Talking Dateline: The Widow of Woodland Hills

Summary

Dateline NBC Podcast Summary: "Talking Dateline: The Widow of Woodland Hills" Release Date: April 16, 2025

Introduction

In the April 16, 2025 episode of Talking Dateline, NBC News delves deep into the harrowing true-crime story of "The Widow of Woodland Hills." Hosted by Blaine Alexander and featuring insights from Dateline correspondent Josh Mankiewicz, the episode meticulously unpacks the tragic case of Fabio Simentelli’s murder and the ensuing legal battle that has captivated audiences. This summary provides a comprehensive overview of the episode, highlighting key discussions, notable quotes, and the emotional landscape surrounding this compelling narrative.

Overview of the Episode

The episode centers around the brutal stabbing of Hollywood hairstylist Fabio Simentelli in his Woodland Hills backyard. Initially perceived as a possible burglary gone wrong, the investigation soon unraveled a complex web of affairs, betrayal, and deceit that led to Fabio’s untimely death. Hosts Blaine Alexander and Josh Mankiewicz explore the intricate details of the case, the impact on the families involved, and the legal proceedings that culminated in a significant verdict.

In-Depth Discussion: Hosts Blaine Alexander and Josh Mankiewicz

Recapping the Case

Blaine Alexander initiates the conversation by summarizing the case, highlighting Fabio’s sudden and tragic death. He remarks, “When Hollywood hairstylist Fabio Simentelli was stabbed in his own backyard, investigators wondered if it was a burglary gone wrong. What they uncovered instead was an affair that turned deadly” (01:18).

Team Effort and Verdict

Josh Mankiewicz emphasizes the rapid response of the Dateline team following the verdict, noting, “This was kind of a breaking news bit for us” (01:59). He commends the behind-the-scenes efforts of producers like Chet Najoshi and Allison Orr, attributing the episode’s readiness to their unwavering dedication (02:54).

Fabio’s Life and Murder

The conversation shifts to Fabio’s background, painting a picture of a successful and vibrant life abruptly cut short. Josh reflects, “He got his start cutting hair in the basement... And he was living it. He just didn't live it long enough” (05:03). This contrast sets the stage for understanding the profound loss experienced by his family.

Monica’s Affair with Robert Baker

A significant focus of the episode is Monica’s affair with Robert Baker, a former porn star and convicted sex offender. Blaine expresses his surprise at the affair, stating, “I was actually surprised when I heard about the affair. I actually did not see that coming” (03:49). The hosts delve into the complexity of Monica’s motivations and the unexpected turn of events that led to Fabio’s murder.

Special Investigation Section’s Role

Josh illuminates the involvement of the LAPD’s Special Investigation Section (SIS), an elite unit typically surveilling high-stakes crimes. He explains, “They are part of the Robbery Homicide Division... But Monica and Baker were not in the process of committing any additional crimes” (07:37). This strategic surveillance provided crucial insights into Monica and Baker’s relationship, aiding investigators in piecing together the motive behind the murder.

Undercover Operations and Audio Evidence

The episode delves into the undercover tactics employed during the investigation. Josh discusses the Perkins operation, referencing the Supreme Court decision Perkins vs. Illinois, which governs interactions with suspects invoking their rights. He shares, “The only thing that came out of that was she admitted the affair, and she gave some sense of how into Baker she was” (09:58). A pivotal moment is highlighted when Monica whispers to Baker in a patrol car, saying, “somebody must have talked” (11:49), a statement Josh identifies as a potential smoking gun.

Family Reactions and Emotional Impact

Fabio’s sister and daughters provide a poignant perspective on the aftermath of the murder. Blaine shares Fabio’s sister’s heartfelt reaction: “It was devastating” (12:38). The daughters’ unwavering support for their mother, Monica, despite the allegations, raises complex emotional dynamics. Josh notes, “It's not unusual for children to take the side of the surviving parent” (15:16), highlighting the internal conflict faced by the family.

