Cut, Color, Kill | 3. Award-Winning Performance

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The Binge Crimes: Cut, Color, Kill

Episode 3: Award-Winning Performance

Date: May 15, 2026
Host: Jonathan Hirsch
Producer: Sony Music Entertainment

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Episode Overview

In this gripping episode, host Jonathan Hirsch unpacks the twists and turns following the murder of celebrated hairdresser Fabio Sementilli. The focus shifts from the initial shock and grief to a meticulous investigation, shining a spotlight on Monica Sementilli, Fabio’s widow, and her secretive affair with Rob Baker—a racquetball coach with a dark past. As the police unravel hidden facets of Monica's life, an intricate web of deception comes to light, with high-stakes surveillance, lies, and a looming insurance payout all playing crucial roles. The episode explores not just the mechanics of the investigation but the emotional fallout for Fabio's family and friends, all while Monica maintains a carefully curated public persona.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Investigation Intensifies

• Police Re-interview Monica: Detectives re-examine Monica’s timeline and her version of events on the day of Fabio’s murder.

  • [01:31] Detective Parshall: “So you weren’t followed home from anywhere? From shopping or. I think you said you went to the gym that day?”
  • Monica: “Yeah, me and my daughter went to the gym. I don’t think I’m being followed.”

• DNA Breakthrough: Robert Baker’s DNA is discovered in Fabio’s car, propelling him to prime suspect status.

  • [06:14] Luigi (Fabio’s son): “The uncertainty of having the truth of the matter kind of held above our heads, above the clouds is a form of agony in itself.”
  • [06:48] Detective Verna: “It creates a snowball of work, right? So we get that and boom, we’re pulling up rap sheets…”

2. Robert Baker’s Background

• Baker’s Troubling Past: Details unfurl about Baker’s criminal history, including convictions for sex offenses and a stint in the adult entertainment industry.

  • [07:35] Detective Verna: “He’s been arrested for sex offenses with a minor…just all sorts of…it's like it’s pouring in.”

• Surveillance Begins: LAPD’s gang field unit sets up thorough surveillance—including GPS tracking—on Baker.

  • [09:07] “They start tailing Rob Baker all over the city, physically following him in his vehicles, and also installing GPS tracking devices…”

3. Monica Under the Microscope

• Monica and Baker’s Affair Exposed: Surveillance links Monica and Baker—seen together at bars, clubs, and eventually on an intimate trip to Las Vegas.

  • [09:38] “We have Rob Baker and he just picked up Monica Sementilli. So that is kind of mind blowing.”

• Contradictory Accounts: Monica downplays and lies about her connection to Baker when questioned by detectives.

  • [14:50] Monica: “I think it’s Baker”—suggesting only vague familiarity.
  • Surveillance teams counter this, documenting extensive interaction and intimacy.

• Jessica, Monica’s Daughter, Contradicts Her: Monica says Baker never stayed over; Jessica reports otherwise.

  • [17:22] Detective Verna: “Jessica told us that Rob Baker had actually stayed in the house one night, found Rob Baker in Monica’s bed...”

• Friends and Public Persona: Monica maintains the image of a grieving widow online, but surveillance and friends' observations tell a different story.

  • [20:00] Carol Potat: “She kept saying that the police is keeping her in the dark...we all fell for her really, really bad.”

4. The Insurance and Motive

• Monica Pushes for Life Insurance Payout: Persistent calls to police reveal Monica’s eagerness for financial closure.

  • [26:43] Monica: “I just got a text two days ago from Fabio’s HR team…has to do with insurance or something.”
  • [28:36] Deputy DA Beth Silverman: “It became very clear that she was, from day one, interested in obtaining the insurance proceeds from Fabio’s murder.”

• Detectives’ Strategic Deception: Police send Monica a fake email about her insurance approval to stall her and buy investigative time.

  • [34:48] Detective Verna: “The insurance money is coming through…should be hitting the insurance agency in the next day.”
    Narrator: “But there will be no sign off...This email Monica has been so desperate for is all a ruse.”

