The 911 call in the Hollywood hairdresser murder. And investigators explore links between six violent deaths and a group called the Zizians.

Summary

Dateline NBC - Episode Summary: "The 911 Call in the Hollywood Hairdresser Murder and the Zizians"

Host: Andrea Canning
Release Date: February 6, 2025

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1. Introduction

In this gripping episode of Dateline NBC, host Andrea Canning delves into two intertwined true-crime stories: the high-profile trial of Monica Sementilli, accused of murdering her celebrity hairstylist husband, Fabio, and the mysterious connections between six violent deaths linked to a group known as the Zizians.

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2. The Hollywood Hairdresser Murder Trial

a. Opening Statements

The episode opens in a Los Angeles courtroom where Monica Sementilli's trial is underway. The prosecution delivered a compelling two-day opening statement, painting the case as a tale of "lust, greed, and betrayal right out of a Hollywood movie."

• Prosecutor (Andrea Canning, [02:28]): "You're going to learn about her lies and deception. You're going to hear about her extreme selfishness and ultimately the murder of Fabio."

Monica, married to Fabio for nearly two decades, is alleged to have conspired with her lover, Robert Baker, to kill Fabio for a $1.6 million life insurance payout. The defense argues that only Baker orchestrated the murder, with Monica having no motive or interest.

• Defense Advocate (Unknown Speaker, [03:17]): "Robert Baker decided that he was going to kill her husband. No reason that Monica would have wanted to."

Robert Baker has already pleaded no contest to the killing and is serving a life sentence without parole.

b. Evidence Presented

The prosecution introduced pivotal evidence, including a 911 call from Monica and Fabio's teenage daughter, Isabella, who discovered Fabio stabbed to death. Monica's behavior during and after the incident was scrutinized.

• Chetna Joshi, Producer ([04:24]): "This is the most emotional we've seen her since trial began. She was crying, dabbing her eyes."

The prosecution suggests Monica orchestrated the timing of Isabella's discovery to establish an alibi.

c. Audio Evidence

Key evidence included Monica's initial police interview and subsequent calls to investigators.

• Monica Sementilli ([05:24]): "You came home and then you didn't know anything at that point, correct?"
• Chetna Joshi ([06:01]): "Monica sounds very emotional. She sounds shocked... but there were no tears."

These recordings raised suspicions about Monica's emotional state and her involvement in the planning of the murder.

d. Cross-Examination and Defense Strategy

During cross-examination, the defense highlighted delays in arresting Robert Baker, suggesting possible negligence or a deliberate strategy to focus the case solely on Monica.

• Defense Attorney ([08:24]): "Monica had two teenage daughters to support. She didn't work herself. Naturally, you would be worried about how you're going to provide for your children."

e. Courtroom Reactions

The courtroom was tense as the defense questioned the integrity of the investigation, while the prosecution steadfastly presented their case against Monica.

• Chetna Joshi ([09:30]): "We wanted to find the truth of what happened and I believe we did."

f. Conclusion of Trial Segment

As the trial continues, the episode highlights the intense emotions and strategic maneuvers from both sides, setting the stage for a riveting courtroom battle.

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3. The Zizians: Linking Six Violent Deaths

a. Teresa Youngblood's Case

Teresa Youngblood, a 21-year-old from Seattle, disappeared in May 2024 but reappeared in Vermont just two weeks ago. She is now facing charges related to the fatal shooting of Border Patrol agent David Mayland during a traffic stop.

• Rich Shapiro, Investigative Reporter ([12:11]): "Teresa Youngblood disappeared... two weeks ago, Teresa suddenly reappeared in a Vermont courtroom."

b. Connections to Other Crimes

Rich Shapiro uncovers connections between Teresa and multiple violent deaths across three states, all tied to the enigmatic group known as the Zizians.

• Rich Shapiro ([15:50]): "Jack Lasota, who goes by ZY, is the common denominator in all of this."

c. Who Are the Zizians?

The Zizians are a mysterious group with unconventional beliefs, including the notion that each person has two minds—a good and a bad one—in constant conflict.

• Rich Shapiro ([17:09]): "Ziz is somewhat of an enigma... She attracts followers, many of whom are trans women, living communally."