Trial Details and Verdict

The trial, lasting two and a half months, presented divergent testimonies from Monica and Baker, complicating the jury’s decision. Josh remarks on the complexity, “The jury had to sort it out” (18:36). Upon the guilty verdict, Monica appeared emotionally stunned, while Fabio’s family felt a sense of relief despite the irreversible loss. Josh poignantly states, “A guilty verdict can be any kind of relief, because... it doesn't turn the clock back” (19:53).

Social Media Questions and Interaction

Following the in-depth analysis, Blaine and Josh engage with listener questions sourced from social media, adding a personal touch to the episode.

Nicknames and Personal Tidbits

Listeners were curious about Fabio’s childhood nickname, “Ravioli.” Blaine shares his own nickname experiences, prompting Josh to comment humorously on familial nickname overlaps: “everybody in my family is known as Mank” (22:15).

Reporting with an Open Mind

A listener, Jessica McCourt Hughes, inquires about maintaining objectivity in reporting. Josh firmly asserts, “it is not hard to keep an open mind” (24:07), emphasizing the importance of balanced storytelling even when evidence heavily points to a suspect’s guilt.

Fun with Pocket Squares

An amusing question about Josh’s collection of pocket squares leads to a lighthearted exchange. Josh reveals, “I have 250” (26:13), attributing their selection to his mood and the need to complement his attire rather than any hidden codes.

Sentencing Outcomes

Finally, listeners sought clarity on the sentencing of the perpetrators. Josh provides updates: Chris Austin is anticipated to receive a 16-year sentence (26:28), while Robert Baker was sentenced to life without parole (26:44). Monica’s sentencing is pending, with similar potential consequences (26:52).

Conclusion

The Talking Dateline episode “The Widow of Woodland Hills” offers a thorough exploration of a tangled and emotionally charged true-crime story. Through insightful discussions, authoritative reporting, and poignant reflections, Blaine Alexander and Josh Mankiewicz guide listeners through the intricate layers of betrayal, tragedy, and justice. The episode not only sheds light on the specifics of Fabio Simentelli’s case but also invites listeners to contemplate the broader implications of human relationships and the legal system. For those seeking an engaging and comprehensive understanding of this true-crime mystery, this episode stands as a compelling must-listen.

Transcript

[Jenna Bush Hager]

A true crime story never really ends. Even when a case is closed. The journey for those left behind is just beginning.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Since our DATELINE story aired, Tracy has harnessed her outrage into a mission.

[Blaine Alexander]

I had no other option. I had to do something, catch up.

[Jenna Bush Hager]

With families, friends and investigators on our bonus series after the Verdict. Ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances with strength and courage.

[Blaine Alexander]

It does just change your life. But speaking up for these issues helps me keep going.

[Jenna Bush Hager]

To listen to after the Verdict, subscribe to DATELINE Premium on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or@dateline premium.com hey, everyone, it's Jenna Bush.

Hager from TODAY with Jenna and Friends, reminding you to check out my podcast, Open Book with Jenna. In this week's episode, I sit down with Aliza Pressman to talk about her five principles of parenting and her tips for raising resilient children. You can listen to the full conversation now by searching Open Book with Jenna wherever you get your podcasts.

[Blaine Alexander]

Hi, everyone, it's Blaine Alexander. And today we are talking dateline. I am so happy to be joined by the one, the only, Josh Mankiewicz. Hi, Josh.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Hi.

[Blaine Alexander]

Hello.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

How you doing?

[Blaine Alexander]

I am great. So we're talking about your episode the Widow of Woodland Hills. If you haven't seen it, it's the episode right below this one on your DATELINE podcast feed. So go there, listen to it or stream it on Peacock, of course, and then come right back here. Quick recap. When Hollywood hair stylist Fabio Simentelli was stabbed in his own backyard, investigators wondered if it was a burglary gone wrong. What they uncovered instead was an affair that turned deadly. For this talking dateline, we've got an extra clip from Josh's interview with Fabio's sister and more about how the murderer has torn this family apart. Okay. Let's talk dateline.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Let's talk dateline.

[Blaine Alexander]

You know, I think that this story is kind of what Talking DATELINE is made for because as we sit here recording, it's 3:36pm Eastern Time on a Friday. We just got the verdict 2 out 3 hours ago, something like that.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Yeah.