• Potential Motive: Lust & Greed

  • [29:11] Silverman: “Lust and greed are classically strong motivators in these types of conspiracies...combining that with numerous lies, we strongly suspected that she played a key role in creating a timeline and communicating that to her lover…”

5. Award-Winning Performance—In Life and On Stage

• Monica’s “Oscar-worthy” Public Act: Friends note Monica’s pride in manipulating circumstances and playing the mourning widow after trading in Fabio’s car.
  • [32:00] “She had played the grieving widow…And one thing that is seared in my memory forever, she said, ‘You would have been so proud of me. I gave an award-winning performance…’”
• The Mirror Awards: Monica steps into the literal spotlight, collecting a lifetime achievement award on behalf of Fabio, all while under police scrutiny.
  • [33:46] Monica on stage: “How lucky am I to have lived the greatest love story of all time? A story that people only read about, a story that movies are made of.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Luigi’s Pain & Suspicion:
  • [06:14] “The uncertainty of not knowing, the uncertainty of having the truth of the matter kind of held above our heads, above the clouds is a form of agony in itself.” (Luigi)
• Detectives React to Monica’s Lies:
  • [17:41] “This is not a good look for Monica...Did she think her daughter wouldn’t remember the racquetball coach waking up in her mom’s bed?” (Host)
• Silverman on Motive:
  • [29:11] “Lust and greed are classically strong motivators in these types of conspiracies...We strongly suspected that she played a key role.”
• Monica’s Self-Praise:
  • [32:00] “‘You would have been so proud of me. I gave an award-winning performance and I’m like, why would I be...?’” (Carol recalling Monica)
• On the Digital Evidence Gap:
  • [30:09] “We knew that we were going to need to have access to their phones.” (Silverman)
  • [30:16] “If you talk to a good defense attorney, they’ll tell you that circumstantial evidence is bullshit.” (Detective Verna)

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Key Timestamps

• 01:03–04:15 — Detectives check in with Monica; she reviews timeline.
• 05:19–06:31 — Luigi describes his emotional aftermath and the agony of uncertainty.
• 06:31–08:24 — DNA links Robert Baker; Baker’s criminal history is revealed.
• 08:24–09:07 — Surveillance set up on Baker.
• 09:38–09:49 — Detectives realize Monica is meeting Baker.
• 11:21–18:21 — Detectives’ “walkthrough” with Monica; she lies about her relationship with Baker; her daughter contradicts her.
• 20:00–22:06 — Monica’s duplicity with friends; the Vegas “girls trip” is a ruse.
• 23:00–24:10 — DA Beth Silverman enters; digital forensics ramp up.
• 26:43–28:36 — Monica presses for insurance payout; detectives stall her.
• 29:11–30:09 — Silverman theorizes about Monica’s motive and need for phone evidence.
• 31:22–33:46 — Monica’s “award-winning performance,” both at home and accepting the posthumous award for Fabio.
• 34:48–End — Police send staged insurance email to Monica; preparing for their move.

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Tone & Language

The episode delivers its revelations in a style that is empathetic, measured, and suspenseful. Jonathan Hirsch’s narration blends investigative rigor with human drama, highlighting both procedural detail and the personal impact on those involved. Law enforcement and DA voices are crisp and direct. Monica’s words, in contrast, often ring with practiced sorrow and calculated charm—an “award-winning performance” indeed.

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Conclusion

Award-Winning Performance uncovers a pivotal chapter in the Sementilli investigation: the unraveling of Monica’s duplicity, her relationship with the prime suspect, and the investigators’ race to secure hard digital evidence. The episode is punctuated by Monica’s dramatic public performances of grief even as she pursues new love and financial benefit, leaving friends, family, and police questioning how far her deception goes.

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Next time: An audacious undercover sting promises to yield new truths as detectives prepare to bring their case into the open.

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Transcript

[A]

If you want a deeper look behind Cut Color Kill, now is the time. Join our free [e-mail] thebinge and you will get exclusive story details you can't get anywhere else. Again, join [e-mail] thebinge listen to every episode of cut color kill ad free right now when you subscribe and to the Binge, you'll hear the entire series before anyone else. Get exclusive bonus episodes and unlock more than 60 other true crime podcasts. Just head to the Binge channel on Apple Podcasts and tap subscribe or visit getthebinge.com to listen wherever you are. The Binge feed your true crime obsession. The binge.

[B]

Hello?

[C]

Hi, Monica. This is Detective Parchell.

[B]

Hi, Detective.

[C]

How you doing?

[B]

Terrible. How's it going?

[A]

It's been a month since Fabia was killed. Monica is keeping busy, seeing folks from Wella from time to time, trying to figure out how she will support herself and the girls now that her husband's gone. But there's no news on Fabio's killers, just endless replaying of the details. Detective Jean Parshall calls Monica to check in.

[C]

So you weren't followed home from anywhere? From shopping or. I think you said you went to the gym that day?

[B]

Yeah, me and my daughter went to the gym. I don't think I'm being followed.

