Pittsburgh woman pleads guilty to killing newborn of best friend

A 32-year-old doctoral student admitted in a Pittsburgh court on Wednesday that she killed her best friend's six-week-old son, ending a prosecution that initially sought the death penalty. Nicole Virzi, a graduate student at the University of California, San Diego, pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and other charges as part of a plea deal.

The agreement resulted in a sentence of between 35 and 80 years in state prison. Prosecutors stated that while they were prepared to take the case to trial, they reached the deal after continuous consultation with the victim's family and with the protection of the community in mind. The Allegheny County District Attorney's office released a statement confirming the terms of the resolution.

The incident occurred in June 2024 when Virzi, who was visiting Pittsburgh, was left to watch Leon Katz, one of twin boys born to Savannah Roberts and Ethan Katz. The parents had taken the other twin, Ari, to the hospital that day because they discovered injuries on his body. Virzi offered to care for Leon while the parents were away. Late that night, she called the police, claiming Leon had fallen from a baby swing.

Investigators quickly determined that the severity of Leon's injuries could not have resulted from a fall from such a low height. The Pittsburgh police classified the death as a homicide caused by blunt force traumatic brain injury. They also concluded that Virzi caused the earlier injuries to Ari that had initially brought the family to the hospital. Virzi told investigators she always had an uncontrollable compulsion to harm children.

Savannah Roberts, the mother of the twins, wrote a letter to Judge Jill E. Rangos describing the lasting impact of the tragedy. She stated that the event fundamentally changed her as a person and destroyed her self-confidence. Roberts noted that it took nearly a year for her to use the bathroom or brush her teeth alone after learning Virzi had crashed Leon against the floor of their old bathroom, fracturing his skull. She remains concerned about leaving her surviving son, Ari, with other people.

Legal analyst Phil DiLucente said that Virzi must serve the full 35-year minimum before becoming eligible for parole. He noted that a parole board is unlikely to grant her release because the premeditated nature of the crime does not fit typical mitigating factors. Virzi's attorney was not immediately available for comment on the plea.