Unconventional dating holds solutions to Florida lady’s violent homicide through NewsFlicks

This tale at first aired on Oct. 19, 2024. It used to be up to date on July 12, 2025.

In April 2018, within the sleepy Florida Gulf Coast the city of Eastpoint, it gave the impression a killer had struck.

“I won a choice {that a} frame used to be situated .. off of Freeway 98,” Lt. Ronnie Jones, from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Place of work, instructed “48 Hours” correspondent Peter Van Sant.

Badly crushed and without a identity, the girl turned into a Jane Doe. Her killer’s identification used to be additionally a thriller.

“What you fear about then is, are they unfastened in our neighborhood?” stated Jones. “What form of particular person am I coping with or people?”

Lower than 24 hours later, Jones won a choice about some other crime scene on the close by Sportsman’s Resort Motel.

As investigators labored to peer if the 2 had been hooked up, they realized that the girl’s unconventional dating held the solutions. 

For Franklin County assistant prosecutor, Jarred Patterson, the sleepy, Gulf Coast the city of Apalachicola and surrounding nation-state are a number of the closing remnants of a bygone technology.

Jarred Patterson: Apalachicola, Florida is a superb small position … It is indisputably nonetheless harkens again to a time sooner than there used to be condos on each and every inch of the seashore and sooner than there have been high-rises. … We are referred to right here, the counties alongside this house of the coast, because the Forgotten Coast.

But if a pair heading to a close-by fishing pond found out Aileen Seiden’s battered frame on April 23, 2018, Patterson questioned what had introduced a killer to Florida’s Forgotten Coast?

Jarred Patterson: The horror that it actually used to be … It completely stunned other folks.

Ronnie Jones: It gave the look of … somebody used to be in a rush. Whoever it used to be dumped the frame and took off.

Lead investigator Lt. Ronnie Jones, then with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Place of work, says documenting Aileen’s unsettling unload web page used to be the primary of 2 ominous occasions over the following 24 hours. He used to be quickly dispatched to the second one crime scene on the Sportsman’s Resort Motel and a bloody spectacle inside of room 15.

Peter Van Sant (within the motel room): So, what is it like so that you can be again in right here?

Ronnie Jones: Uh, brings again some beautiful dangerous reminiscences.

Jones’ reminiscences are living in stark distinction to the tree shaded grounds of the in a different way non violent motel.

THE HORROR INSIDE ROOM 15

Ronnie Jones: Once I got here in, I spotted the mattress. I imply, it is — you could not leave out it. … I imply, this entire house used to be lined and had blood stains on it.

Peter Van Sant: And whilst you noticed that roughly blood loss, what did that let you know?

Ronnie Jones: I simply put two and two in combination and I routinely put that again to the, um, frame that used to be discovered the day sooner than.

Peter Van Sant: You probably did that temporarily, like (snaps arms) that?

Ronnie Jones: Needed to have. … It wasn’t simply someone lower theirself and bled a bit bit at the mattress. I imply the volume of blood that used to be in this mattress tells me that whoever used to be right here used to be most likely deceased.

Jones recalled there used to be a odor of vinegar within the room.

Peter Van Sant: And what did that let you know?

Ronnie Jones: That somebody tried to wash the crime scene.

A luminol take a look at for strains of human blood published what an it sounds as if hasty blank up could not cover.

Ronnie Jones: The entire whole toilet lit up.

Peter Van Sant: So, that used to be the scene of possibly a few of her maximum vicious assaults — used to be inside of that toilet.

Ronnie Jones: Sure.

And Jones says the bathe curtain rod used to be a imaginable weapon.

Ronnie Jones: At the rod used to be situated a palm print and in addition, uh, blood.

Peter Van Sant: And that is the reason vital proof, proper?

Ronnie Jones: That is proper.

Trying out would quickly verify that it used to be Aileen’s blood within the motel room. Now got here the gut-wrenching responsibility to inform Aileen’s sister, Franceasca Seiden.

Franceasca Seiden: He stated my sister used to be murdered. … I do not know, like, what do you do? You search for give a boost to. That is all I may just do. …I did not perceive why, like, it used to be given to me, once more, love to maintain some other loss.