[A]

The detectives are going over every angle. Pershal asks Monica to walk him through the day of the murder. Again, was there anything out of the ordinary?

[C]

What gym did you go to?

[B]

At least? Fitness.

[C]

Is there any, like, thugs that hang out there at the gym at all, or. No. Well, no, not.

[B]

It's pretty safe. Not that we noticed.

[C]

Right. Yeah. No bombshell news to give you or anything like that. You know, that area over there has been hit by a lot of burglary crews. So we got. We got.

[B]

Yeah, but not murders.

[A]

No, but Monica is anxious. There's still no leads.

[B]

I have so many family and friends telling us to get a private detective. Should I.

[C]

No, no. We'll be able to get this, I think. So we got an angle on a couple different crews that are working burglaries in the area that we're trying to get into. Keep that under your hat, though. Of course.

[B]

Okay. Any luck? Anything back with any DNA? Anything?

[C]

Well, again, the car, that's evidence, so I can't discuss that. You know, I don't know if we have. Victim, suspect, What?

[A]

That's evidence. He says can't discuss that. Evidence that Robert Baker's DNA was all over Fabio's Car.

[C]

We got some good stuff that we're looking at. I can't go into details. This is nowhere near being considered anything like a cold case. I think we're going to get this thing done for sure.

[A]

Prasal is on a bit of a fishing expedition here. He knows by now that Robert Baker is involved, but is pretty sure he didn't act alone. There were two joggers in hoodies caught on the neighborhood cameras running towards the house. And until they get to the bottom of this, the detectives are keeping the family in the dark.

[C]

Maybe tomorrow my partner and I could come by and. I just wanted to do a walkthrough with you and Jessica separately. You know, just where you guys went, what you saw, what you did, stuff like that. Just to get a better idea the sequence of events. So are you available tomorrow? Like what, what time are you up? You guys up and up and away

[B]

tomorrow by, oh, 7:38am My cleaning way is going to be here tomorrow anyway, so we'll be.

[C]

I'll be up while we plan on 8 o'. Clock. Okay, so let's plan on 8 o'.

[B]

Clock.

[C]

Unless something comes up on our end. I'll give you a call. But 8 o' clock should work for us.

[B]

Okay, thank you.

[C]

Okay, thanks, Marca.

[B]

All right. Bye.

[C]

Bye.

[A]

The detective hangs up they'll meet tomorrow. Go over the timeline again, walk through the steps. That's all there is to it. Except the detective isn't showing Monica all his cards and neither is she

[C]

from

[A]

Sony Music Entertainment and Novel. This is Cut, Color Kill. I'm Jonathan Hirsch. Episode 3 A War Winning Performance.

[D]

I remember moving into my first apartment after it happened. And the first thing I did was go to the hardware store and got two or three different kinds of deadbolts to install on the door. Thinking irrationally that I had to do this to protect myself in some way.

[A]

Luigi flew back to Toronto after his dad's wake. He hadn't heard much from the police after that, and the reality of his father's death affected him in surprising ways.

[D]

I developed a sense of awful hypervigilance, always feeling unsafe, feeling like I had to look over my shoulder. Depression was coming and going and then would hit pretty hard not long after. I remember taking a semester off school and really not doing much else other than trying to find comfort in whatever distraction I could possibly muster for me, not dealing with it correctly at first. That involved a lot of binging, television, video games and food.

[A]

He wants to believe that the police have the investigation under control. But as the Days go by. The weight of the unknown weighs heavy on him.

[D]

The uncertainty of not knowing, the uncertainty of having the truth of the matter kind of held above our heads, above the clouds is a form of agony in itself.

[A]

Little did they know a major breakthrough had already happened. Detectives were beginning to piece it all together. Detective Ryan Verna saw the discovery of Robert Baker's DNA as a first step. They've got a name and turns out he's got a record.

[E]

It creates a snowball of work, right? So we get that and boom, we're pulling up rap sheets, we're pulling up images of this person, we're pulling up any kind of open source information about where this guy might work, where he lives, everything, right?

[A]

There's a lot to know about Robert Baker. He was born in Germany as an only child. His dad was in the US army, so they moved all over. But he spent most of his childhood in North Carolina. When Baker grew up, he went into the army as well. He served as a staff sergeant and moved to California. Now he lives a short drive from the Cementilli home in Woodland Hills on a street called Independence Avenue. He works at the local LA Fitness as a racquetball coach. Where the Cementilles go. But there's more.

[E]

We find out that, you know, he's been arrested for sex offenses with a minor. We, you know, just all sorts of. It's like it's pouring in.

