A California doctoral student who was trusted to care for her best friend’s newborn twins has been sentenced to decades behind bars after admitting to killing one infant and injuring his brother in a case that has devastated a Pennsylvania family.
Nicole Virzi, 32, pleaded guilty Wednesday, October 28, to third-degree murder, aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children in connection with the June 2024 death of 6-week-old Leon Katz in Pittsburgh.
She was sentenced to 35 to 80 years in state prison, bringing an end to a criminal case that exposed deeply troubling admissions about her behavior, including her claim that she had experienced urges to hurt children for years.
Perhaps most disturbing was the revelation that Virzi, who had been pursuing a Ph.D. in clinical psychology in San Diego, told investigators she had grown resentful of her friends because she felt they were treating her like a nanny.
The tragedy unfolded while Virzi was visiting her longtime friend Savannah Roberts and Roberts’ partner, Ethan Katz, who had recently welcomed twin boys, Leon and Ari.
According to court records, Virzi repeatedly offered to babysit the newborns so their parents could enjoy an evening out. The couple declined her offers, but on June 15, 2024, circumstances took an unexpected turn.
Virzi alerted the parents to concerning injuries on Ari’s body, prompting them to take the infant to a hospital for examination. Investigators later determined that Virzi herself had caused those injuries.
Although the couple had arranged for someone else to watch Leon, Roberts said Virzi insisted on staying with him instead.
While the parents were at the hospital with Ari, Virzi sent reassuring text messages suggesting everything was fine at home.
Then, shortly after 11 p.m., she called 911.
Virzi initially claimed she had fallen asleep after placing Leon in a baby seat and awakened to find him on the floor. She told emergency responders that the infant was having difficulty breathing and had suffered a head injury.
Leon was rushed to a hospital, where he died early the following morning. Medical examinations revealed serious injuries inconsistent with the accidental fall Virzi had initially described.
As investigators pressed her for answers, her account changed dramatically.
During a lengthy, video-recorded police interview, Virzi admitted that she had shaken and dropped the infant. She also confessed to injuring his surviving twin brother.
But it was her explanation for her actions that added another deeply unsettling dimension to the case.
“Something just came over me I couldn’t control,” Virzi reportedly told detectives, explaining that she had struggled with urges to hurt children since she was young.
She also claimed that she had become increasingly angry during her visit because she believed the twins’ parents expected her to perform babysitting duties.
“Something about that built up a lot of anger in me,” she told investigators, according to court testimony.
Her attorneys later attempted to prevent prosecutors from using those statements, arguing that the lengthy interrogation and lack of sleep had undermined her ability to make voluntary admissions. However, Judge Jill E. Rangos rejected the request, ruling that Virzi had knowingly and voluntarily spoken to investigators.
As the case moved toward trial, prosecutors initially pursued a first-degree murder charge that could have resulted in the death penalty.
But Leon’s parents, already struggling with the loss of their son and the trauma surrounding his twin brother’s injuries, asked for a resolution that would ensure Virzi spent much of her remaining life in prison without forcing them to endure a lengthy public trial.
Deputy District Attorney Emma Schoedel explained that the plea agreement was reached with the family’s wishes in mind.
“This office has decided to invest in their healing,” she told the court.
The emotional impact of the case became painfully clear through statements submitted by Leon’s relatives.
Roberts recalled watching her former best friend affectionately hold Leon shortly before his death, a memory that has since taken on an unbearable meaning.
She questioned Virzi’s claim that her actions were driven by uncontrollable compulsions, arguing that such explanations could never excuse what happened to her children.
Roberts also described the heartbreaking experience of watching her surviving son, Ari, grow up without the twin brother who should have been beside him.
Every birthday, milestone and new achievement brings tremendous happiness, she explained, but also serves as another reminder of the child her family lost.
Leon’s grandfather, Larry Katz, shared equally painful memories of the little boy the family affectionately nicknamed “Buddha Baby” because of his round cheeks and peaceful expression.
He recalled how the infant seemed especially content while drinking from a bottle and reflected on the future his grandson would never experience.
“I never got to see Leon smile,” he wrote in his victim-impact statement, imagining how much joy that simple moment would have brought.
The court also heard how the family continues to struggle with the knowledge that someone they trusted had been responsible for such devastating harm.
At Wednesday’s hearing, Virzi declined to speak.
Her attorney, Tina Miller, explained that Virzi understood no apology could undo the family’s suffering. Miller also revealed that her client had written a letter to Leon’s parents, leaving them free to decide whether they ever wanted to read it.
Following the sentencing, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office emphasized that Virzi had exploited her close relationship with the family to gain access to the children.
Prosecutors said the plea agreement reflected both the severity of the crimes and the family’s desire to avoid further emotional trauma.
The sentence means Virzi will not become eligible for release until she has served at least 35 years, when she would be approximately 65 years old.