Whilst rising up in Miami, then-16-year-old Franceasca and 9-year-old Aileen confronted their first tragedy when their cherished mom, Murtha, gave up the ghost from most cancers.

Peter Van Sant: How did the 2 of you care for this?

Franceasca Seiden: We did not discuss it. … as it used to be so rapid.

Six years later, their father Frank—a a success furnishings producer who Franceasca says shared a unique bond with Aileen —all at once died from a middle assault. It left Aileen, then 14, an orphan, and 22-year-old Franceasca with a choice to make.

Franceasca Seiden: I signed the papers, and I turned into her prison parent.

Peter Van Sant: And what did that imply? What had been your obligations?

Franceasca Seiden: I turned into a mother or father. … I needed to take her to university. I had to pick out her up from college. … I needed to end my very own college. I used to be operating. … I did not have time to grieve. And I don’t believe that she did both.

Seven years later, Franceasca moved to Los Angeles on her personal. That is when she says Aileen, through then in her 20s, started grieving their oldsters.

Franceasca Seiden: She began to suppose so much. … She turned into extra delicate.

Allie: One thing like dropping her oldsters … has … long-lasting results all the way through your lifestyles. And it is glaring that it did.

Aileen’s best possible buddy, now not in need of her identify related to this situation, has requested “48 Hours” to consult with her as “Allie.” She recalls a robust and made up our minds Aileen making it on her personal in Miami.

Allie: She labored as a belongings supervisor … She lived in an excellent condominium, you realize, she paid her personal hire, she made her expenses. She used to be very impartial.

Franceasca noticed that independence firsthand when Aileen made a longer discuss with to L.A. in 2016.

Peter Van Sant: Having a look again, do you want she had stayed with you?

Franceasca Seiden: 100% p.c. … As a result of no matter took place when she went again to Miami is when she reconnected with Zach.

Zach used to be Zachary Abell, who Aileen had identified since they had been youngsters.

Allie: I am not positive if he had the most efficient popularity in highschool. … In the beginning, she wasn’t actually positive about him.

However years later, she and Abell began relationship.

Allie: I believe to start with Aileen discovered Zach a laugh, however I believe it modified beautiful temporarily.

Investigators in Franklin County would quickly be told all about Zach Abell. They found out that Zach, Aileen and some other lady named Christina Araujo had all been observed within the Apalachicola house. Detectives additionally realized the 3 shared a room on the Sportsman’s Resort Motel: room 15.

Jarred Patterson: We had to know what took place inside of that resort room outdoor of 3 other folks entered and two got here out sporting a frame.

AN UNCONVENTIONAL PROPOSAL

Off the coast of Fortress Lauderdale, Florida, Captain Mike Picavet units sail on his 50-foot boat.

Mike Picavet (on his boat): It is roughly bizarre, uh, attempting to keep in mind any excellent occasions. There simply were not. There used to be at all times some factor.

Again in 2018, Picavet would play a central function in Aileen Seiden’s homicide investigation. He knew Aileen and her boyfriend Zach Abell smartly.

Mike Picavet: Zach is solely, um, very entertaining. … He is very extroverted.

Picavet had met Abell accidentally at a bar about seven years previous.

Mike Picavet: He got here as much as me at Duffy’s and stated, “Good day, I really like your blouse.” And I am like, “OK …”

Mike Picavet: After which, uh, Christina got here up.

Christina Araujo — Abell’s female friend on the time. The 2 have been relationship for roughly 4 years. Picavet says Araujo right away began boasting about her robust father.

Mike Picavet: Proper outta the gate, she stated, “Oh, yeah, my dad’s a big with the Palm Seashore County Sheriff’s Division, and if we ever get into any hassle with the legislation, he can deal with it.” And I used to be like, “What?” Who says that?

In spite of their unusual first assembly, Picavet says he started placing out with the couple. What adopted had been years of untamed nights, wild events, and numerous heavy consuming.

Mike Picavet: That used to be their go-to factor: “OK, we now have gotta do pictures of this, pictures of this.”

However Picavet says there used to be a captivating energy dynamic within the couple’s dating with Araujo, who’s 8 years older than Abell, calling the pictures.

Mike Picavet: She used to be very controlling and really directing. … He would practice her lead with stuff.