The group, led by Jack Lasota (ZY), operates with strict ideologies and has been linked to several brutal crimes, including attempted murder and multiple homicides.

d. Key Individuals and Incidents

• Curtis Lind: Survivor of a brutal attack by Zizians in Vallejo, California, who was nearly killed by a samurai sword.

• Maximilian Snyder: Teresa's high school classmate, accused of killing Curtis Lind to prevent him from testifying.

• Rich Shapiro ([18:34]): "Maximilian Snyder killed Lind to prevent him from testifying."

e. Current Status and Ongoing Investigations

With hearings scheduled in both the California and Vermont cases, the investigation into the Zizians remains active and unresolved.

• Rich Shapiro ([19:44]): "There is actually a hearing in the California murder on Thursday and in Teresa's case in Vermont on Friday. So there'll be more to come soon."

---

4. Dateline Roundup

a. Natalie Cochran's Sentencing

Natalie Cochran, a West Virginia pharmacist convicted of poisoning her husband, Michael Cochran, recently faced sentencing. The jury swiftly sentenced her to life without the possibility of parole, reflecting the strength of the prosecution's case.

• Donna Cochran, Michael's Mother ([23:12]): "To this day, this vile being has shown no remorse..."
• Andrea Canning ([23:54]): "Natalie was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole."

b. Sean "Diddy" Combs' Indictment

Music mogul Sean Combs faces escalating charges in a sex trafficking and racketeering case. Recent indictments include new alleged victims and expanded timelines of his criminal activities.

• Jay Young, Producer ([24:24]): "Prosecutors in Manhattan federal court added two more alleged victims..."
• Andrea Canning ([24:53]): "He has denied them through his lawyer and is set to go to trial on May 5th."

c. Jay J. Lee's Case Update

The long-mysterious disappearance of 20-year-old Ole Miss student Jay J. Lee saw a breakthrough as human remains were discovered in Carroll County, Mississippi. DNA analysis confirmed the remains belong to Jay, providing closure to his family and potential new avenues for the investigation.

• Andrea Canning ([25:58]): "Local police and the Mississippi State Crime Lab confirmed via DNA analysis that the remains belong to Jay Lee."

d. JonBenet Ramsey Case Resurgence

The 1996 unsolved murder of six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey has resurfaced in the spotlight due to a new Netflix docuseries and advancements in DNA technology. John Ramsey, JonBenet's father, is advocating for re-examining the evidence using genetic genealogy to finally uncover the truth.

• Jessica De Vera, Producer ([27:21]): "John Ramsey wants to restore his family's reputation by finding JonBenet's killer."
• John Ramsey ([30:03]): "Unless DNA points to the killer, then their name will not be completely restored."

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5. Conclusion

This episode of Dateline NBC masterfully intertwines the high-stakes courtroom drama of the Monica Sementilli trial with the dark, intricate web of crimes connected to the Zizians. Through in-depth interviews, compelling audio evidence, and investigative reporting, Andrea Canning provides listeners with a comprehensive understanding of these complex cases, leaving them eagerly anticipating future developments.

---

Notable Quotes:

• Monica Sementilli ([04:24]): "This is the most emotional we've seen her since trial began. She was crying, dabbing her eyes."
• Chetna Joshi ([07:31]): "Monica had two teenage daughters to support. She didn't work herself."
• Donna Cochran ([23:12]): "To this day, this vile being has shown no remorse..."
• Rich Shapiro ([16:29]): "Ziz is somewhat of an enigma. She attracts followers, many of whom are trans women, living communally."

---

This detailed summary captures the essence of the Dateline NBC episode, highlighting key discussions, insights, and conclusions while providing a structured and engaging overview for listeners who have not tuned in.

Transcript

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[Unknown Speaker 1]

Hey, good morning.

[Andrea Canning]

Oh, good morning.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

It's another day at dateline headquarters in 30 Rockefeller Center.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

Okay, so let's jump in so you.

[Chetna Joshi]

Can get started on your day.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

You're listening in as our producers swap tips about breaking crime news, trial updates and stories that could become the next DATELINE episode.

