Josh Mankiewicz

He appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom and changed his plea.

He appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom and changed his plea.

Translation, he did it, and Monica wasn't involved. He takes a plea and he doesn't ask for a deal. Nothing. Monica and Fabio's daughters spoke at that hearing and made it clear to everyone they were supporting their mom.

Translation, he did it, and Monica wasn't involved. He takes a plea and he doesn't ask for a deal. Nothing. Monica and Fabio's daughters spoke at that hearing and made it clear to everyone they were supporting their mom.

Baker would now be a witness for Monica's defense. Her attorney, Leonard Levine, spoke with reporters.

Baker would now be a witness for Monica's defense. Her attorney, Leonard Levine, spoke with reporters.

The prosecution case against Monica just became a lot more complicated. And now they really needed to find this guy. Remember, that camera captured two people running toward the Semantelli home that afternoon. One was still unidentified. Detective Mitzi Roberts went through phone records looking for clues.

The prosecution case against Monica just became a lot more complicated. And now they really needed to find this guy. Remember, that camera captured two people running toward the Semantelli home that afternoon. One was still unidentified. Detective Mitzi Roberts went through phone records looking for clues.

One needle in that haystack of phone activity stood out.

One needle in that haystack of phone activity stood out.

That message was from Rob Baker to a man named Chris Austin, telling him to download an encrypted messaging app.

That message was from Rob Baker to a man named Chris Austin, telling him to download an encrypted messaging app.

Why is he saying, download WhatsApp? Exactly. It seemed to Detective Roberts that Baker was trying to secretly communicate with this Chris Austin in the days just after the murder. So what about before that? Baker's cell phone pings revealed he was near the Los Angeles airport the morning before the murder. The question was why.

Why is he saying, download WhatsApp? Exactly. It seemed to Detective Roberts that Baker was trying to secretly communicate with this Chris Austin in the days just after the murder. So what about before that? Baker's cell phone pings revealed he was near the Los Angeles airport the morning before the murder. The question was why.

Close to 7.30 a.m., when Baker's phone was pinging near the airport, Austin's flight landed at LAX. At the time, Austin was 31 years old. He lived in Alaska and had no criminal record. Why he'd come to LA was unclear. Well, sometimes crimes are solved by the smallest of clues.

Close to 7.30 a.m., when Baker's phone was pinging near the airport, Austin's flight landed at LAX. At the time, Austin was 31 years old. He lived in Alaska and had no criminal record. Why he'd come to LA was unclear. Well, sometimes crimes are solved by the smallest of clues.

Austin had been pulled over for a seatbelt violation about an hour after the murder, less than five miles from the Simantilli home. He was driving a car that had been rented for Baker. That was enough for an arrest warrant, and police locked up Austin in October 2024. With Monica's trial date approaching, prosecutors needed Austin to be more cooperative than his friend Baker.

Austin had been pulled over for a seatbelt violation about an hour after the murder, less than five miles from the Simantilli home. He was driving a car that had been rented for Baker. That was enough for an arrest warrant, and police locked up Austin in October 2024. With Monica's trial date approaching, prosecutors needed Austin to be more cooperative than his friend Baker.

And just a week before Monica's trial began, that wish came true.

And just a week before Monica's trial began, that wish came true.