In the future in 2016, Abell stopped through Picavet’s boat — however now not with Araujo. As a substitute, Abell offered Picavet to Aileen Seiden. Picavet may just inform Abell now had two girls in his lifestyles.

Mike Picavet: It used to be the most unearthly factor. … In case your dating’s now not operating, simply finish it and transfer on.

Then again, Picavet says that Abell could not make a blank wreck from Araujo, who used to be additionally his trade spouse.

Mike Picavet: He attempted such a lot of occasions. He simply did not understand how to … after which additionally, uh, the entire threats always that she may just make him disappear. … Each and every time she were given under the influence of alcohol, she’d say some bizarre issues.

Aileen’s best possible buddy, Allie, says Abell and Aileen started to secretly date.

Allie: She looked as if it would love him such a lot that she used to be nonetheless hoping that he would, you realize, come to a decision to be together with her. … He would lead her directly to suppose, he used to be looking to finish it with Christina.

In 2017, Aileen abruptly misplaced her process as a belongings supervisor.

Allie: She used to be actually beginning to lose regulate of her personal lifestyles.

Allie says that can give an explanation for why Aileen sooner or later got to work at Abell and Araujo’s used automobile dealership.

Allie: It wasn’t the impartial lifestyles that she had at all times lived.

Allie says Aileen endured to force Abell to get a divorce with Araujo for excellent. But if Abell after all attempted to finish issues with Araujo, she countered with an unconventional proposal.

Allie: It used to be now not the solution that anybody anticipated. … Christina got here again and stated, “Neatly, why do not we attempt and all be in a dating then?” … It now turned into this chance for this “throuple”, three-way roughly dating.

A throuple is a romantic dating amongst 3 other folks. Allie says Aileen used to be in opposition to the speculation.

Allie: Aileen stated, “Completely now not. There is no approach. It is by no means going to paintings.” And there used to be roughly crickets for a couple of weeks.

However Allie says Aileen later modified her thoughts. The trio used to be now a throuple.

Allie: I used to be in surprise actually. … But additionally a bit bit satisfied for them that perhaps this may paintings.

However it did not paintings. Earlier than lengthy, there used to be hassle.

Allie: This entire dynamic began to switch the place certainly one of them at all times gave the impression to be the unusual guy out or used to be jealous. … And at that time it simply began to spiral out of regulate.

In line with Picavet, issues escalated, resulting in irrational conduct and fights fueled through alcohol. He says Aileen and Araujo traded punches steadily — in most cases leading to black eyes — on one or either one of the ladies; that they would now and again cover at the back of large sun shades.

Mike Picavet: It used to be an on a regular basis factor — each and every moment day factor, I may just say.

Allie recalls issues otherwise. She says Abell used to be the principle aggressor within the dating.

Allie: Aileen would name me … and would say, “It’s a must to come over right here, like he harm me once more.” And I might rush over there and {photograph} her and beg her to visit the police.

However Allie says Aileen refused, fearing Araujo’s legislation enforcement connections would paintings in opposition to her.

Aileen’s sister Franceasca used to be livid when she realized of the abuse.

Franceasca Seiden: I sought after my sister out of the placement … I sought after her out.

Peter Van Sant: It is exhausting to depart.

Franceasca Seiden: It is exhausting to depart. … And … I had this sense that Christina used to be extra … violent of the 2.

Allie: It used to be actually tough to peer her going via a time like this. It used to be simply so exhausting. … And she or he used to be scared to demise.

As soon as, Allie says the abuse were given so dangerous, she took Aileen to the emergency room.

Allie: I took her to the sanatorium as a result of … they have got to record issues. However she would not say the place the bruises got here from.

Aileen’s best possible buddy needed to ship a difficult fact.

Allie: “Aileen, it’s important to get a divorce with this man. Somebody’s gonna finally end up useless.”

“I THINK THEY’RE GONNA KILL ME”

Allie: When Aileen used to be in actual hassle, it used to be exhausting to get someone to come back rescue her.

The trail that resulted in Aileen Seiden’s homicide could have begun weeks previous. In 2018, Allie used to be stunned that regardless of the bodily violence of their dating, Aileen had made up our minds to transport in with Zach Abell and Christina Araujo. The throuple used to be now operating in combination, sound asleep in combination, and dwelling in combination.