[Rich Shapiro]

Still trying to get to the police.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Chief today, but the actual defendant completely proclaims his innocence.

[Andrea Canning]

I'm Andrea Canning and this is DATELINE True Crime Weekly. It's February 6th and here's what's on our docket. In Vermont, a group of young people called the Zizians is in the spotlight after two of them get in a deadly shootout with border guards. Investigators say the deaths aren't the only ones allegedly tied to the group.

[Rich Shapiro]

Teresa and the young woman who bought her the guns were in frequent contact with a third person who is a person of interest in another murder, this one in California.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

In DATELINE Roundup, prosecutors beef up their indictment against rap mogul Sean Combs. And emotions run high at the sentencing hearing for Natalie Cochran, the West Virginia pharmacist convicted of murdering her husband.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

To this day, this vile being has shown no remorse, none whatsoever.

[Andrea Canning]

Plus, the 1996 murder of six year old JonBenet Ramsey is making headlines again. We'll get you up to speed on what you might have missed. But first we're heading to a Los Angeles courtroom where the trial of a woman accused of conspiring to murder her celebrity hairstylist husband is finally underway.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Monica Sementilli's trial began last week with.

[Andrea Canning]

A gripping two day opening statement by the prosecution. She told the jury the case was a story of lust, greed and betrayal right out of a Hollywood movie with Monica at the center, you're gonna learn about her lies and and deception. You're going to hear about her extreme.

[Chetna Joshi]

Selfishness and ultimately the murder of Fabio.

[Andrea Canning]

Sementilli, her devoted husband of almost 20 years. The prosecution alleged that Monica and her lover, Robert Baker, plotted to kill Fabio so she could collect $1.6 million in life insurance money. The defense countered in their opening statement that it was Baker alone who was the mastermind. Robert Baker decided that he was going.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

To kill her husband. No reason that Monica would have wanted.

[Andrea Canning]

No motive and no interest, and that.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

It was Robert Baker who made that choice for her.

[Andrea Canning]

Baker has already pleaded no contest to the killing and is serving a sentence of life without parole. And this week, the prosecution started to present its evidence against Monica, playing audio for the jury pulled straight from investigators case files. DATELINE producer Chetna Joshi has been in the courtroom, and she is with us now to tell us what she saw and what she heard. Chetna, thanks so much for coming back.

[Chetna Joshi]

Hi.

[Andrea Canning]

So let's start where the prosecution did with the 911 call from the couple's teenage daughter, who found her father stabbed to death on the patio.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

This. It's tough to listen to. Chetna, what was the reaction like in court as it played? Did Monica show any emotion?

[Chetna Joshi]

Yeah, I would say she's. This is the most emotional we've seen her since trial began. She was crying, dabbing her eyes.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

And this audio has almost deeper meaning to it because the prosecution is alleging that it was actually part of Monica's plan for her daughter Isabella to arrive home first and discover the body.

[Chetna Joshi]

Right. The state has alleged that Monica, who had been shopping at the time when the murder happened, that Monica knew that Fabio was home alone at that time and that she had passed that information along to her lover, Robert Baker. The prosecution also said that during this time, she knew that Isabella was on her way home. And so Monica knew that Isabella would have been the one to find her dad dead.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Yeah. Which the prosecution believes is Monica establishing an alibi.

[Chetna Joshi]

Right? Yes.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

In court, prosecutors also played audio from Monica's first interview with police.

[Andrea Canning]

You came home and then you didn't know anything at that point, correct?

[Rich Shapiro]

No.

[Andrea Canning]

The garage door was open, and I said, oh, where he goes? Because they call you.

[Chetna Joshi]

Yeah.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Chetna, what stood out to you?

[Chetna Joshi]

Listening to this audio, Monica sounds very emotional. She sounds shocked. She sounds like she's hyperventilating and she sounds like she's sobbing. But on the stand, the original detective on the case testified that both him and his partner noticed that while she sounded like she was sobbing, there was.

[Andrea Canning]

Sobbing, there was visual.

[Unknown Speaker 4]

Accused of her being upset, But I did notice there were no tears.