[Blaine Alexander]

This was kind of a breaking news bit for us.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

And it's great when that kind of thing can happen when we can go on the air at 9 o'clock on a Friday night and say, this happened today. That doesn't always happen that way. A lot of times we do stories that, you know, were adjudicated more than a couple of years before we went on the air. But when we're covering a trial, right down to the minute, it's great to be able to say, this is the latest news on this, the actual verdict.

[Blaine Alexander]

And I think it's a testament to just the dexterity of our producing team, of everyone who puts these shows on the air. Because, I mean, yes, to scramble and get that together and fill the holes that need to be filled. Yeah. It takes a team. It takes an effort.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

No, no. I mean, Chet Najoshi, Jessica De Vera, Michelle Madigan, the producers who worked on this. Allison Orr, the senior producer. Like, these are the people whose names you don't know at dateline. The people you don't see on TV are the big stars here. And as a result of the incredible organization of this team, we were completely ready.

[Blaine Alexander]

Well, I love it. It's amazing to see. It's amazing to watch it and, you know, at least from the podcast side, be part of it for today. So let's jump into this episode. Josh. I think the first thing that if you watch Dateline, you work on Dateline, you always know, okay, they're gonna look at the partner first. Right. This one, you had me fooled for a minute because I'm listening to, you know, them talk about the marriage and the things she posted, and I'm like, no, this marriage is solid. So I was actually surprised when I heard about the affair. I actually did not see that coming.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

No, I mean, I think nobody did. You know, I have friends who live in. Lived in that part of Woodland Hills, and they knew the Simmentilli family. Not very well, but they knew them both. My friends described life over there as extremely happy. It was a house that seemed to be full of love, not full of anger, not full of distrust, which is why nobody, certainly nobody at first thought that Monica could have had anything to do with this, because she seemed happy, he seemed happy. Nobody detected this.

[Blaine Alexander]

So, I mean, one of the big themes of this, of course, we hear about this a lot in Dateline, but betrayal, and I really think that that's a. It seems like that was certainly a running theme of the story. But when you talk about the betrayal of. Even if Monica was saying, you know, oh, he worked a lot, or he was never home, it didn't seem like Fabio knew that that was an issue with them. I want to talk about Fabio, though, because we really get a sense, and this is something we try and do in all of our Dateline episodes, but we really get a sense of who this guy was. I mean, he seemed like, loved his life. I was really struck up by the fact that he had just sent this email about this epic 50th. Birthday trip that he was going to have. And then what was it? The next day he was killed.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

I mean, you know, I mean, it's a tragedy. I mean, this guy never made it to 50. And he, you know, he. Yeah, he got his start cutting hair in the basement. His sister was showing him how, you know, and the next thing you know, he's this big hairdresser. And the next thing you know, after that, he's got this huge job with Wella and he's moving to Los Angeles. And, you know, that is, you know, that's the kind of life people dream of. And he was living it. He just didn't live it long enough.

[Blaine Alexander]

This seems like a good time to juxtapose Fabio with one Robert Baker, who was Monica's lover. I mean, you just ran down the man's CV in his life. And I mean, he really was just an impressive kind of larger than life figure. And then you have this man who is a former porn star. He's a convicted sex offender. He wears a pleather jacket that everybody liked to talk about. One can't help but wonder, like, how do you go from married to this guy to a very deep, steamy affair with that guy?

[Josh Mankiewicz]

We don't know how it started. There's so much yardage between. I met this guy at the gym and I'm going to fool around with him because I'm bored and my husband isn't around to. I'm in love with that guy. I'm planning a life with him and I'm going to have him stab my husband. I mean, it's incomprehensible. And here's one more thing that's incomprehensible. This is in some ways a familiar story on dateline. Someone has an affair and the person they're having the affair with decides I want them for myself. So I'm going to get rid of the partner. That certainly has happened before on Dateline.

[Blaine Alexander]

Sure.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Here's the part that hasn't happened before or at least hasn't happened in the stories that I've done, is he takes the fall. You know, this guy knows how the criminal justice system operates. He's been in it before. She doesn't. But he goes in and says, I did it and she didn't have anything to do with it. She didn't even know it was being done. That to me, is very unusual. Why he did that, I don't know. I would have loved to have asked him, like, what's going on there? Is that love I mean, what is that?

