PhD Student Faces Possible Death Penalty for Allegedly Killing Friend’s Newborn, Injuring Twin

Nicole Virzi, 30, charged with killing her friend's newborn baby

Nicole Virzi, a 30-year-old PhD student, could face the death penalty if convicted of the brutal murder of her friend’s 6-week-old son, Leon Katz, in Pennsylvania. The Allegheny District Attorney’s Office announced plans to seek capital punishment during a court session on Friday, citing aggravating factors, including the alleged torture of the infant.

Virzi, who was babysitting Leon in a Pittsburgh-area home while the boy’s parents, Ethan Katz and Savannah Roberts, took his twin brother Ari to the hospital, is accused of inflicting fatal injuries on Leon on June 15. She is also charged with assaulting Ari, leading to his hospitalization.

The adorable newborn who had a twin brother was killed in June.

Prosecutors claim that Virzi, a clinical psychology student at UC San Diego, caused the baby’s death through blunt force trauma, shattering his skull. Despite Virzi's claim that Leon fell from his bouncer chair, doctors determined his injuries were consistent with child abuse. The county’s medical examiner confirmed that Leon’s death resulted from a severe skull fracture and multiple brain bleeds.

Virzi, described as a "trusted family friend" on a fundraising page created after the tragedy, was living in a Pittsburgh-area Airbnb at the time of the incident. Her attorney, David Shrager, maintains her innocence, stating that Virzi is devastated by the loss.

Nicole Virzi was charged with homicide.

No woman is currently on death row in Pennsylvania, and Governor Josh Shapiro has pledged not to sign any death warrants during his tenure. Virzi, who waived her preliminary hearing, did not appear in court for her formal arraignment.