[Chetna Joshi]

Now, on cross examination, that detective said it wasn't something that he had documented in his police report at the time. And so I think the defense was trying to point out that perhaps Monica was in such shock, so upset, so maybe she didn't cry and, you know, and people grieve differently.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

They also played in court several of the follow up calls Monica made to investigators. What did those recordings reveal?

[Chetna Joshi]

You'll recall that after the murder, the killers drive away in Fabio's Porsche. Christopher Austin and Robert Baker, those are the two murderers involved in this case. And the Porsche is found a couple days later, and detectives find blood in the Porsche and the DNA comes back to Robert Baker. They have this information probably a couple weeks into their investigation, but they don't tell Monica. But meanwhile, they're having these phone calls with Monica and she is asking about the DNA results.

[Andrea Canning]

Any of anything back with any DNA, anything. Well, again, that's evidence, so I can't discuss that. Victim, suspect, whatever.

[Chetna Joshi]

If you're looking at it through the prosecution lens, that could be suspicious that, you know, does she seem overly concerned about these results? But if you look at it through the defense lens, of course Monica would want to know because she wanted investigators to catch the killer. Right. But it was a very interesting point that the calls highlighted.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

There were even more recordings, Chetna, where Monica spoke with the detective about Fabio's life insurance claim being held up. And this is, of course significant because it cuts right to the heart of, you know, what the prosecutors say was the motive.

[Chetna Joshi]

Yeah. You can hear Monica raising to investigators that there's issues with her being able to get this insurance, life insurance payout.

[Andrea Canning]

If there's anything we can do to speed this up, I just don't.

[Commercial Announcer]

Because I don't know what's happening within.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

The next week to week here, day to day.

[Andrea Canning]

So does anything happen to please.

[Chetna Joshi]

And as the calls go on, it seems as if she's getting increasingly agitated that she can't get the payout.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Obviously, the prosecution is painting like a very vivid picture through their eyes that, you know, this is all about this life insurance and it's making her look really suspicious. But on the other hand, the defense could say, look, she needed the money for her family.

[Chetna Joshi]

Yeah. And I think that's a big point for the defense is that Monica had two teenage daughters to support. She didn't work herself. Naturally, you would be worried about how you're going to provide for your children.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

When the defense was given the chance to cross examine the detective. It got pretty tense. In part, the defense's questions focused on Robert Baker, who they contend of course was the only person responsible for planning the murder.

[Chetna Joshi]

Yeah. So the defense was saying that they knew that Robert Baker was the killer as early as February of 2017, yet they didn't arrest him and they let him walk around for another four months before he was arrested in June. And why would you do that?

[Commercial Announcer]

And during that period of time, Robert Baker, who you had every reason to believe was a cold blooded killer, was left on the street, Correct?

[Unknown Speaker 4]

Yes.

[Commercial Announcer]

The focus was on Monica Simmentilli at that time. Focus was on building a case, sir, against Monica Simmentilli.

[Unknown Speaker 4]

We wanted to find the truth of.

[Rich Shapiro]

What happened and I believe we did.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Chetna, wow, this is such a fascinating case all around. Thank you so much. I can't wait to have you back on and hear how this plays out going forward.

[Chetna Joshi]

Definitely good being with you.

[Andrea Canning]

Up next, investigators link the murders of an elderly man in California, a husband and wife in Pennsylvania, and the fatal shooting of a Vermont border guard to a group of young people called Zizians. Who exactly are they and what do they believe in?

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Andrea Canning]

Last May, 21 year old Teresa Youngblood disappeared. She'd graduated from the same private High school in Seattle, where Bill Gates and Paul Allen went. Then started working on a computer science degree. Her parents reported her missing to the police. Then two weeks ago, Teresa suddenly reappeared in a Vermont courtroom just one week.

[Rich Shapiro]

After 44 year old border Patrol agent David Mayland was shot and killed during a traffic stop in the Northeast Kingdom. One of the women involved in the gunfire that day, 21 year old Theresa.

[Andrea Canning]

Youngblood, is facing a judge because David Mayland was a federal agent. The killing made national news. And then reporters all over the country started connecting the shooting with other deaths.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Pennsylvania State Police just released new information. In the double murder of the one.

[Commercial Announcer]

That was shot dead and the other had three bullets.

