in these screenshots from the store's surveillance footage. While there, the trio purchased large bottles of vodka and fireball whiskey.

[David Adlerstein]

When I went to investigate their path that day and went to the liquor store, the clerk, she pointed out that the fireball that they bought was the largest bottle you could buy. And this is just the three of them.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

The throuple then returned to the sportsman's lodge motel.

[Francesca Seiden]

I don't think Eileen was having fun. I think she was just trying to maybe get by and stay alive.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Ali says she spoke to Eileen that day.

[Francesca Seiden]

Eileen said, I need to leave him. I'm telling you, I'm like a sex slave. He has this really scary look in his eye. It's very scary. It's different. And she said, I need your help.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Allie says the two friends had crafted an escape plan. Eileen would get on a bus from Tampa, the trio's next destination.

[Francesca Seiden]

I bought her a greyhound ticket because she didn't have a wallet.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

The bus would drop Eileen off near Miami, and. And Allie would take her home. Eileen just needed to get on that bus, and she'd be safe.

[Francesca Seiden]

And then, you know, I never heard back. I never heard anything after that.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

The next night, hundreds of miles away in Fort Lauderdale, Mike Pigovit was home and alone. There was a knock at the door. It was Christina Araujo and Zach Abel.

[Mike Pickavet]

I was like, okay, where's Eileen? And right away, Christina says, oh, she ran away. And I said. I said, where is she? And Zach? Right away, it started to choke up. And he said, she's dead.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

The news was shocking enough, But Mike says, once Christina was out of earshot, Zach told him what happened.

[Mike Pickavet]

He said that Christina killed her. He woke up, she was dead next to him, and he tried to give her CPR, then wanted to call 911. Christina said no and told him, you can't call 911. For some reason, he kept on saying he had to protect Christina. I'm like, what do you got to protect her for?

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Mike says he wanted to protect both of his friends. He feared a violent outcome if he called 911.

[Mike Pickavet]

I didn't want them to get killed. Just wanted to make sure that they were brought in a safe way. And the only thing that I could think about is to go talk to her father.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Christina's father, Colonel Tony Araujo, the one Mike says Christina had always bragged could make her problems go away. When Zach and Kristina fell asleep, Mike took this photo and says he went online to search for Christina's father, a man he had never met.

[Mike Pickavet]

I was panicking, trying to find his phone number.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

When Mike finally got a hold of Christ. Colonel Araujo, he didn't immediately reveal the deadly news.

[Mike Pickavet]

I said, I gotta talk to you. It's about Cristina. It's very important.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Mike says. Christina's father directed Mike to meet him at an odd place, a gas station.

[Mike Pickavet]

So I went up there, I said, christina killed somebody. And he says, you know I'm a cop, right? I'm like, yes, sir, I do. He right away said, wait right there, Mike.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Mike says Christina's father then brought him to the sheriff's office to make a formal statement.

[Mike Pickavet]

He did what was the right thing to do. He got two other people to ask me all the questions.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Later that day, Mike was shown a photo, and he was the one to identify the battered body of Eileen Seiden. With that confirmation, police descended on Mike's home as Zach and Christina were about to leave. They were arrested and brought back to Franklin County. The pair were later charged with first degree murder. It would take almost six years before Zach, Abel and Christina Araujo would face a jury, and by then, only one of them would stand trial.

[Narrator/Host]

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game? Well, with the name your price tool from Progressive, you can find options that fit your budget and potentially lower your bills. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Price and coverage match limited by state law. Not available in all states. Hi, I'm PJ Vogt and I want to tell you about my podcast search engine. We try to make sense of the world. One question at a time. No question too big, no question too small. We will even answer your questions if you send them in. Stuff like what happens when a cemetery goes out of business. What should we do about teens using AI to do their homework? Who buys luggage at the airport luggage store? Follow and listen to search engine in partnership with Odyssey. Wherever you get your podcasts.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Now Streaming. Hi again, TV's quirkiest crime solver.

[Francesca Seiden]

I'm Elspeth Tasioni. I work with the police.

[Narrator/Host]

It's on the case.

[Francesca Seiden]

I like my outlandish theories. With a heavy dose of evidence and.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Ready to go toe to toe with a cavalcade of guest stars.

