Behind the Blow Dryer: The Fabio Sementilli Case
Lust, Lies, and the Murder That Fooled Everyone—Almost
In the world of professional hairstyling, Fabio Sementilli wasn’t just good—he was legendary. A rock star in the beauty industry, “Big Daddy” trained thousands of stylists across the globe, helped shape major brands, and mentored countless young artists with his signature warmth and charisma. He was a husband, a proud father of three, and the kind of guy who brought homemade lasagna to hair shows. Fabio lived loud, laughed big, and gave back.
So when his 16-year-old daughter came home on January 23, 2017, and found her dad stabbed to death by their backyard pool in Woodland Hills, the world stopped. Police assumed it was a robbery gone wrong—Los Angeles had been dealing with a string of home invasions, and Fabio’s Porsche had been stolen. The scene was gruesome. Fabio had been stabbed multiple times in the face, neck, chest, and thigh. But something didn’t sit right.
For starters? The Rolex on his wrist was untouched.
In the days that followed, family, friends, and colleagues gathered at the Sementilli home to grieve. The backyard that had been a crime scene was now filled with candles and tears. And at that memorial, something deeply unsettling happened: a stranger showed up. He wasn’t crying. He didn’t speak much. A family friend thought he looked out of place, like he was casing the crowd. She snapped a photo of him. Just in case.
Turns out? That man in the photo was Robert Baker—a racquetball instructor, convicted sex offender, and occasional adult film actor who just so happened to be sleeping with Fabio’s wife.
The “Random” Break-In Wasn’t Random at All
The man who'd shown up to the memorial had already been to the house—on the day of the murder.
DNA found in Fabio’s stolen Porsche matched Robert Baker, and police quickly realized this was no burglary. It was a hit. And Baker wasn’t alone. He’d flown in a buddy—Christopher Austin, a former probation officer—who acted as the backup muscle. Their plan? Ambush Fabio while his wife and kids were out, kill him, stage it like a break-in, and get away clean.
Spoiler: they did none of those things cleanly.
Baker cut his finger during the attack, leaving his blood in the car. And the "robbery" was so half-assed, detectives noticed expensive jewelry, electronics, and Fabio’s Rolex were all left untouched. Investigators were suspicious—and it didn’t take long before they had phone records, text messages, and surveillance footage tying Baker and Monica together.
Including, we should note, 95 messages exchanged between the two on the day of the murder. Just two passionate killers flirting, coordinating a murder, and maybe discussing dinner plans.
A Hair Icon, a Porsche, and a $1.6 Million Motive
Fabio’s life insurance policy was worth $1.6 million. And guess who stood to gain it? His loving, grief-stricken wife Monica. The same Monica who, when friends arrived after the murder, was reportedly in a daze muttering “I’m not a wife anymore” on loop. It seemed like grief… until detectives realized she’d also been watching the murder unfold on her phone via the home security camera system.
Yep. She gave Baker access to the feed.
She also made sure she and her daughters were out running errands when the attack happened. She went to Target—like, actual Target—as part of her alibi, checking off a chore list while her husband was being killed in their backyard. That’s cold.
And the real kicker? She and Baker sexted during Fabio’s funeral in Toronto. According to prosecutors, she sent him nude photos during the memorial. You’ve heard of grieving widows. Monica redefined the genre.
Love Letters, Undercover Cells, and a Jailhouse Soap Opera
After their arrest, Monica and Baker continued their not-so-secret affair from behind bars. They passed love notes through inmates. They gushed about missing each other in ways we’ll politely summarize as “not safe for brunch.” At one point, Monica wrote Baker that she missed being “f***** or licked or loved” by him.
Romantic? No. Strategic? Also no.
Because Monica didn’t know her cellmate was working with investigators. Neither did Baker, who spilled more than enough details to confirm his involvement. These jailhouse musings became key evidence that the murder wasn’t just a one-man operation—it was a conspiracy.
But Then… Baker Tried to Take the Fall (Badly)
In 2023, Robert Baker took a plea deal—life without parole. But before Monica’s trial began, Baker pulled a classic true crime move: he claimed Monica was innocent. Said he acted alone. That he misinterpreted her complaints about Fabio as a cry for help. That she never told him to do it. That he murdered Fabio… because he just wanted her to be happy.
Cue collective eye-roll.
The problem? His story contradicted physical evidence, witness testimony, and the fact that he’d been texting her 95 times that day. Not exactly a spontaneous crime of passion.
Monica’s legal team clung to Baker’s confession as a last-ditch defense. Her daughters supported her. The jury didn’t.
After a long trial in spring 2025, Monica was found guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy. She’ll spend the rest of her life in prison without parole. Baker’s already locked away. Austin—who testified against both—took a deal and got 15 years to life.
The Legacy Fabio Left Behind
In the aftermath, Fabio’s friends and colleagues around the world remembered him as a joyful, inspiring force in the beauty industry. A man who loved big, mentored with passion, and lit up every room. His family, especially his sisters, fought for years to uncover the truth. And ultimately? They got justice.
Still, this case leaves questions in its wake. How could someone fake grief so convincingly? How does a marriage collapse so quietly into conspiracy? And why are killers always so bad at crime?
We may never fully understand the why, but the how—well, that’s what we do here.
🎧 Listen to “Behind the Blow Dryer: The Fabio Sementilli Case” now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your true crime fix.
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Fabio Sementilli Case Resources
- Los Angeles Times. (2025, April 11). L.A. hair mogul's wife guilty of murder in deadly love triangle. LA Times
- Blankstein, A., & Fieldstadt, E. (2025, April 11). California woman who plotted the murder of her hair-mogul husband is sentenced to life. NBC News
- Los Angeles Times. (2017, June 16). Wife of slain hairdresser charged with capital murder along with her boyfriend. LA Times
- Fisher, G. (2025, April 12). Alleged murder conspirators seen in photos at crime scene. CBS News
- Hyde, J. (2025, April 15). Death Becomes Hair: The Story of Fabio Sementilli's Murder. Town and Country
- Murtha, E., Karrh, A., Schiffman, K. Stohler, E., Mezerski, B. (2024, May 17). Betrayal turned deadly: The killing of a celebrity hair stylist. 20/20 | ABC News.
- Sharp, J. (2025, May 6). Co-conspirator in prominent LA hairdresser's death sentenced to 16 years to life. CBS News
- US News. (2025, June 24). California woman who masterminded hair-mogul husband’s murder sentenced to life without parole. AP News
- Miller, M., Stevenson, C. (2025, July 6). Monica Sementilli says she did not help plan the murder of her L.A. beauty exec husband. Will a jury believe her? 48 Hours. CBS News
- American Salon. (2025, April 11). Wife Convicted in Murder of Industry Icon Fabio Sementilli. American Salon
- Superior Court of Los Angeles County. (2025). People v. Monica Sementilli: Case No. BA457510 – Criminal Complaint and Court Transcripts [PDF]. Los Angeles County Court Records.
- Miller, J. (2025, June 24). LA Wife Sentenced After Lover Kills Her Hairdresser Husband in "Brutal" Conspiracy. Oxygen True Crime. Oxygen
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