[Andrea Canning]

That 22 year old was arrested and charged with murder. Six violent deaths across three different states connected to people Teresa associates with people who, like her, were part of a group some people who know them have called a death cult. NBC News investigative reporter Rich Shapiro has been trying to untangle the web of how these crimes connected. He's here to tell us what he's learned. Rich, thanks for coming on the podcast.

[Rich Shapiro]

Sure thing.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Let's start with what happened in Vermont in the middle of January.

[Rich Shapiro]

Yeah. So what we know from the criminal complaint filed against Teresa Youngblood is that on January 14, a hotel employee calls law enforcement to say that two people wearing black tactical gear and masks have checked in. One of them has a, quote, apparent firearm in an exposed carry holster. That's Theresa. Then law enforcement begins to surveil them. Days later, investigators are watching Teresa and the person with her, who we now know is Ophelia Buchholt, and they see Ophelia going to a Walmart. While Teresa waits in the car, Ophelia comes out with aluminum foil and while sitting in the passenger seat, wraps objects in the foil. That's something people do to prevent their cell phones from being tracked by law enforcement. A couple hours later, three Border Patrol cars with lights on pull over the Prius. Teresa gets out of the car and stands by the driver's side door. And then, according to the federal prosecutors in Vermont, Teresa drew her Glock and fired at least twice. Ophelia tried to draw her weapon but didn't fire. And at least one Border Patrol agent fired at least seven bullets. One of those agents was shot and died at the hospital. Ophelia was shot and pronounced dead at the scene. And Teresa was also shot but not killed.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Do we know then if Theresa is the one who killed the Border Patrol agent?

[Rich Shapiro]

We do not. At this point, Theresa is facing two counts. One is assault with A deadly weapon while resisting or interfering with federal law enforcement. And the other is a weapons charge.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

What did they find when they searched the car?

[Rich Shapiro]

They found quite a large collection of tactical gear that included two full face respirators, gas masks, essentially 48 rounds of hollow point ammunition. They also found Youngblood's journal.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Did the journal shed any light on why they had all this stuff?

[Rich Shapiro]

Not really. In a motion for detention that the federal prosecutor filed last week, the government says that she wrote in a cipher, a code. But they are using Teresa's associations to figure out what she and Ophelia may have been up to, more than what was in her journal. In the detention document, the prosecutor says that the guns Teresa and Ophelia had on them in the car were purchased by a person of interest in a double homicide that happened in Pennsylvania two years ago. And that Teresa and the woman who bought her the guns were in frequent contact with a third person who is a person of interest in another murder, this one in California.

[Andrea Canning]

And the name of that person of interest in the California case is sort of the key to unlocking how all these people connect. Right. A person by the name of Jack Lasota.

[Rich Shapiro]

Jack Lasota, who also goes by ZY. She uses female pronouns.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Is she the common denominator in all of this?

[Rich Shapiro]

Yeah. So it appears through a close read of the court documents that ZY was at the scene or had a connection to people who were involved in all of these crimes.

[Andrea Canning]

So what, Rich, have you learned about Ziz? Who is she? What is her background?

[Rich Shapiro]

Yeah, so Ziz is somewhat of an enigma. She's from Alaska. She got a degree in computer science. She is very, very serious about veganism. She used to operate her own blog where in one post, she asked someone if they were vegan by saying, do you consume the flesh of the innocent? She would only hire lawyers who are vegans. And she attracted followers, for lack of a better word. They lived communally in Vallejo, California. They were living on the property of an. Of an elderly man. And a number of these people, if not all, were trans women.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Are we talking about a cult here?

[Rich Shapiro]

So it kind of depends on who you ask. There are people in this community, folks in the Bay Area, who have come into contact with Ziz, and they describe Ziz as someone who is manipulative and preys on a certain type that being trans women, who are socially isolated and open to these kind of big ideas.

[Andrea Canning]

And you, of course, tried to reach Ziz to get her response to that, but didn't hear back. So what do her followers believe?

[Rich Shapiro]

The Lasota group who've come to be known as Zizians, they have some unusual beliefs, and the main one is that each human being is essentially made up of two people. They have two minds. Most people have one good and one bad, and these are in conflict with each other.