[Narrator/Host]

Are you saying that this is now a murder investigation?

[Francesca Seiden]

It's starting to look that way.

[Narrator/Host]

Don't miss a moment. Of the critically acclaimed hit el all.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Episodes now streaming on Paramount plus and returns CBS fall.

[Francesca Seiden]

That sounds like fun.

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

Obviously, murder's not fun.

[Francesca Seiden]

You're healing. You're doing the things that you need to heal, and then you're stopped.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

For almost six years, Francesca Seiden lived in in agonizing limbo as her sister Eileen's case, complicated by having two defendants face delay after delay after frustrating delay.

[Francesca Seiden]

And now you're going to get ready for this big moment. And it stops again.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Finally, in January of 2024, at the Franklin county courthouse in Apalachicola, Florida, Zach Abel was about to face trial. He had pleaded not guilty to first degree murder and would stand before the jury alone. Eight months earlier, Christina Araujo took a plea deal for a lesser charge of second degree murder. So she admitted taking part in this?

[Prosecutor Jared Patterson]

Yes. She implicated herself in the actual beating of Eileen.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

After studying the mountain of evidence, prosecutor Jared Patterson believes Zach Abel was more responsible in Eileen's murder. And the state is relying on the jury believing Christina Araujo's version of what happened inside room 15.

[Prosecutor Jared Patterson]

The only one who has told us anything about what happened in that room is Christina Araujo.

[David Adlerstein]

Once Christina made her plea deal, she would become the prosecution's star witness.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Print reporter David Adlerstein, camera in hand, was there as Christina Araujo transported the courtroom back to the evening of April 22, 2018. Araujo testified that she, Zach, Abel and Eileen were relaxing in the room at the Sportsman's Lodge after a day of heavy drinking.

[Prosecutor Jared Patterson]

When Zach drinks, does he act differently?

[Francesca Seiden]

He becomes very aggressive, very mean.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Zach Abel became violently enraged, says Araujo, when Eileen posed a seemingly innocent question.

[Francesca Seiden]

She said, christina, guess what?

[Reporter/Interviewer]

And she looks over at Christina and says, hey, Christina, guess what? How Would that sentence be finished?

[Prosecutor Jared Patterson]

I have no idea, because she never got to finish it.

[Francesca Seiden]

Zachary got up immediately and went over to her and was in her face, hitting her. He's just yelling at her, telling her, you always start problems.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Araujo admits to also hitting Eileen as she demanded to know what she was about to say. She never got an answer.

[Francesca Seiden]

I got so frustrated. I just wouldn't. I left the room.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

After stepping outside room 15 for a few minutes, Araujo claims she returned to find Able and Eileen in the bathroom.

[Francesca Seiden]

When I opened the door, he had something white in his hand, like if he was poking on her.

[Prosecutor Jared Patterson]

The medical examiner was able to identify small circular bruising to the body of Eileen that could be consistent with a shower curtain rod.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Like the shower curtain rod investigators recovered that had palm print impressions in Eileen's blood. Whose palm was it?

[Prosecutor Jared Patterson]

The palm print belonged to Zachary Abel.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

The assault continued near the bed, says Araujo, where she says, Abel reached for his wooden walking stick.

[Francesca Seiden]

He hit Sarah several times with it. When he hit her in the the back, oh, the stick broke.

[Prosecutor Jared Patterson]

We had actually found pieces of that wooden staff in the hotel room. We didn't realize the significance of it until we found the other piece in the vehicle that contained our victim's DNA.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Araujo says she watched in terror as Abel began using that stick to sexually assault Eileen.

[David Adlerstein]

Christina's description of the crime was horrifying to listen to. Eileen clearly suffered terrible death.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Adlerstein recalls the medical examiner saying Eileen's injuries reminded him of those he had seen in motor vehicle crashes.

[David Adlerstein]

As a reporter, I try very hard to not be emotional. I distinctly remember fighting back tears.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Araujo claims she eventually put herself between Abel and Eileen and the attack finally stopped. Eileen was badly beaten but still alive, she says, and the exhausted trio just fell asleep.