[A]

In 1993, Baker was convicted of six different counts of sex crimes with a minor. The victim was 14 at the time. Baker was 31. He became a registered sex offender and was discharged from the military under other than honorable conditions. After he got out of prison around 1997, Baker went into the adult entertainment industry. He started acting in porn films, including with the victim of his crimes. Baker then moved into the talent management side of the porn industry. This was his job until about 2015 when he started working at the gym. And all this is how his DNA ended up on the police database.

[E]

Okay, so what do we need to do now? Right, well, we need to get surveillance up on this guy. We need to find out, you know, who he is, where he is, what he's doing, when he drives, everything. So we have a unit that we've worked with a lot, it's called the gang field unit. And essentially their job is surveillance.

[A]

The gang field unit are used to working LA's toughest crimes, not gym coaches suspected of murder. But Ryan knows them from years of investigating gang related murders, so he knows he can trust them with a case. Like this, where secrecy is crucial.

[E]

We get a hold of them and give them the lowdown on the case, they're like, yeah, we're in. How can we help?

[A]

The unit moves fast. They obtain warrants to track Baker. They cannot let him out of their sights.

[E]

They start tailing Rob Baker all over the city, physically following him in his vehicles, and also installing GPS tracking devices on his vehicle so that he can be monitored remotely. They know where the vehicle is going to be and most likely where he's going to be. Right.

[A]

On the 19th of February, five days after the DNA hit, the surveillance team follow Baker to a sports bar called the Parlor. It's decorated a bit like a men's club, all wood and leather. And Baker is not on his own. Ryan Verna gets a call.

[E]

It was just like. You're not going to believe this. We have Rob Baker and he just picked up Monica Simmentilli. So that is kind of mind blowing.

[A]

What the hell is Monica doing with the cop's number one suspect? A drink with a friend from the gym or something more? What they did to your family. You're lucky to make it out alive. Streaming on Peacock.

[F]

These men are going to come after me. Taking them out. It's my only chance.

[A]

Put a bullet in her head. From the co. Creator of Ozark.

[F]

Looks like a family was running drugs execution style.

[A]

Killing its breath. The keys. Any leads on who they might have been running for?

[G]

The cartel killed my family.

[A]

I'm gonna kill them.

[F]

All of them.

[D]

MIA Streaming now only on Peacock.

[H]

You thought this was your run club era. Turns out it was more of a thinking about Run club era. The good news? Someone's marathon training is about to start. Sell your workout gear on Depop. Just snap a few photos and we'll take care of the rest. They get their race day fit and you get a payout for trying. Someone on Depop wants what you've got. Start selling now, Depop. Where taste recognizes taste.

[A]

Mm.

[E]

You.

[A]

Awesome.

[E]

Yep.

[A]

On the 21st of February, Detective Gene Pershall and Detective Ryan Verna pull up at the Cementilly residence in Woodland Hills. It's 8:00am

[B]

Hello?

[E]

Hello, is this Monica?

[A]

Yes.

[E]

Hi, Monica. It's Detective Verna and Detective Parshel.

[B]

Oh, yes. I'm gonna open the gate.

[E]

Thank you.

[A]

It's all just as Detective Parshall told Monica on the phone the day before. They want her to walk them through the house, tell them what she did on the day of Fabio's murder. Good morning, but this is not the. Can you refresh my Memory kind of meeting. Monica is being. Being led to believe. The detectives are looking at Monica with new eyes. And Ryan Verna knows exactly what he wants from this morning.

[E]

We wanted to nail her down with more statements. We wanted to find out what was really going on and kind of delve a little deeper into Rob Baker. And what was all going on. We had recorders going the entire time. I just put it in my pocket and we recorded the entire encounter.

[A]

Myrna and Pershal have Monica retrace the path of the crime scene from when Monica first noticed Fabio's Porsche wasn't in the garage.

[I]

Oh, Bella's already home. I pulled in and I saw the garage open, but his car wasn't here.

[C]

Okay.

[I]

So I walked out. I walked into.

[A]

On the day of the murder, the DVR in the garage was removed. The wires could be seen sticking out of the wall when Ryan Verna walked the crime scene. It's a vital piece of evidence. There could be footage of the murderers stored on the cloud. They need Monica to help them access it.

[I]

I checked everywhere. There was no papers of that stupid DVR thing. I checked every cover and I checked all these areas.

[B]

There's nothing.

[E]

Did you guys get a new DVR yet?

