Pittsburgh woman sentenced to 80 years for killing best friend's infant

Nicole Virzi, 32, will spend at least 35 years in prison for killing her best friend’s six-week-old son, a sentence handed down in Allegheny County on Wednesday. The conviction follows a plea deal that replaces a capital murder charge, which carried the possibility of execution, with third-degree murder and other counts. The agreement ensures Virzi remains behind bars for the majority of her life, according to local legal experts.

The incident occurred in June 2024 while Virzi was visiting Pittsburgh to watch the newborn twins of Savannah Roberts and Ethan Katz. The couple had just taken their son Ari to the hospital to treat wounds discovered on his body. Virzi offered to care for Leon, the other twin, during their absence. Late that night, she called police, stating Leon had fallen from a baby bouncer. Medics at a nearby children’s hospital pronounced the infant dead upon arrival.

Investigators determined the severity of Leon’s injuries was inconsistent with a fall from such a short height. The criminal complaint filed by Pittsburgh police ruled the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head. Prosecutors also established that Virzi caused the injuries to Ari that initially prompted the parents to seek medical attention. Virzi told investigators she had always possessed a compulsion she could not control to harm kids, a claim presented in court during the proceedings.

The Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office stated it committed to pursuing the case to trial but agreed to the plea after consulting with the family. The office considered the best interests of the community and its protection in offering the sentence. Virzi, a doctoral student at the University of California San Diego, used her trusted relationship with the Roberts and Katz family to position herself to commit the acts, prosecutors noted.

Savannah Roberts wrote to Judge Jill E. Rangos that Virzi’s actions fundamentally changed her as a person. Roberts described feeling unrecognizable from her former self and stated she could never have imagined her best friend was capable of such cruelty. The mother said her self-confidence is shattered and she will never forgive herself for failing to protect her children. She described the tragedy as having forever shaken her trust in humanity.

Roberts detailed the physical toll of the loss, noting it took nearly a year for her to use the bathroom, shower, or brush her teeth alone. She recalled learning that Virzi hurled Leon to the ground on the bathroom floor, fracturing his skull. Whenever Roberts entered the bathroom, her husband Ethan would stand outside the door to talk to her, preferably holding Ari where she could see him to ensure his safety.

Phil DiLucente, a criminal law attorney and legal analyst, said it is highly unlikely a parole board would release Virzi. He noted the case is bizarre because Virzi flew across the country to visit her best friend only to commit a premeditated act. DiLucente said Virzi lacks the mitigating factors typically considered when granting parole. Roberts, who said having twins was always the couple’s dream, worries she will never be able to leave Ari out of her sight again.