Allie: Aileen used to be trapped within the dating as a result of she used to be trapped financially. … However she felt that that used to be one closing probability to make it paintings. … It used to be like a one month or two-month trial.

However inside of a couple of weeks, Allie says Aileen had had sufficient.

Allie: Aileen … used to be going to transport out. … She used to be actually performed with the connection.

However Aileen’s plans to depart had been halted on April 7, 2018, after Abell and Araujo had gotten right into a violent struggle. Allie says she were given a choice from Aileen on Abell’s telephone.

Allie: She used to be going to depart and get Zach out of the home. However like to visit a espresso store. … The following name I were given used to be from Christina. … She used to be indignant and livid.

Allie says Araujo threatened to record the auto Aileen and Abell had been using in as stolen in an obvious try to stay them from leaving her at the back of. Allie right away warned Aileen and Abell.

Allie: As a substitute of coming round and coming again, like I believed they’d, they hit the gasoline and went to Georgia. … I stated, “What are you doing, Aileen? You shouldn’t have your telephone. You shouldn’t have a pockets. That is loopy.” … She stated, “We are happening a highway travel. … It is a excellent factor.”

However the highway travel wasn’t a excellent factor to Christina Araujo. She started harassing Abell and Aileen, sending a typhoon of indignant texts: “U 2 deserve each and every different.” Araujo despatched greater than 150 texts in more or less 24 hours. All went unanswered, together with this one: “My dad shall be calling u.” Later, Araujo issued this risk: “you f***** me over and now I am f****** u over“

Allie: I used to be simply looking to inform her, “Christina …why do not you fear about … your personal lifestyles?”

About 48 hours into the street travel, Abell and Aileen had been heading to Texas and Araujo looked as if it would have a metamorphosis of middle, texting: “… if you wish to come again house come again. You by no means have to query my love …”

For causes which are unknown, as an alternative of coming house, Abell invited Araujo to enroll in them, and he or she flew to Dallas.

However with the throuple united, the previous issues returned.

Allie: Aileen began to name me from Zach’s telephone at night time pronouncing, you realize, “That is getting dangerous. And I do not know what to do.” … It wasn’t till Christina arrived, that that began to occur. … I used to be actually frightened somebody would get harm.

By way of day 10 of the street travel, Aileen’s older sister, Franceasca used to be additionally frightened. She hadn’t heard from Aileen shortly. When the trio stopped in New Orleans, Aileen after all known as Franceasca and shared an alarming suspicion.

Franceasca Seiden: She’s like … “I believe they are gonna kill me.” No funny story. … So I used to be like, “Aileen, run to the closest gasoline station.” … “Pass inform the individual —”

Peter Van Sant: Name 911.

Franceasca Seiden: Yeah! … “Run to love —”  I stated “run, get the — get out of there.” … “Pass!” …She’s like, “I will be able to’t.”

Franceasca, determined to lend a hand, attempted to get extra main points from Aileen.

Franceasca Seiden: If I had the place the cope with used to be, I might’ve known as the police then and there, however she needed to pass, she needed to get off and he or she hung up. … I used to be extraordinarily annoyed however I — and I used to be scared.

And not using a technique to lend a hand her sister, Franceasca was hoping Aileen would keep protected.

The street travel endured into its moment week. The trio then headed to Panama Town, Florida, however a neglected go out led them to the Forgotten Coast.

David Adlerstein: The street travel is obscure; partying in the future and murdering the following.

David Adlerstein is a reporter for The Apalachicola Instances, some of the oldest newspapers in Florida.

David Adlerstein: I have been overlaying the Aileen Seiden case for the reason that week it took place.

At the night of April 21, the trio — captured on surveillance pictures — stumbled into the quiet peace of Franklin County.

David Adlerstein: They went to a well-liked eating place, the Crimson Pirate, performed miniature golfing, partied.

On the advice of an area, the throuple headed to the close by Sportsman’s Resort Motel. They reserved the closing emptiness of the night time: Room 15. The following morning, on April 22, 2018, the throuple made a plan.

David Adlerstein: They made up our minds they would spend some other day there, now not get again at the highway, and make it a — a birthday party. In order that they were given up within the morning and went to the liquor retailer.