[I]

No, but State Farm's going to command. They're going to replace all these things.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

The detectives continue their walk through to the patio where Fabio was found bleeding out.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Sorry to relive this with you, but

[I]

we visit it every day.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

He was. You saw Fabio here?

[I]

Yeah, on the. Already, like, on the ground.

[A]

The detectives ask Monica to go back over the details of that night. The ransacked bedroom, the jewelry and cash that went missing, the blood that was found at the scene of the crime. It's all so relaxed. They're just here to find out if anyone's driven Fabio's car, if anyone's been hanging around the house. No names, no accusations. Then they get to the real reason they're here. They want to know the same thing I do. You do? What's going on with the Rocketball coach?

[E]

We just casually ask, hey, you know anybody else that's, you know, involved in your life that, you know we don't know about? And then who else is part of that?

[A]

Through the gym friends.

[I]

Oh, my gosh.

[B]

Yeah.

[I]

All my gym friends.

[A]

The detectives steer the conversation to Monica's friends from the gym.

[E]

Elise is your best.

[I]

Well, she's one of Elise. There's Faye.

[A]

Okay.

[E]

She starts naming off some of these female names, and she goes, faye and, you know, a few other People. So prior to Fabio's death.

[A]

Yeah. The only gym friends that have been to your house are who?

[I]

Paul, the Elise and Faye.

[A]

Okay.

[E]

We're hoping not to lead her into the fact that we're looking at Rob. Right? We're looking at everybody.

[I]

Let's see, guys, Anchor Paula Rob. He's our lead director for racquetball. I was in a racquetball.

[E]

But what's Rob's last name?

[I]

I think it's Baker.

[A]

Monica says she thinks Rob's last name is Baker. But the detectives have been watching her for the past week, and they can see that she knows a lot more about Baker than just his last name. Since the night the LAPD first spotted Monica and Robert Baker out together, a team of plain clothes surveillance officers have been tailing them, noting down their every move.

[E]

They're going to Hollywood. They're going to comedy clubs and bars and restaurants. They're having the time of their life. It's like they're out there dating. It's more than just a friendship. There is a sexual relationship going on. They're seen caressing each other, kissing each other.

[A]

The detectives were getting a picture of Monica that couldn't be more different to the woman they've been interviewing with her

[E]

family and with her friends. She's this, you know, mourning widow and can barely function and not wearing makeup and barely getting out of bed, and boom, she's out at nightclubs.

[A]

I'm not here to judge anyone's grief. Go out, Let off steam. Everyone has their way of grieving. And yes, Monica has always been glamorous. She's immaculately turned out on Fabio's arm in every photo I've seen of them. But the Monica detectives are watching is something else. She's ultra confident, overtly sexual.

[E]

There were times that they were out in Hollywood where they were followed into a bar, like some sort of dive bar. And, you know, Monica comes back out by herself, and she's basically feeling up the bouncer who's outside touching his inner thigh and kissing him. So, yeah, weird, like, you know, odd behavior. But it didn't appear that Rob Baker had an issue with this. So before Fabio's death, had Sheila had never been here?

[F]

No.

[A]

Had Paula ever been there?

[I]

No.

[A]

Had Bob ever been here?

[E]

No, never been here before.

[C]

Fabulous.

[A]

Monica tells the detectives that only a couple of her gym friends have been to her house. Rob, this guy she can't remember the last name of, has never stepped foot on the property prior to Fabio's murder. They had been here before.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, okay.

[E]

So out of all those, you said just Elise and Fay had been here?

[I]

Yeah, as far as I can remember.

[A]

That's another red flag, because that same visit, Ryan and Jean interviewed Jessica, one of Monica's daughters, too, and she tells a very different story.

[E]

Jessica told us that Rob Baker had actually stayed in the house one night, found Rob Baker in Monica's bed, that he had basically had too much to drink. And I don't know if he passed out, but he'd gotten sick that night and so was allowed to stay in Monica's bed. That was the story. So that was of interest.

[A]

Right.

[E]

It's a direct connection to the house where the murder happened, that Rob had been there.

[A]

This is not a good look for Monica. The detectives now have proof that she's lying to them about her relationship with Baker, and now they have reason to believe he's even been in the house. It's kind of baffling. Did she think her daughter wouldn't remember the racquetball coach waking up in her mom's bed? That's a detail that might seem important after a murder and that it wouldn't seem just a bit strange that she can't remember his name, but her daughter sure can. The detectives are thinking the same thing, but they don't want to push their luck.

[E]

It's a balancing act at this point, right? You don't ask the wrong questions or press too hard.

