Major update in murder trial of PhD student accused of beating friend’s baby to death

A PhD student accused of murdering her friend’s six-week-old baby will face a jury in a major criminal trial.

Nicole Virzi, 29, faces the death penalty if convicted of criminal homicide, two counts of child endangerment and three counts of aggravated assault.

The charges are related to the death of Leon Katz inside his Pittsburgh home in June.

Virzi was friends with Leon’s parents, Ethan Katz and Savannah Roberts, and was babysitting Leon and his twin brother when he suffered fatal head injuries.

During a pretrial conference on Friday, the court set a jury trial date for Dec. 10, 2024.

Two hearings will be held before the trial, which will give the defense and the prosecution the opportunity to find a resolution outside of court proceedings.

Virzi’s lawyer, David Shrager, told DailyMail.com that they are a long way from any negotiations at this stage.

“We are at the beginning,” he said.

Prosecutors surprised Virzi and his lawyer by filing an update revealing they intended to seek the death penalty in late August.

At the time, Shrager said he had discussed with his client that the death penalty was a possibility, but considered it unlikely the state would pursue it.

“I didn’t think this was going to happen,” he said. “Obviously, we had talked about it as a possibility… I knew it could happen.”

Virzi took the news “as best as you can expect,” he said, noting that “it was obviously very difficult news and not what we expected to happen.”

Despite the shock, Mr. Shrager said both he and his client are “confident in our defense of the case.”

“She hopes to have the opportunity to tell her truth,” he said.

Police allege she is responsible for causing a fracture to baby Leon’s skull and several bleeds in the brain detected by a CT scan.

He is also accused of injuring Leon’s twin brother, Ari, who survived.

The Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office said in a court filing: “The defendant committed the murder while in the commission of a felony. The crime was committed by means of torture.”

Virzi was a “trusted friend” of the babies’ parents, Ethan Katz and Savannah Roberts, who cared for the twins during their college breaks.

Police allege she told officers she had gone into the kitchen to get a bottle for one of the twins when she suddenly heard screaming. When she returned, she said the baby had fallen out of his bouncer. She then called 911.

She detected an injury in Ari’s groin area, notified his parents, and continued to care for Leon while Ari was taken to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh for evaluation.

According to court documents, a doctor told investigators that “the injuries sustained by both (twins) are consistent with having been sustained as a result of child abuse, as they are inflicted injuries that are not natural or accidental.”

Virzi maintains his innocence.

Mr. Shrager said Virzi is trying to maintain a positive attitude in custody and handling himself as best as possible as he awaits his day in court.

“She’s using her time there productively and making the best of the situation,” he said. “Her parents… visit her frequently.”

Virzi is a PhD student focusing on behavioral medicine. According to her UC San Diego bio, her “research aims to explore the complex interplay between psychological factors (such as depression, stress, negative affect, and trauma) and critical health outcomes and behaviors.”

“I am particularly interested in exploring these relationships within female and trauma-exposed populations. By focusing on these relationships, my research aims to shed light on the particular challenges and opportunities for intervention within these vulnerable groups,” she said.