[Francesca Seiden]

I didn't think she was gonna die for me.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Araujo claims it wasn't until she woke up the next morning that she realized Eileen was dead. She says she only participated in the COVID up out of fear of what Abel might do to her.

[David Adlerstein]

She seemed to me genuinely remorseful. Others had different opinions.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Who is Christina Araujo in your book?

[Narrator/Host]

Manipulative, cunning, chameleon. I think that there's evil in her.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Alex Morris is Zach Abel's attorney. He says Christina Araujo acted alone.

[Narrator/Host]

I believe that she is the murderer. Let's talk about her story.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Morris says it was Christina Araujo who beat Eileen. And that photo taken by Mike Pickavet at his home after the murder shows she had injuries to her hands and feet. Which tells you Christina must have been the attacker.

[Narrator/Host]

That's right.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Christina Araujo was the one with homicidal intent, says Morris. Triggered when Abel and Eileen took off with her in the rearview mirror. And he says those threatening texts that she sent to Abel's phone before joining them on the road trip read like a confession.

[Narrator/Host]

There are threats of violence, bodily harm to both Eileen and Zach in the messages.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

You come near me ho, I will kill you.

[Narrator/Host]

I think it speaks for itself. And that's exactly what happened.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

After Eileen's murder. Morris says Araujo wiped down the motel room using the vinegar that Ronnie Jones would later smell. He says Abel's palm prints on the curtain rod got there when he moved it during the cleanup.

[Narrator/Host]

He was instructed to pick the curtain rod up over there and put it over there by Christina.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

This toll booth surveillance photo from after the murder shows that Christina Araujo and not Zach Abel, was the one driving the car. And therefore, Morris says, she was the one in control.

[Narrator/Host]

The evidence indicates Christina to be the one giving the directions and had everything to be able to manipulate the situation.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Manipulating Zach Abel, says Morris, because of those threats she had been making for years about her father's influence in solving her problems.

[Narrator/Host]

Bottom line is, Zach was fearful of Christina's father.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Abel chose not to testify. When Morris made his final arguments to the jury, he concluded the evidence showed there was only one person who wanted Eileen Seiden dead.

[Narrator/Host]

They haven't proven any motive as to why Mr. Abel would be interested in murdering Ms. Seiden. But I'll tell you where motive lies, and it's clear as day, and that's with Ms. Araujo. The motive being? I want rid of the person who's taken my man.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

So, jealousy?

[Narrator/Host]

Yes.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

In his closing, Patterson said Christina Araujo already accepted her role in this crime. He asked the jury to hold Zach Abel accountable for his part by finding him guilty of murder.

[Prosecutor Jared Patterson]

They lived together. They worked together, they own a business together. They went to the sportsman's lodge together. They emptied out the room together. They ran away together. They got arrested together. The only thing they didn't do together was kill Eileen Sidon. No way.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

But who would the jury believe?

[David Adlerstein]

What do you make of Christina Araujo's testimony?

[Narrator/Host]

Chat now with the 48 Hours team on Facebook and X.

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

She wasn't born here and she didn't live here, but she was left here, and she'll always be remembered by Franklin county.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Residents of Florida's forgotten coast will now long remember Eileen Seiden says. Ronnie Jones. Almost six years after her death, the community waited for justice for the stranger they now had come to embrace as one of their own. What was going through your mind as the jury begins its deliberation?

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

Make it quick.

[David Adlerstein]

I was told by the jury foreman that when they first went in, there was ten in favor of first degree premeditated murder with two holdouts.

[Narrator/Host]

All right, everyone, please be seated.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

After about five hours of deliberations, the jury reached a consensus.

[Narrator/Host]

In the case of the State of Florida vs Zachary Ray Abel, the defendant is guilty of the lesser included offense of second degree murder.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Second degree murder. Just like Christina Araujo. Adlerstein says the jury foreman told him they just couldn't decide if Zach Abel had actually intended to kill Eileen.

[David Adlerstein]

They knew that Christina had pled guilty to second. And I think they eventually said, we're going to give him the same.

[Mike Pickavet]

It doesn't tell me that they're equally responsible.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Mike Pickavet says even with the verdict, he is convinced his friend played no part in Eileen's death.