[Blaine Alexander]

And he even said on the stand, they said, you still love her, right? He said, yes. And they said, do you hope that you'll still be together? And he even admitted on this number, going to happen. That's never going to happen. Right. Like, knew that it's not like they were going to go towards some sort of far off happy ending here.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

No, he pled to the top count. That's it. He's going away, regardless of what happens to her.

[Blaine Alexander]

Yeah, I want to talk about the affair, but I also want to talk about how it came to light. The sis, the Special Investigation Section. Did you know about this branch of lapd?

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Yeah, it's. It's not spoken of that often, but they are an absolutely an elite unit. They're part of the Robbery Homicide Division. They've been around for a while, and their specialty is surveilling, like, robbery crews. People who are, who are, who are they think are going to knock over a bank or are going to, you know, go into somebody's house for a home invasion, and they. They think they know who it is, so they're following them. And then they need to be ready to move and, like, go to tactical right away if they see that the crime is going down. And, you know, sometimes, you know, that ends up in an arrest right there. So this was an unremarkable case for SIS because Monica and Baker were not in the process of committing any additional crimes. And they were also completely oblivious to the fact that they were being followed. The guy that we interviewed, Rob Birx, an old friend of mine, I mean, I've known him for a while, and very recently he said to me, you know, what are you working on? And I said, oh, it's the Simon Tilly case down the valley. He's like, oh, yeah, we followed her. I'm like, what? I said, you didn't tell me that. He's like, I didn't know you were on it. So then, very sort of late in the game, I asked him if he would talk about SIS's role in following them and sort of giving the primary investigators sort of the, you know, putting the pieces together so that they could understand Monica and Baker's relationship. I mean, that definitely filled in a lot of blanks for investigators. Investigators on this.

[Blaine Alexander]

I thought that it was one of the more interesting parts of the story, just kind of seeing how they do their job.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Yeah, well, you know, it's one of those assignments that people get within the lapd and then they never want to leave it's very kind of high tension. And you have access to all this technology that other people don't have access to. I mean, you can do. You know, you can follow people with, you know, drones and trackers and helicopters and all kinds of stuff.

[Blaine Alexander]

Interesting. You know, another thing that we saw in this episode was a lot of just different audio, but the undercover audio, when Monica was being held with the cellmate, quote, unquote, who was actually an undercover officer. What an assignment that is.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

That's inside law enforcement. That's known as Perkins. That's from. I think it's a Supreme court decision, Perkins vs. Illinois, about statements that are made to law enforcement. For example, if you're charged with a crime and you say, I want an attorney, and I'm not talking to the police, and then I'm a cop, and they put a jail uniform on me and shove me in there and say to you, hey, you know, I just committed murder, Blaine, what did you do? And you start talking that frequently will get thrown out because I am the police trying to interrogate you, even though you have said, I'm not talking to the police, which is your right under the Constitution. So, Perkins, the thing they did with Monica in this case is a way around that, and there are very specific rules for what you can and can't say to the person. So, you know, they ran a Perkins operation, and it definitely produced some things, although it did not produce the admission that prosecutors were hoping for, which is Monica admitting, yeah, this was my plan. The only thing that came out of that was she admitted the affair, and she gave some sense of how into Baker she was. To me, the smoking gun piece of audio in this, it's when Baker and Monica are in the patrol car, and they've just been pulled over and arrested when they were out driving in Monica's nice Mustang, and they put them both in the back of a police car. And a lot of police cars, a lot of black and whites, are, I think, wired for sound and video. But they did get Monica whispering to Baker, which you saw in our episode, and she says, somebody must have talked. Okay, Innocent people do not say, somebody must have talked. Innocent people say, what are we doing here? Why would they think we would have anything to do with this? This is insane.

[Blaine Alexander]

Right, right.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Somebody must have talked about what? You know, that's the. Yeah.

[Blaine Alexander]

Yes.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

That. That. To me, that's the smoking gun here.

[Blaine Alexander]

Absolutely is. And. And who did they tell?

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Yeah.

