Doctorate Student Murders Friend’s 6-Week-Old Son While She’s at Hospital With Other Baby

PhD student Nicole Virzi remains in custody on charges of homicide, aggravated assault, and endangering the welfare of children.

While visiting friends in Pittsburgh, Virzi cared for 6-week-old twins to give the mother a break. Both boys ended up in the hospital, and one died. EMTs transported Leon Katz and his father to the hospital shortly before midnight, but Nicole Virzi did not stay long.

She was seen returning to her Airbnb just before 1 a.m., struggling to unlock the door. By 5 a.m., Virzi appeared to be preparing to leave town. Security footage captured her making what seemed to be a hasty exit less than five hours later.

Although she was booked for two more nights at the apartment, Virzi appeared to be leaving. She was seen on security video leaving the building at 5:45 a.m. She reached for her phone and made a call while standing on the sidewalk.

At 5:47 a.m., Leon Katz was pronounced dead. Three minutes later, at 5:50 a.m., police arrived at the Airbnb, and two officers approached Virzi on the sidewalk, quickly placing her in a patrol car. She was then transported to police headquarters, where she agreed to questioning without an attorney present.

Joining Nancy Grace today:

Jarrett Ferentino – Pennsylvania Attorney/Homicide Prosecutor; Facebook & Instagram: Jarrett Ferentino; Host: “True Crime Boss” Podcast
Dr. Shari Schwartz – Forensic Psychologist (Specializing in Capital Mitigation and Victim Advocacy); Author: “Criminal Behavior” and “Where Law and Psychology Intersect: Issues in Legal Psychology;” X: @TrialDoc”
Brian Fitzgibbons – VP of Operations for USPA Nationwide Security; Instagram: @uspa_nationwide_security, Kingsman Philanthropic’s 2022 rescue missions of women and children in Ukraine, Iraq War Veteranide_security
Kendall Crowns
Dr. Kendall Crowns – Chief Medical Examiner Tarrant County (Ft Worth) and Lecturer: University of Texas Austin and Texas Christian University Medical School
Alexis Tereszcuk – CrimeOnline Investigative Reporter, Writer/Fact Checker at Lead Stories; X: @swimmie2009

“Crime Stories with Nancy Grace” on Fox Nation is also a national radio show on SiriusXM channel 111, airing for two hours daily starting at 12 p.m. EST. You can also subscribe and download the daily podcasts at iHeart Podcasts.

[Feature Photo: Nicole Virzi/Allegheny County Jail and Ari and Leon Katz/GoFundMe]

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