Right here they’re in a screenshot from the shop’s surveillance pictures. Whilst there, the trio bought massive bottles of vodka and Fireball whiskey.

David Adlerstein: Once I went to analyze … their trail that day and went to the liquor retailer … the clerk, she identified that the Fireball that they purchased used to be the biggest bottle it’s essential to purchase, and that is simply the 3 of them.

The throuple then returned to the Sportsman’s Resort Motel.

Allie: I don’t believe Aileen used to be having a laugh. I believe she used to be simply looking to perhaps get through and keep alive.

Allie says she spoke to Aileen that day.

Allie: Aileen stated … “I wish to depart him. I am telling you. I am like a intercourse slave. He has this actually frightening glance in his eye. It is very frightening. It is other.” …  And she or he stated, “I would like your lend a hand.”

Allie says the 2 buddies had crafted an get away plan: Aileen would get on a bus from Tampa — the trio’s subsequent vacation spot.

Allie: I purchased her a Greyhound price ticket as a result of she did not have a pockets.

The bus would drop Aileen off close to Miami and Allie would take her house. Aileen simply had to get on that bus, and he or she’d be protected.

Allie: After which, you realize, I by no means heard again. I by no means heard anything else after that …      

The following night time, loads of miles away in Fortress Lauderdale, Mike Picavet used to be house and by myself. There used to be a knock on the door. It used to be Christina Araujo and Zach Abell.

Mike Picavet: I used to be like, “OK, the place’s Aileen?” And in an instant, Christina says, “Oh, she ran away.” … And I stated, “Bulls***.” I stated, “The place is she?” And Zach in an instant … began to choke up, and he stated, “She’s useless.”

The scoop used to be stunning sufficient, however Picavet says as soon as Araujo used to be out of earshot, Abell instructed him what took place.

Mike Picavet: He stated that Christina killed her. He aroused from sleep. … She used to be useless subsequent to him. And, uh, he attempted to present her CPR, then, uh, sought after to name 911. Christina stated “No” and instructed him, “You’ll be able to’t name 911.” … For some reason why, he stored on pronouncing he had to give protection to Christina. …And I am like, “What do you gotta give protection to her for?”

Picavet says he sought after to give protection to either one of his buddies. He feared a violent result if he known as 911.

Mike Picavet: I did not need them to get killed … I simply sought after to ensure that … they had been introduced in in a protected, uh, approach. … The one factor that I may just consider … is to head communicate to her father.

Christina’s father, Colonel Tony Araujo. The only, Picavet says, Christina had at all times bragged may just make her issues pass away. When Abell and Christina fell asleep at the settee, Picavet took a photograph of Abell and Araujo on his sofa, and says he went on-line to seek for Christina’s father — a person he had by no means met.

Mike Picavet: So, I used to be panicking, looking for his telephone quantity.

When Picavet after all were given ahold of Colonel Araujo, he did not right away expose the fatal information.

Mike Picavet: I stated, “I gotta communicate to you. It is about Christina. It is crucial.”

Picavet says Araujo’s father directed Mike to satisfy him at an unusual position: a gasoline station.

Mike Picavet: So I went up there … I stated, “Christina killed someone.” And he says, “You realize I am a cop, proper?” And I am like, “Sure, sir. I do.” … He in an instant stated, “Wait proper there.”

Picavet says Araujo’s father then introduced him to the sheriff’s place of job to make a proper commentary.

Mike Picavet: He did what used to be the suitable factor to do. … He … were given two other folks to invite me the entire questions.

Later that day, Picavet used to be proven a photograph, and he used to be the only to spot the battered frame of Aileen Seiden. With that affirmation, police descended on Picavet’s house as Abell and Araujo had been about to depart. They had been arrested and taken again to Franklin County. The pair used to be later charged with first-degree homicide. It will take nearly six years sooner than they’d face a jury — and through then, handiest certainly one of them would stand trial.

WHAT HAPPENED INSIDE ROOM 15?

For just about six years, Franceasca Seiden lived in agonizing limbo as her sister Aileen’s case — sophisticated through having two defendants — confronted lengthen after irritating lengthen.

Franceasca Seiden: (crying) You might be therapeutic, you might be doing the issues that you wish to have to heal after which you might be stopped. … And now you might be gonna get able for this large second. … after which it stops once more.