[Blaine Alexander]

When we get back, Fabio and Monica's daughters chose to stand behind their mother even after she was accused of killing their father. We've got a clip of what Fabio's sister has to say about that decision.

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[Blaine Alexander]

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[Blaine Alexander]

To the People Every morning brings a fresh new energy.

[Fabio's Sister]

And no matter what the day holds.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

We come to the Today show for all of it. We get the best start to the day because we started together.

[Jenna Bush Hager]

Watch the Today show weekdays at 7:00am on NBC.

[Willie Geist]

Hey, guys, Willie Geist here reminding you to check out the Sunday Sit down podcast. On this week's episode, I get together with Saturday Night Live star Bowen Yang to talk about his extraordinary road as the son of Chinese immigrants to SNL and that dream role in the Wicked movies. You can get our conversation now for free wherever you download your podcasts.

[Blaine Alexander]

You know, we learned a lot about Fabio from his son Luigi, and obviously that's his son from a previous marriage. I think that's important to point out because you kind of certainly see the different position that Luigi had versus, you know, their two daughters who shared with Monica.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

His relationship with Monica began as an affair. Thought he was married at the time. Right. So she was having an affair with a married guy, which was him. Right. There are people who will say neither one of those people should trust each other because they're willing to have an affair and if they did it before, they will do it with you. I don't know if that is necessarily true because sometimes people meet the right person and they did seem extremely happy together. But yes, they began as an affair and that's what ended the relationship with Luigi's mom.

[Blaine Alexander]

I think it's also worth pointing out Fabio obviously chose divorce to kind of begin a new life with Monica. And some could say, like, she had the blueprint right there right in front of her. I thought that it was interesting to dive into why she didn't choose divorce. You and I have had this conversation plenty of times on talking Dateline that, yeah, it may suck, you may be embarrassed, you may, you know, get shunned by your family, but someone doesn't have to die. You don't have to spend the rest of your life in prison. Right. Like, how does that become the top choice?

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Yeah, I mean, you'll be divorced like so many other people. Are in this country. And, you know, I mean, there should be no stigma about it if relationships are not working. Murder, it is the most astonishingly foolish, selfish, mistaken way to get out of a marriage. There is no worse way.

[Blaine Alexander]

I felt terribly for their two daughters in all of this. They stood by their mom, maintained that she was innocent of this whole thing. One testified for her. I know that you asked Fabio's sister Mirella what she thought about the kids supporting their mom. We have a clip of that.

[Fabio's Sister]

It was devastating.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

This has cut you off from your nieces.

[Fabio's Sister]

I know it. Tomorrow. I just look forward to the day that we could probably reconcile or be together again.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

You know, it's not unusual for children to take the side of the surviving parent. Cause nobody wants to hear or say to themselves, you know, dad killed mom or mom killed dad.

[Fabio's Sister]

Yeah, but she had an affair. She brought this into the house. And I just feel like the sooner they face reality, the more complete they would be.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

That's a good example of something that we see all the time on Dateline, which is that, you know, kids frequently want to believe that the parent who lived and who is charged did not do it. And believe me, I get it.

[Blaine Alexander]

My heart just goes out to them, especially the daughter who found her father stabbed to death on the patio. And the jury has decided Monica was responsible. And, you know, and the prosecutor's telling, she essentially orchestrated for her daughter to. To find her father bleeding out and.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Stabbed to death because she wanted an alibi.

[Blaine Alexander]

It's a terrible. I mean, for a mother to do that to a child is. Is something that's just fully beyond me.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

This, we have talked about, which is you think you're going to take away the parent of your kids and they're just going to be fine.

[Blaine Alexander]

Yeah.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Like, you'll be. They'll be okay because you're happy. It's nuts. It's just insane. I mean, it's a terrible thing to put your kids through. And, you know, in that way, in that sense, Monica and Robert Baker have something else in common, which is they were both willing to expose someone they loved to enmesh them in this plot. Monica getting her daughter to find Fabio's body, and Baker getting his lifelong friend, Chris Austin. No criminal record. Somebody who looked at him like an uncle and who trusted him and who clearly did not want to be involved in this murder plot at the beginning and getting him to do it, making him a murderer. Now he's wrecked his life and his family's life, and he's going away, too. I mean, it is astonishing display of selfishness and willingness to hurt people close to them for their own means. It's a terrible thing.