[A]

For now, they've got what they came for, but it's going to open up a whole bunch of new questions.

[C]

All right, I think that's. I think that's good for now.

[A]

All right, take care.

[I]

Thank you.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

The detectives drive away from Woodland Hills, mulling over what they've learned. They've caught Monica and a lie, but they don't yet know how far the deception goes. Monica would have every reason to lie, to cover up her affair. If this thing with Baker came out, especially right now, it'd be more than just a scandal. It would devastate her grieving family and Fabio's. That might be all there is to it. And that's exactly what the detectives have to figure out.

[E]

I think there's two options, right? Either Rob Baker acted alone, or potentially that Monica is involved. And getting to a point where you can answer those questions is difficult. Very difficult.

[A]

Winter in Los Angeles gives way to spring. The hillsides are greener. The cold nights begin to warm up. The dry breeze loses its bite, and the detectives bide their time. They keep stringing Monica along with vague updates about the burglary investigation.

[J]

She kept saying, saying that the police is keeping her in the dark. She doesn't know anything. She was kind of mad, kind of mad at them.

[A]

By now, we know why the cops aren't telling Monica much. They aren't sure whether she was involved in the murder plot. But Fabio's beloved friends, friends like Carol Potat, they're worried about Fabio's widow. Monica's been posting a lot on Insta about how hard she's finding things, how

[J]

Fabio was the love of her life and, you know, it'll never be the same without him. And all of these things. We all fell for her really, really bad. Like, what can we do to make her feel better?

[A]

This much we know was an act, a performance because she was spending nights out on the town having a blast and having a torrid affair. She wasn't sitting home mourning the love of her life. One day in March, Carol is at the office when she gets a call from Monica.

[J]

Hey, I'm planning a weekend with my girlfriends to Vegas. Do you think I could potentially get a deal or a comped room or a discount or something?

[A]

The Wella team have connections in Vegas because of the big hair shows they run there. Carol is only too happy to help.

[J]

Vegas wouldn't be my choice, but if that's what she wants to do, great. You know, it's good that she's maybe coming out of it a little bit. Let's contact Melanie and I'm sure she'll have a way to give you a Good deal.

[A]

On March 23rd, the LAPD surveillance team receives an alert. Monica's in Vegas at the Vidara Hotel, a huge five star skyscraper on the center of the Strip. For her girl's weekend, the detectives obtain surveillance footage from the hotel. Monica isn't there on a girls trip. She's on a wild weekend away with Robert Baker. Monica isn't just lying to the police. She's also deceiving her friends and family. And the surveillance reveals just how intense this affair is.

[G]

This wasn't a woman who was grieving, but rather involved in a very intense sexual relationship, not just with Baker, but with numerous third parties that they were swinging with.

[A]

In the LA County DA's office, Deputy DA Beth Silverman is getting across the case.

[G]

The daughters were being left at home alone at night while she would go out, which was extremely bizarre behavior for someone who had been married for almost 20 years.

[A]

Silverman has prosecuted crimes for LA county since the the mid-90s. And she's a formidable presence because she's not just any prosecutor.

[G]

The typical cases that I've handled here in the Major Crimes Division for the most part have been cold cases, and most of them involving serial killers.

[A]

According to LA Magazine, her nickname is the Sniper because she's never lost a murder case. The summer before Fabio's death in 2016, she was lead prosecutor in the trial of Lonnie Franklin, a serial killer known as the Grim Sleeper. He was convicted of murdering 10 women and attempting to murder another. Silverman argued forcefully in court that Franklin should face the death penalty. The judge and jury agreed. Silverman got the Cementilli case in February. She'll be the one who has to make the call on whether to file charges. So detectives Verna Pershal and their team want Silverman's opinion on their evidence.

[E]

We don't want to arrest them early on and have the prosecutor go, yeah, you guys don't have enough right?

[A]

The detectives run Silverman through what they've got so far. There's the surveillance and the DNA. They've also launched a major digital forensic investigation into Monica and Rob.

[G]

They were already looking into things like backup data, like iClouds and Dropboxes and email accounts, and a lot of subpoenas were being issued. A lot of search warrants were being written.

[A]

Silverman assesses the case for Robert Baker. They already have a lot to work with. The blood at the crime scene tells a tale of Baker's movements on the night of the murder.

[G]

He had cut his finger during the attack on Fabio and tracked Fabio's blood from the bottom of his shoes into Fabio's body Porsche, as well as leaving behind his own blood inside the Porsche. Based on that and his relationship with Monica Semantili, we believed we had sufficient evidence to charge him in February.