After all, in January 2024, on the Franklin County Courthouse in Apalachicola, Florida, Zach Abell used to be about to stand trial. He had pleaded now not in charge to first-degree homicide and would stand sooner than the jury by myself. 8 months previous, Christina Araujo took a plea deal for a lesser rate of second-degree homicide.

Peter Van Sant: So, she admitted participating on this?

Jarred Patterson: Sure. … she implicated herself … in the real beating of Aileen.

After finding out a mountain of proof, prosecutor Jarred Patterson believes Abell used to be extra accountable in Aileen’s homicide. And the state is depending at the jury believing Araujo’s model of what took place inside of room 15.

Jarred Patterson: The one person who has instructed us anything else about what took place in that room is Christina Araujo.

David Adlerstein: As soon as Christina made her plea deal, she would grow to be the prosecution’s megastar witness.

Print reporter David Adlerstein, digicam in hand, used to be there as Christina Araujo transported the court docket again to the night of April 22, 2018. Araujo testified that she, Zach Abell and Aileen had been stress-free within the room on the Sportsman’s Resort Motel after an afternoon of heavy consuming.

JARRED PATTERSON (in courtroom): When Zach beverages, does he act otherwise?

CHRISTINA ARAUJO (in courtroom): Sure … He turns into very competitive, very imply.

Abell turned into violently enraged, says Araujo, when Aileen posed a apparently blameless query.

CHRISTINA ARAUJO (in courtroom): She stated, “Christina, bet what?”

Peter Van Sant: And she or he seems over at Christina and says, whats up “Christina, bet what …” How would that sentence be completed?

Jarred Patterson: I do not know ‘motive she by no means were given to complete it.

CHRISTINA ARAUJO (in courtroom): Zachary were given up right away and went over to her, and used to be in her face, hitting her. … He is simply yelling at her, telling her, “You at all times get started issues.” (crying)

Araujo admits to additionally hitting Aileen as she demanded to understand what she used to be about to mention. She by no means were given a solution.

CHRISTINA ARAUJO (in courtroom): And I were given so annoyed, I simply went and were given — I left the room.

After stepping outdoor room 15 for a couple of mins, Araujo claims she returned to seek out Abell and Aileen in the toilet.

CHRISTINA ARAUJO (in courtroom): Once I opened the door, he had one thing white in his hand, like if he used to be poking at her.

Jarred Patterson: The scientific examiner used to be in a position to spot small round bruising to the frame of Aileen that … might be in line with a bath curtain rod.

Just like the bathe curtain rod investigators recovered that had palm print impressions in Aileen’s blood.

Peter Van Sant: Whose palm used to be it?

Jarred Patterson: The palm print belonged to Zach Abell.

The attack endured close to the beds says Araujo, the place she says Abell reached for his picket strolling stick.

CHRISTINA ARAUJO (in courtroom): He hits her a number of occasions with it. … When he hit her within the — the again despite the fact that, the stick broke.

Jarred Patterson: We had in fact discovered items of that picket workforce within the resort room … we did not notice the importance of it till we discovered the opposite piece within the automobile that contained our sufferer’s DNA.

Araujo says she watched in terror as Abell started the usage of that persist with sexually attack Aileen.

David Adlerstein: Christina’s description of the crime used to be … scary to hear. … Aileen obviously suffered a horrible demise.

Adlerstein recollects the scientific examiner pronouncing Aileen’s accidents reminded him of the ones he had observed in motor automobile crashes.

David Adlerstein: As a reporter, I take a look at very exhausting not to be emotional. I distinctly take note … combating again tears.

Araujo claims she sooner or later put herself between Abell and Aileen, and the assault after all stopped. Aileen used to be badly crushed however nonetheless alive, she says. And the exhausted trio simply fell sleep.

CHRISTINA ARAUJO (in courtroom): I did not suppose she used to be gonna die from it.

Araujo claims it wasn’t till she aroused from sleep the following morning that she discovered Aileen used to be useless. She says she handiest participated within the coverup out of concern of what Abell may do to her.

David Adlerstein: She looked as if it would me if truth be told remorseful … Others had other reviews.

Peter Van Sant: Who’s Christina Araujo on your guide?