[Mike Pickavet]

To me, there's an innocent man sitting in jail.

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

I think they're both just as guilty as the other.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Now retired from law enforcement, Ronnie Jones spends his days tending his bar in Apalachicola. He says he's still left wondering what really happened inside room 15. Is this case a mystery to you?

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

It's not a mystery on exactly what happened, but exactly why it happened. That is what still bothers me to this day.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Why? Like what Eileen might have been about to say that sparked the attack.

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

It was my understanding and the rumors that she was fixing to disclose the fact that she was pregnant.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Pregnant. And was she pregnant? Did you learn that at autopsy?

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

I was at the autopsy, and she was not pregnant. I don't know if she thought she was or not.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

When it was time for sentencing, Zach Abel finally spoke and told the courtroom another twist in this tortured story.

[Narrator/Host]

I had stopped, and I grabbed a ring pop and I proposed to her with a ring pop and asked her to marry me, and she said yes, and me and Eileen were gonna go our way and leave Kristina out of it.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Zach spoke at his sentencing and said that he'd actually proposed to Eileen during this trip.

[Francesca Seiden]

I think that is just bs. It's a great story, but no.

[Narrator/Host]

I have been in the justice system in one form or another for 40 years. Rarely have I seen the sort of injuries that I saw on Eileen Seiden.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

The judge told Abel he wished he could impose a harsher punishment before sentencing him to the maximum Life in prison.

[Prosecutor Jared Patterson]

In the state of Florida, life means life. We don't have parole.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

At her sentencing, Cristina Araujo's father, Colonel Tony Araujo, set the record straight. He said he never used his influence to benefit his daughter. And he recalled the conversation he had with her after the murder.

[Mike Pickavet]

You will own up to the truth.

[Narrator/Host]

You will accept responsibility. You will be the voice of the victim, and you will testify under oath in a court of law. And then whatever is sentenced to you, that's fine.

[Prosecutor Jared Patterson]

There was no agreement with her as to the length of sentence. She gave her statement with the knowledge that she could still receive life in prison.

[Francesca Seiden]

I think about that day every day of my life. The details haunt me and the memories keep me up.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

The judge acknowledged her cooperation and sentenced Cristina Araujo to 25 years.

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

Justice has been served. They won't beat up any more females. Neither will she.

[Francesca Seiden]

I think that every woman kind of thinks I would leave if I was in that situation, I would just get up and leave. I would never tolerate that.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

Eileen's best friend, Allie, hopes there will be more compassion for those trapped in abusive relationships.

[Francesca Seiden]

It's always the I'm sorry, it's never going to happen again. And you believe it because you're in love and things are good 95% of the time, but the 5% that are bad are so bad.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

With your sister gone, how do you.

[Narrator/Host]

Want her to be remembered?

[Francesca Seiden]

I want her to be remembered as a sweet, loving human being who unfortunately had lost her parents at such a young age. But she was still so sweet. Like, she was such a sweetheart. Her soul was so kind.

[Narrator/Host]

Christina Araujo is scheduled to be released in 2043. She will be 63 years old. If you or someone you know is.

[David Adlerstein]

A victim of domestic violence, contact the.

[Narrator/Host]

National Domestic violence hotline at 1-800-7997.

[Francesca Seiden]

Join me Tuesday for post mortem from 48 hours where we'll dive even deeper into today's episode and answer your questions about the case.

[Narrator/Host]

Now streaming on Paramount plus, it's an all new season of adventures. We have to stop this invasion. Get to the ship.

[Francesca Seiden]

This crew is a team. We are going to find our way.

[Narrator/Host]

Out of this Star Trek strange New worlds, new season. Now streaming on Paramount Plus. I'm Dexter Morgan.

[David Adlerstein]

I've been through hell, but now I'm.

[Narrator/Host]

Back for my curtain call. And what better place to hide than New York City? There may be a new area code, but my code never changes. In a city full of monsters, my dark urges will feel right at home. Dexter Resurrection. Starring Michael C. Hall, Uma Thurman and Peter Dinklage.

[Lt. Ronnie Jones]

New series now streaming on the Paramount plus premium plan.