[A]

But now Rob Baker isn't the only suspect. A new department, the Robbery Homicide Division, is being brought onto the case. More manpower and more special resources, all trained on Monica.

[F]

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[A]

Zootopia 2 has come home to Disney. Let's go get ready for a new case.

[F]

We're going to Crack this case and prove we're victorious partners of all time.

[A]

New friends. You are Gary the Snake. And your last name the snake. Dream team.

[B]

Hindu habitats Zootopia has a secret reptile. Pretty population.

[C]

You can watch the record breaking phenomenon at home.

[E]

You're clearly working at Zootopia 2.

[A]

Now available on Disney Plus. Rated PG.

[B]

Hello?

[C]

Hi, Monica. Yes, Hi, this Detective Parell.

[B]

Oh, hi. How are you? You haven't called me back in so long.

[A]

Behind the scenes, the investigation team is growing. But Detective Parshal is still the point of contact for Monica and she is desperate for updates.

[B]

What can you tell me? I'm sick here. I just need some know that you're. Something's going on, that you're. You're working on something.

[C]

Definitely are working on some stuff. Definitely working some stuff.

[A]

Monica isn't only interested in the investigation. There's also something else on her mind.

[B]

I just got a text two days ago from Fabio's HR team and they said if I could follow up with LAPD because they're waiting for some confirmation. I don't know if anything came across your desk. I think it has to do with insurance or something.

[C]

Are you talking like a life insurance policy?

[B]

Yeah, like his work insurance.

[A]

As part of his package at Wella. Fabio Sementilli had a life insurance policy. It's a policy of 1.6 million split between the kids and Monica. But she hasn't received her portion of it yet.

[B]

They just want confirmation. They need to hear from the lapd. I don't even know.

[C]

Yeah, they can call me.

[E]

Life insurance will contact us to make sure that the people that the money is getting released to aren't involved or being suspected of being involved in the case. So we obviously couldn't tell the life insurance company to release the funds knowing that she potentially could be involved. But we couldn't tell her that.

[A]

Verna and Parshal can't afford to let Monica know that she's a suspect.

[E]

I don't like lying as a person. I don't do it routinely. But in this job there's times where you kind of have to. You just. You don't have an option. You gotta hold your cards close to the vest.

[A]

So Detective Pershal keeps making excuses.

[B]

MetLife called me this morning already saying that there's only one last confirmation they need. I guess they knew that in writing. I don't even know that's the problem.

[C]

Like I told them what my opinion was on this thing, but they. They wanted something in writing and that's that's what the department is, is resisting at this point.

[A]

Monica is not happy. She starts getting agitated about the delays.

[B]

Oh, God, this is ridiculous. I don't. I don't even know what else. I don't know what else to do. I just don't know what to do. I don't want to say I don't know what to do.

[A]

Over at the LA County DA's office, Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman finds all of this very interesting.

[G]

We started issuing subpoenas for insurance policies and financial records. It became very clear that she was, from day one, interested in obtaining the insurance proceeds from Fabio's murder.

[B]

There's anything we can do to speed this up? I just don't. Because I don't know what's happening within the next week to week here, day to day. If anything we can do, please.

[A]

Beth Silverman, the sniper, has seen all of this before.

[G]

Lust and greed are classically strong motivators in these types of conspiracies. It's a very classic and very bold motive when you combine that with numerous lies she told about Baker, her relationship with him, not even knowing his last name, name. We strongly suspected that she played a key role in creating a timeline and communicating that to her lover and whoever the third party was in order to be able to have access to her husband.

[A]

This is huge. If Beth Silverman is right, Monica may be in a conspiracy to commit murder. But there's at least one crucial piece of the puzzle that the investigators still don't have.

[G]

We knew that we were going to need to have access to their phones.

[A]

What they have up until now is just circumstantial. Sure, it looks bad, but they need more.

[E]

If you talk to a good defense attorney, they'll tell you that circumstantial evidence is bullshit.

[A]

The team need digital forensics all over this, combing their phones for hard proof that Monica is pulling the strings. And to access those phones, they're going to need to bring the investigation out into the open. They're going to need to arrest Monica and Robert. But if the investigators make a move too soon, they could blow the whole case. Detective Vernon knows the moment they let the two suspects know they're under investigation, they'll change their behavior. They'll go to ground.

[E]

There's no more communication. There's no more meetings. There's no more anything. It's done.