Alex Morris: Manipulative, crafty, a chameleon. … I believe that there is evil in her.

Alex Morris is Zach Abell’s lawyer. He says Christina Araujo acted by myself.

Alex Morris: I imagine that she is the assassin.

Morris says, it used to be Christina Araujo who beat Aileen, and that photograph taken through Mike Picavet at his house after the homicide displays she had accidents to her palms and ft.

Peter Van Sant: Which tells you, Christina will have to were the attacker.

Alex Morris: That is proper.

Araujo used to be the only with homicidal intent, says Morris, brought on when Abell and Aileen took off together with her within the rearview reflect. And he says the ones threatening texts that she despatched to Abell’s telephone sooner than becoming a member of them at the highway travel learn like a confession.

Alex Morris: There are threats of physically hurt to each Aileen and Zach within the messages.

Peter Van Sant (studying Araujo’s textual content): “You come back close to me hoe, I will be able to kill you.”

Alex Morris: I believe it speaks for itself. And that is the reason precisely what took place.

After Aileen’s homicide, Morris says Araujo wiped down the motel room—the usage of the vinegar that Ronnie Jones would later odor. He says Abell’s palm prints at the curtain rod were given there when he moved it all the way through the cleanup.

Alex Morris: He used to be advised to pick out the curtain rod up over there and put it over there.

Peter Van Sant: By way of?

Alex Morris: Christina.

A toll sales space surveillance photograph from after the homicide displays that Christina Araujo, and now not Zach Abell, used to be the only using the auto. And subsequently, Morris says, she used to be the only in regulate.

Alex Morris: The proof signifies Christina to be … the only giving the instructions … and had the whole lot so to manipulate the placement.

Manipulating Zach Abell, says Morris, as a result of the ones threats she have been making for years about her father’s affect in fixing her issues.

Alex Morris: Base line is Zach used to be terrified of Christina’s father.

Abell selected to not testify. When Morris made his ultimate arguments to the jury, he concluded the proof confirmed there used to be just one one that sought after Aileen Seiden useless.

ALEX MORRIS (in courtroom): They have not confirmed any cause as to why Mr. Abell can be desirous about murdering Ms. Seiden, however I’m going to let you know the place cause lies and it is transparent as day, and that is the reason with Ms. Araujo.

Alex Morris: The cause being: I need rid of the one that’s taken my guy.

Peter Van Sant: So jealousy?

Alex Morris: Sure.

In his final, Patterson stated Christina Araujo already permitted her function on this crime. He requested the jury to carry Zach Abell in control of his phase through discovering him in charge of homicide.

JARRED PATTERSON (in courtroom): They lived in combination. …They labored in combination. They personal a trade in combination. … They went to the Sportsman’s Resort in combination. … They emptied out the room in combination. … They ran away in combination. …  They were given arrested in combination. The one factor they did not do in combination used to be kill Aileen Seiden? No approach.

However who would the jury imagine?

A QUESTION UNANSWERED

Ronnie Jones: She wasn’t born right here. … And she or he did not are living right here. However she used to be left right here. And she or he’ll at all times be remembered through Franklin County.

Citizens of Florida’s Forgotten Coast will now lengthy take note Aileen Seiden, says Ronnie Jones. Virtually six years after her demise, the neighborhood waited for justice for the stranger they now had come to include as certainly one of their very own.

Peter Van Sant: What used to be going via your thoughts because the jury starts its deliberation?

Ronnie Jones: Make it fast.

David Adlerstein: I used to be instructed through the jury foreman that once they first went in … there used to be 10 in choose of first-degree premeditated homicide with two holdouts.

After about 5 hours of deliberations, the jury reached a consensus.

JUDGE ALLMAN (in courtroom): With regards to the State of Florida vs. Zachary Ray Abell … the defendant is in charge of the lesser incorporated offense of second-degree homicide.

2nd-degree homicide identical to Christina Araujo. Adlerstein says the jury foreman instructed him they only could not come to a decision if Abell had in fact meant to kill Aileen.

David Adlerstein: They knew that, uh, Christina had pled in charge to moment, and I believe they sooner or later stated … we are going to give him the similar.

Mike Picavet: It does not inform me that they are similarly accountable.

Mike Picavet says even with the decision, he’s satisfied his buddy performed no phase in Aileen’s demise.