[Andrea Canning]

We don't know yet how these beliefs or if these beliefs played any role in what's happened or even why Theresa was driving around Vermont with a car packed full of tactical gear and ammo. We don't even know how Teresa met Ziz. But there is one more connection between her and Teresa we haven't talked about. Rich, you said earlier that Ziz is a person of interest in a California murder. Tell us about that.

[Rich Shapiro]

In 2022, Curtis Lind, who owned the property where Zy was living, survived a brutal attack by some of the Zizians. He was impaled with a samurai sword and lost an eye, but he survived. Ziz has not been charged in the attempted murder, but we know that she was at the scene. Curtis Lind, he shot at his attackers and one of them died. So the two surviving attackers were charged with attempted murder and aggravated mayhem. Curtis Lynd was going to be the star witness at their trial in April. Prosecutors say exactly when Teresa and Ophelia were driving around northern Vermont being watched by the police. Maximilian Snyder, Theresa's high school classmate, killed Lind to prevent him from testifying.

[Andrea Canning]

Snyder has yet to enter a plea in that case and prosecutors have not said why. Ziz is a person of interest in Vallejo. So where is Zyz? What do we know?

[Rich Shapiro]

We have no idea. Neither do her attorneys or other people I've spoken to who had previously been in contact with her.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Feels like it's far from over, Rich.

[Rich Shapiro]

There is actually a hearing in the California murder on Thursday and in Teresa's case in Vermont on Friday. So there'll be more to come soon.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

I think you'll have to come back and tell us what you learn. And our listeners can read your piece about this case and Ophelia in particular on nbcnews.com yes, thanks for having me on.

[Rich Shapiro]

I appreciate it.

[Andrea Canning]

Coming up, it's DATELINE roundup. We'll have the latest on the sex trafficking case against music legend Sean Combs. Plus, 30 years after the murder of six year old JonBenet Ramsey, the investigation gets new life. We'll take a look back to where it all began.

[Unknown Speaker 5]

A true crime story never really ends, even when a case is closed. The journey for those left behind is just beginning. Since our DATELINE story aired, Tracy has harnessed her outrage into a mission.

[Andrea Canning]

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

[Unknown Speaker 5]

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

[Andrea Canning]

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

[Unknown Speaker 5]

To listen to after the Verdict, subscribe to DATELINE Premium on Apple Podcasts, Spotify [e-mail] Hey, everybody. I'm Al Roker from the Today Show. Let's kickstart your wellness journey with the all new Start Today app. Everything you need for a healthier you.

[Andrea Canning]

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All levels, meal plans that are easy and delicious and so much more.

[Rich Shapiro]

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Our exercise experts will guide you every step of the way.

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Come on, let's do this.

[Unknown Speaker 5]

To subscribe, download start today from the App Store on your Apple device now. Terms apply. Cancel anytime through Apple under profile settings.

[Andrea Canning]

Every morning, we choose how to begin our day. I think about the people at home. They tune in because they are curious. They care about their world and they care about each other.

[Unknown Speaker 5]

There's always something new to learn, whether.

[Andrea Canning]

A new news event or a new recipe.

[Unknown Speaker 5]

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[Andrea Canning]

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[Unknown Speaker 2]

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[Andrea Canning]

We are today.

[Unknown Speaker 5]

Watch the TODAY show with Savannah Guthrie and Craig Melvin, weekdays at 7am on NBC.

[Andrea Canning]

Welcome back. Joining us for this week's DATELINE roundup is DATELINE producer Jay Young. Hey, Jay.

[Unknown Speaker 4]

Hey, Andrea.

[Unknown Speaker 5]

How are you?

[Andrea Canning]

Good. For our first story, we're headed to West Virginia for an update on the trial of Natalie Cochran. She is the West Virginia pharmacist accused of poisoning her husband, Michael Cochran. Jay, you've been following this story for years, and you were in the courtroom every day of this trial, which ended last week with a guilty verdict. So, Jay, what is new now?

[Unknown Speaker 4]

Well, there was a sentencing hearing and it was up to the jury to decide whether Natalie would get a life sentence without the possibility of parole or whether they would give her mercy where she could get parole after 15 years. There were some very emotional statements from family members, including Michael's mom, Donna, and his best friend, Chris.