[Blaine Alexander]

The level of manipulation. Yes. Is insane. Let's talk about Chris Austin. I can't remember being as glued to the screen for a portion of a Dateline as I was when he was on the stand and describing what happened that day. I'm always stunned by just how almost easily someone can agree to be a henchman, if you will, or a sidekick in a murder. Right. He had no stake in this. To do that and to be okay with playing a part in ending a life, it's just shocking to me.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

I completely agree, because it's pretty obvious he tried to sort of get out of doing it a couple of times. But when, you know, when the chips were down, Baker kind of just, you know, said, we're doing this. And he lacked the strength at that moment to say, you may be doing it, but I'm not.

[Blaine Alexander]

He just didn't have the courage to act on it.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Yeah, he just didn't have it.

[Blaine Alexander]

The trial itself was full of a lot of kind of dramatic moments. This trial was long. Two and a half months. Why was it so long?

[Josh Mankiewicz]

This was very long. A lot of people and a lot of story to tell. One of the great things about this is that you have the two murderers on the stand, each telling different stories. Baker saying, I loved her then, I love her now, and I did the murder myself. Austin comes on, and he very sorrowfully and I thought clearly, honestly told the story of not just what happened, but about how wrenching it was for him to have gone through that. The problem was he couldn't testify firsthand to any of Monica's involvement. All of his connection with Monica was through what Baker said about what Monica wanted and what Baker wanted. And so that made these two completely divergent accounts of what happened in that backyard so important, and the jury had to sort it out.

[Blaine Alexander]

Her reaction to the verdict, she was emotional.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

She did seem stunned by it, I would say. And Fabio's family seemed relieved to the extent that a guilty verdict can be any kind of relief, because as we said in the story, it doesn't turn the clock back.

[Blaine Alexander]

Yeah. Yeah. Up next, we're taking your questions from social media.

[Jacqueline Coley]

Join me, Jacqueline Coley, on a brand new podcast seen on the screen, presented by Make It Universal and Rotten Tomatoes. Meet the innovative people at NBCUniversal as they share their journeys, inspirations, and the movies that shape them. Each episode is an intimate and fun conversation about the impact of Film seen on the screen is available now. You can find it on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you find your favorite podcast.

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[Josh Mankiewicz]

Or do you?

[Jenna Bush Hager]

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[Blaine Alexander]

All right, we are back with the one and only Josh Mankiewicz to talk about our social questions, comments, thoughts from your episode. Yes, we have some good ones.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

And there were a few.

[Blaine Alexander]

There were a few. So I think something that stood out to a lot of our viewers was the nickname Ravioli. That was Fabio's childhood nickname. We asked our viewers on Friday night what their nicknames were growing up. So Marie Wilson writes, feetsy was her nickname because I kept growing so quickly out of my PJs. Cute. JC Delaney wrote beans. I don't know why. Beans. Just beans. Did you have a nickname growing up, Josh?

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Oh, you know, I mean, the usual dweeb. Loser. President Truman. That was a popular one.

[Blaine Alexander]

President Truman.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Well, he was president when I was growing up. No, I. I do not remember nicknames. But, you know, everybody in my family is known as Mank. We all are all like. Like our whole lives. Like, my. My dad was. My grandfather was. My brother is.

[Blaine Alexander]

You know, so did that get confusing? Like at family gatherings if someone just yelled out mank.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

And that's why we never have family gatherings.

[Blaine Alexander]

That's. Yeah, maybe that's why I think mine. I don't know, Blaine. It's. It's not a. It doesn't lend itself to. You know what? When I was running track and cross country in high school, we put nicknames on the back of our shirts. And mine was legs with two GS, because I'm very tall and I'm all legs. So that was, you know, that's good. I take it it was earned.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

That beats President Truman, I'll tell you that. It does.