Mike Picavet: To me, there is an blameless guy sitting in prison.

Ronnie Jones: I believe they are each simply as in charge as the opposite.

Now retired from legislation enforcement, Ronnie Jones spends his days tending his bar in Apalachicola. He says he is nonetheless left questioning what actually took place inside of room 15.

Peter Van Sant: Is this situation a thriller to you?

Ronnie Jones: It isn’t a thriller on precisely what took place, however precisely why it took place … That’s what nonetheless bothers me to at the moment. Why?

Like what Aileen may were about to mention that sparked the assault.

Ronnie Jones: It used to be my working out within the rumors … that she used to be solving to divulge the truth that she used to be pregnant.

Peter Van Sant: Pregnant. And used to be she pregnant? Did you be told that on the post-mortem?

Ronnie Jones: I used to be on the post-mortem, and he or she used to be now not pregnant. … I do not know if she idea she used to be or now not.

When it used to be time for sentencing, Abell after all spoke and instructed the court docket some other twist on this tortured tale.

ZACH ABELL (at sentencing): I had stopped, and I had grabbed a Ring Pop. And I proposed to her with a Ring Pop and requested her to marry me. And she or he stated, “Sure.” … And me and Aileen had been gonna pass our approach and depart Christina out of it.

Peter Van Sant: Zach spoke at his sentencing and stated that he’d in fact proposed to Aileen all the way through this travel.

Franceasca Seiden: Uh, I believe this is simply … BS. … Uh, it is a nice tale, however no.

JUDGE ALLMAN (at sentencing): I’ve been within the justice machine in a single shape or some other, for 40 years, infrequently have I observed this kind of accidents … that I noticed on Aileen Seiden.

The pass judgement on instructed Abell he needed he may just impose a harsher punishment sooner than sentencing him to the utmost: lifestyles in jail.

Jarred Patterson: Within the state of Florida, lifestyles method lifestyles, we shouldn’t have parole.

At her sentencing, Araujo’s father Colonel Tony Araujo set the file directly. He stated he by no means used his affect to profit his daughter, and he recalled the dialog he had together with her after the homicide.

COL. TONY ARAUJO (at sentencing): “You’re going to come clean with the reality. You’re going to settle for duty. You’re going to be the voice of the sufferer, and you’ll testify beneath oath in a courtroom of legislation. … After which no matter is sentenced to you, that is superb.”

Jarred Patterson: There used to be no settlement together with her as to the period of sentence … She gave her commentary with the information that she may just nonetheless obtain lifestyles in jail.

CHRISTINA ARAUJO (at sentencing): I consider that day on a daily basis of my lifestyles. … The main points hang-out me, and the reminiscences stay me up.

The pass judgement on said her cooperation, and sentenced Araujo to twenty-five years.

Ronnie Jones: Justice has been served. He would possibly not beat up anymore ladies; neither will she.

Allie: I believe that each and every lady roughly thinks, “I would depart if I used to be in that state of affairs. I’d just stand up and depart. I might by no means tolerate that.”

Aileen’s best possible buddy Allie hopes there shall be extra compassion for the ones trapped in abusive relationships.

Allie: It is at all times that, “I am sorry. It is by no means going to occur once more.” …  and also you imagine it, since you’re in love and issues are excellent 95% of the time. However the 5% which are dangerous are so dangerous.

Peter Van Sant: Along with your sister long past, how do you need her to be remembered?

Franceasca Seiden: I need her to be remembered as a candy, loving human being whom … sadly had … misplaced her oldsters at this type of younger age, however she used to be nonetheless so candy. Like she used to be this type of sweetheart. Her soul used to be so sort.

In January 2025, “Allie” gave up the ghost. She used to be 42.

In the event you or somebody you realize is a sufferer of home violence, touch the Nationwide Home Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.

Produced through Lauren A. White and Richard Fetzer. Marlon Disla and Phil Tangel are the editors. Ryan Smith and Tamara Weitzman are the advance manufacturers. Chelsea Narvaez is the affiliate manufacturer and Cameron Rubner is the published affiliate. Anthony Batson is the senior manufacturer. Nancy Kramer is the chief tale editor. Judy Tygard is the chief manufacturer.