[Commercial Announcer]

Mike was one of my best friends. He was a very strong man.

[Andrea Canning]

He's a good man. He loved his family. He took care of his family.

[Commercial Announcer]

He wasn't sick.

[Andrea Canning]

He wasn't ready to die.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

To this day, this vile being has showed no remorse, none whatsoever. We, along with our family and friends have sat quietly and graciously and painfully watched and listened as Michael's good name has been murdered time and time again by those who publicly defend this murderer. Is Michael Brandon resting in peace? I don't think so. We ask this court that Natalie Cochran be sentenced to life in the state prison for the rest of her natural life.

[Andrea Canning]

So what did the jury recommend?

[Unknown Speaker 4]

They came back and quickly. It took him not much more than an hour, which may be a clue into how strong the jury thought the prosecution's case was. And Natalie was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

[Andrea Canning]

For our next story, we've got updates in the case of Sean Diddy Combs, the music mogul who was indicted in September on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty. Jay, what's new in this?

[Unknown Speaker 4]

Last week, prosecutors in Manhattan federal court added two more alleged victims to the transportation to engage in prostitution charge. The new filing accuses Combs of dangling one of the alleged victims from an apartment balcony. The indictment also charges that Combs racketeering crimes began in 2004, not 2008, so four years earlier than previously thought and lasted until 2022.

[Andrea Canning]

Has Combs responded to these new accusations? Jay?

[Unknown Speaker 4]

Well, he has denied them through his lawyer. He's set to go to trial on May 5th.

[Andrea Canning]

For our last story, we've got an update on the case of Jimmy J. Lee, the 20 year old Ole Miss student who disappeared on July 8, 2022. Last fall we covered the trial of Sheldon Timothy Harrington Jr. A fellow Ole Miss student who prosecutors allege killed Lee to hide their romantic. Harrington has always denied any involvement in Jay Lee's death. The trial ended with a hung jury and a retrial date is supposed to be set soon.

[Unknown Speaker 4]

Yeah. One of the challenges for the prosecution in the trial was that this was a no body case. Jay Lee had been declared dead, but they didn't know where he was. Over the weekend, human remains were found in a remote area of Carroll County. Mississippi TODAY reported that the remains were found with a gold necklace that had the nameplate Jay Lee on it, which matches the necklace Jay Lee wore in pictures posted to social media up to two days before his disappearance.

[Andrea Canning]

So sad. On Wednesday, local police and the Mississippi State Crime Lab confirmed via DNA analysis that the remains belong to Jay Lee. Thank you so much, Jay, for these updates.

[Unknown Speaker 4]

Thanks, Andrew.

[Andrea Canning]

There is a murder case that has recently been making headlines on social media, the News TV morning show and here's what's amazing about that. The case is 30 years old, one.

[Rich Shapiro]

Of America's most notorious unsolved murders, the.

[Andrea Canning]

1996 case, now the subject of renewed interest on social media. You still have hope that this can be solved? I believe it can be solved. I'm talking, of course, about the unsolved murder of JonBenet Ramsey. She was just six years old when she was found strangled to death in her family's Colorado home.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

And for years her family lived with their grief, at times under suspicion themselves. Their daughter's death was a media sensation.

[Rich Shapiro]

Everyone in America is watching.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

But they never got closer to getting any answers until maybe now. My next guest, DATELINE producer Jessica De Vera, has been covering the story for more than a decade. She's here to bring us up to speed on the latest in the case and remind us of what we might have forgotten. Jessica, thanks for coming on the podcast.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Thank you so much for having me.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

So to start, as we mentioned, this case is nearly three decades old. Why is it making headlines again now?

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Netflix recently released a docu series called cold who killed JonBenet Ramsey? The little girl's father, John Ramsey, is featured in the docuseries which centers on his push for authorities to utilize advances in DNA technology to solve the case.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Last week, John met with the new Boulder police chief. He spoke to NBC News correspondent Stephanie Goss shortly afterwards.

[Andrea Canning]

They were just open to sincerely discuss the case. I was just very impressed with the caliber of the leadership now.