[A]

While the cops are preparing to close in, Fabio's family and friends are still completely oblivious to the game of cat and mouse. It's playing out. Fabio's Work friends are organizing a tribute to him at the upcoming Trend Vision Awards. Well, as annual hairdressing competition, Carol Portaut and Melanie Garibet head over to the Woodland Hills house to visit Monica.

[G]

We wanted her to do a memorial presentation and we kind of outlined what we wanted her to do at the show. So she's like, I want to come up. I want to have the girls come up. I'm like, okay, well, I'll script it out. And you know, just great.

[J]

She was a little bit dismissive and it's like, yeah, that sounds great. Okay. Yeah, you guys got it. That looks really good. That's awesome. And then she proceeded to take us to the garage to show her a brand new car that she just had gotten.

[A]

It's a sleek black top of the line Ford Mustang gt. Monica says she's traded in Fabio's old truck for it and it was a lot of effort.

[J]

Apparently. She had gone to the dealership so many times and they wouldn't hear it, they wouldn't work. But she had played the grieving widow and because of that got them to take the truck back and give her that car instead. And one thing that is seared in my memory forever, she said, you would have been so proud of me. I gave an award winning performance and I'm like, why would I be. That was my question. Like, why would I be proud of you? It was weird. It was very weird.

[A]

If Monica thought that performance was award winning, it's nothing compared to what she does next. On 11 June, the investigators are planning to make their move and Monica is in Toronto at the Mirror Awards. It's basically the Oscars of Canadian hairdressing. And Monica is certainly dressed for the occasion. She glides onto the stage in a dramatic one shoulder evening gown covered in flowers. The layers of chiffon shimmer in the spotlight alongside her. Hairdressers and models line the stage. They're all friends and former colleagues who worked with and loved Fabio. Each one of them has recreated an iconic look from across Fabio's career as a tribute to him. Center stage, Monica steps up to the podium. She's here to collect a posthumous lifetime achievement award on Fabio's behalf. As she gives a speech, tears stream down her face.

[I]

How lucky am I to have lived the greatest love story of all time? A story that people only read about, A story that movies are made of.

[A]

Thank you so much. It's hard to read what's going through Monica's head in this moment as she accepts the award. All the all the while knowing the depth of her relationship with Baker. Was she feeling guilty? Certainly her display of grief is painful for everyone to watch. If she is involved, she's hiding it well. No sign of laying low. She's willing to quite literally step into the spotlight. Even this affair with Baker, it's blatant. If she conspired with him, she's making no effort to hide their connection. Then again, maybe she thinks she has no reason to hide. She's got no clue that Baker is implicated in her husband's murder or that law enforcement are biding their time, waiting for their moment to arrest her. But she's just made a crucial mistake. Right before Monica left Los Angeles for this trip, she got an email from the detectives.

[E]

The insurance money is coming through. We got the sign off. The secretary's going to get it faxed over. It should be hitting the insurance agency in the next day.

[A]

After months of waiting, this is the news Monica has been desperate for. She takes a screenshot of the email and sends it to Robert Baker. But there will be no sign off, no planned release of funds. This email Monica has been so desperate for is all a ruse. Another part of the detective's performance designed to keep her from hassling them about the insurance money to buy them time while they prepare to move in on her. Next time on Cut Color Kill. An audacious undercover sting brings new truths to light.

[I]

That cannot be.

[B]

That cannot be possible. Oh, my God.

[A]

Don't want to wait for that next episode. You don't have to unlock all episodes of Cut Color Kill ad free right now by subscribing to the binge podcast channel. Search for the binge on Apple podcasts and hit subscribe at the top of the page. Not on apple. Head to getthebinge.com to get access wherever you listen. As a subscriber, you'll get binge access to new stories on the 1st of every month. Check out the binge channel page on apple podcasts or getthebinge.com to learn more. This is Cut Color Kill, an original production of Sony Music Entertainment and Novel, hosted by me, Jonathan Hirsch. Caroline Thornham is our senior producer. Kathryn Godfrey is our editor. Mohamed Ahmed is our assistant producer. Mark Pittam is our engineer. Additional engineering by Daniel Kempson. For Novel. Our executive producer is Max o' Brien from Sony Music Entertainment. Our executive producers are Catherine St. Louis and me, Jonathan Hirsch, production management from Cherie Houston, Joe Savage and Charlotte Wolf. Fact checking by Fendel Fulton. Research by Myron Caplan. Story development by Nell Gray Andrews. Novel's director of development is Selena Mehta. Special thanks to Carolyn Shur Levin at Miller Corridor, Nick Raymond, and a big thanks to the whole Sony Music Entertainment team.

[F]

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