Quick answer: On Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, Nicole Virzi (full name Nicole Elizabeth Virzi), 32, of San Diego, pleaded guilty in Allegheny County Court to third-degree murder, aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children. The charges stem from the June 2024 death of 6-week-old Leon Katz and injuries to his twin brother, Ari, in Pittsburgh's Shadyside neighborhood. Judge Jill E. Rangos sentenced her to 35 to 80 years in prison. The plea took the death penalty off the table.
What happened
In June 2024, Virzi was visiting her best friend, Savannah Roberts, and Roberts' partner, Ethan Katz, at their apartment on Walnut Street in Shadyside, according to WTAE. The couple's twin sons had been born six weeks earlier. On the evening of June 15, the parents took Ari to the hospital for injuries they had found on him and left Leon in Virzi's care (TribLive).
At 11:17 p.m., Virzi called 911 to report that Leon was having trouble breathing and had a lump on his head. He died at the hospital a few hours later. Prosecutors said he had 31 separate injuries, including a skull fracture and bleeding on the brain.
Virzi first told detectives Leon had fallen out of his bouncy chair. As they pressed her, she changed her account and admitted hurting him, according to TribLive. She also admitted harming Ari and told police she had felt a compulsion to hurt children for years.
Why a plea deal
Deputy District Attorney Emma Schoedel said the agreement was reached partly at the request of Leon's parents, who did not want to relive the case at a trial. "This office has decided to invest in their healing," Schoedel said in court (TribLive). The death-penalty trial had been scheduled for Oct. 1 and was postponed while the plea was worked out.
What she said in court
Virzi declined to speak. Her attorney, Tina Miller, said "no words of apology would be sufficient," and that Virzi had written a letter the family may choose to read. Miller asked the judge to recommend mental health treatment in prison, citing Virzi's diagnoses of anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Who is Nicole Virzi?
- Full name: Nicole Elizabeth Virzi (Law&Crime)
- Age and hometown: 32, of San Diego, California
- Background: A Ph.D. student in clinical psychology at the time (TribLive)
- Custody: Held in the Allegheny County Jail since her arrest on June 16, 2024
Remembering Leon
Leon Katz was six weeks old. His mother told the court he was nicknamed "Leapfrog Leon" because he liked to scrunch up his knees and stick out his tongue. His parents asked for the case to end without a trial so the family could focus on healing and on raising Ari.
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FAQ
What did Nicole Virzi plead guilty to? Third-degree murder, aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children.
What was Nicole Virzi's sentence? 35 to 80 years in prison.
Did she face the death penalty? Yes. She faced a possible death sentence if convicted of first-degree murder. The plea removed that possibility.
Where did it happen? At an apartment on Walnut Street in Shadyside, Pittsburgh, in June 2024.