[Commercial Announcer]

And that gave me great hope.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

So take us back to those early days, Jessica. This case was an absolute media frenzy back in the 90s. I was working at the TV show Extra at the time. It was my first job. They covered the story every single night. This was something that everybody was talking about.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

That is correct. I think people were, you know, there's this little girl on the pageant stage.

[Andrea Canning]

My name is JonBenet Ramsey and I'm five and a half.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

And I think people were just really sort of transfixed with that image. And a year before JonBenet's murder, the O.J. simpson trial transfixed the country. Right. So when JonBenet's murder made headlines, everyone latched on.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

And there were so many bizarre clues, too. Like grabbed people's attention.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

That's right. Yes. Several details to this case that are that have always been very intriguing. Like this two and a half page ransom note found inside the Ramsey's home. The note demanded $118,000, which was very close to John Ramsey's bonus. That year. Handwriting experts were brought in to analyze the writing there was also the garrote, a loop of cord that was tied to a wooden handle that was used to strangle JonBenet. Some crime scene photographs were sold to tabloid newspapers. Reporters were hungry for the next big scoop. And of course, everyone wanted the big get and wanted to interview JonBenet's parents. Soon after JonBenet's murder, her parents sat down with CNN to say that an intruder had to have killed their daughter. There is a killer on the loose.

[Andrea Canning]

If I were a resident of Boulder.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

I will tell my friends to keep.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

Okay, keep your babies close to you.

[Andrea Canning]

There's someone out there.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

But then the public started to turn on them a little bit because word got out that they were not talking to the the police, but they were talking to the media.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

That is correct. According to the police, the parents were no longer speaking directly to them.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

The family was officially cleared in 2008. But John Ramsey told NBC's Stephanie Goss last week that he thinks the only way to restore his family's reputation is to find JonBenet's killer.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, the family has been through a lot, Right. And even though the district attorneys publicly announced that they were no longer under this cloud of suspicion, I think that they feel like unless DNA points to the killer, then their name will not be completely restored.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

So John Ramsey, as you said, Jessica, wants DNA evidence tested. What specifically is he talking about?

[Unknown Speaker 1]

So unknown DNA was found on several items from the crime scene, but a match has never been made. So he wants to have that further tested because there has been so much advancement in DNA technology, specifically genetic genealogy.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

The police chief said a cold case review board met in 2023 to go over the case. What happened with that?

[Unknown Speaker 1]

So the police chief had an independent group of investigators meet and they made several recommendations. They don't go into specifics because it is an open investigation still, but they have been telling the media and the public that they are following up on those recommendations.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

We will be keeping an eye on any developments.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Absolutely.

[Andrea Canning]

Thank you, Jessica.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Thank you so much for having me.

[Andrea Canning]

One more thing before we go. Monday was National Missing Persons Day. For more than 10 years now, our digital team has covered more than 500 cases in its Missing in America series. You might have heard some of them on our Missing in America podcast. Well, this week you can read about 88 year old myrtle Polk who vanished from her Dallas home in June 2024. To check out the article and see if you have any information that might help bring her home, head to nbcnews.com missinginamerica that's it for this episode of Dateline True Crime Weekly. Coming up this Friday on Dateline, Josh has an all new two hour epis episode. The murder of a beloved tech mogul stuns a city and sends investigators into a world of glamour, parties and rage.

[Rich Shapiro]

That is the most far out story I think I've ever heard in my life.

[Andrea Canning]

I think that there is something deeply disturbing about this person. Watch under the Bay Bridge airing this Friday at 9, 8 Central on NBC or stream it starting Saturday on Peacock.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Thanks for listening. Dateline True Crime Weekly is produced by Franny Kelly and Katie Ferguson. Our associate producers are Carson Cummins and Caroline Casey. Our senior producer is Liz Brown. Kuriloff production and fact checking help by Sara Kadir. Veronica Mazzeka is our digital producer. Rick Kwan is our sound designer. Original Music by Jesse McGinty. Bryson Barnes is head of audio production. Paul Ryan is executive producer and Liz Cole is senior executive producer of Dateline.

[Andrea Canning]

All right, thanks everybody.