[Blaine Alexander]

We have an audio question about the daughters from Lori Keeble Bailey. Let's listen.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Did Monica's daughter still support her up until the end of her guilty verdict, even with all the evidence against her? The answer, Laurie. And by the way, this continues our tradition of only people with three names being allowed to ask audio questions. The answer, Lori Keeble Bailey is as far as I know, they believed her right up until the end and they believe her today. Whether that changes over time, I don't know. But, you know, as we said, I mean it, you know, nobody wants to believe mom killed dad.

[Blaine Alexander]

Well, we're going to our next question. Continues the trend of three named audio questions. This comes from Jessica McCourt Hughes, who has a question on how we report our cases.

[Fabio's Sister]

Hey, Josh, how hard is it to keep an open mind when reporting on a case where the facts so clearly point to guilt at a suspect?

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Jessica, thank you. First of all, for nearly every reporter I know, certainly Blaine included, it's not difficult to, to step back and look at any story objectively because there's usually something on both sides that makes you think, you know, this could be true. Even if there's a mountain of evidence, there's something on the other side that, that points towards innocence. For example, there is no piece of audio anywhere in which Monica says, thanks for going along with my plan or I'm glad we did this, or whatever. So, no, it is not. It, it is not hard to, to keep an open mind.

[Blaine Alexander]

Here's an important question. One more audio question. Let's listen.

[Julie]

Hey, Josh, Julie from Raleigh, North Carolina, Great episode on Friday. And I'm sure you're getting a lot of great questions, but I think the important one is about your pocket squares. Are those selected based on your mood or maybe the vibes of the case that you're working? Possibly location inquiring minds want to know. Thanks, Josh.

[Blaine Alexander]

Julie.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Julie, first of all, I need to know what your other two names are, but. Well, good question. As we say in television when we don't quite know how to respond. I have a lot of pocket squares. I've been wearing them for about 40 years. I started in the early 80s and they are kind of based on my mood at the moment. I should have some lie and say that it's like some kind of code as to where I am in the country at the time or it's not true. It's sort of, you know what I think sometimes I find one. I think like I haven't worn that in a while, then I want to get that one on the air. But a lot of times it has to do with sort of what shirt and tie I'm wearing because you don't want to go. You want to compliment those, not be completely crazy.

[Blaine Alexander]

You can't clash.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Yeah. I wish I could say that there's rhyme or reason in my pocket squares, but there isn't.

[Blaine Alexander]

If you had to give a number real quickly, how many pocket squares would you say you have?

[Josh Mankiewicz]

250.

[Blaine Alexander]

Wow.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Yeah. I know. It's crazy.

[Blaine Alexander]

We have a couple of questions about the sentences that everyone received. Cindy Wilson shepherd is asking, but what sentence did the two guys get for killing him?

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Chris Austin got a deal. He hasn't been sentenced yet. His sentencing comes later in April, but he's looking at something around 16 years. Sure. Robert Baker pleaded to the top count. He's life without parole.

[Blaine Alexander]

He's going away. Yeah. Okay. And then last question from K. Starmatix. What's Monica's sentence? Never heard what it was. We don't know.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

It's her sentencing is not until June, but she's looking at the same numbers as Robert Baker. I mean, she was found guilty on everything. She's also looking at life without the possibility of parole.

[Blaine Alexander]

Mm. Goodness. All right. A lot of great comments, a lot of great questions, a fantastic deviation on your pocket squares. This was a good one, Josh. Thank you.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Thank you.

[Blaine Alexander]

And that's it for talking DATELINE this week. Remember, if you have any questions for us about stories or about Dateline, you can always reach us 24. 7 on social media aightlinenbc. And if you have a question for talking Dateline, you can leave it for us on our social media or in a voicemail. That number is 212-413-5252. For a chance to be featured on a future episode, I'm told that that number rings directly to a traveling BlackBerry that is passed around amongst correspondence. Maybe not. We will see you Fridays on DATELINE on NBC. Also, make sure to check out Dateline True Crime Weekly this week. I will be in. I'm hosting for Andrea Canning while she's out on vacation for the week. So we've got some updates on some big cases that we've been following. We also have a very fascinating interview about a new book on a rather high profile crime down in Houston. So all of that is coming up on DATELINE True Crime Weekly. Make sure you listen to that Thursday morning wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks so much for listening.