The Murder of Jenna Nannetti
For this case, I watched an episode of Killer Couples. It’s season 7 episode 4.
A 17-year-old girl goes missing just weeks after getting married.
Background
Jenna Nacole Nannetti was born on March 5, 1985, and was just 17 when she went missing. She had recently gotten married to a 20-year-old man named Mike Simons. They had met in December 2001, and were married just a few months later, and moved in with Jenna’s grandmother, so that they could save money.
Jenna Nannetti
The Disappearance
On October 7, 2002, a 911 call came in about a car having been set on fire.
Luckily, when the police arrived, they didn’t find anyone inside the car. The license plate was also still intact. The car belonged to an older woman who lived in Livermore, California. They contacted her, and she said the car was registered to her, but belonged to her granddaughter Jenna.
Jenna’s grandmother said that Jenna never came home the previous night, but left her a strange voicemail. In the message, Jenna said:
“I probably got a concussion from being hit with a baseball bat. I need your help.”
She tried calling Jenna several times, but it went to voicemail. She also told the police that Jenna’s husband Mike was also missing.
A Love Triangle
While the police searched for Mike, they learned that Mike had an affair with another 17-year-old named Katie Belflower. Katie and Jenna had gone to school together, and Katie was known for getting in between relationships.
Jenna was devastated to learn about her husband’s infinitely. Mike had asked for a divorce, but Jenna said she could forgive him for the affair, if he stayed with her.
Mike agreed, and it seemed like his relationship with Katie ended. However, that was not true. Jenna’s grandmother had admitted that they were having issues again.
A few days after Jenna went missing, Mike finally returned the police’s phone calls. He agreed to answer their questions, and gave him the address of where he was now living.
When they arrived, they learned that he had moved into Katie’s mom’s house. Katie appeared at the door with Mike, and they both seemed shocked to learn about Jenna’s disappearance. They said that they had seen Jenna on October 6, and that she had tried to reconcile with Mike. Mike also claimed that Jenna had tried to call him several times after that night.
It seemed like the couple had an alibi. They said that they had been with a friend named Jeff Hamilton. Jeff said that he was with them all night, and the police didn’t have evidence to think that he was lying to them.
A Horrific Discovery
Several weeks passed without any sign of Jenna. That soon changed, when on October 14, a decomposed body was found in a wooded area. A fisherman had smelled an odor, and found the body. He then tracked down a nearby officer, and reported it.
The body was badly decomposed, probably due to the heat and animals in the area. The police were able to find Jenna’s missing persons report, and her dental records proved that it was her.
Jenna’s autopsy proved that she had been murdered. She had died from two gunshot wounds to the torso.
The police didn’t have much information about Jenna’s final movements, or even when she died. They made a plea to the public for help, and offered a $5,000 reward for information.
Another Attack
Jenna’s case stalled, and there were no new suspects or leads. That was until March 1, 2003.
A park patrol officer named Sgt. Tim Phillips, was out driving, and came across a suspicious vehicle on the side of the road. There were three people on the side. One woman, later identified as Aspen Lum, was lying on her back. The other two, Katie Belflower and Jeff Hamilton, were kneeling beside her.
Sgt. Phillips immediately knew something was wrong. He noticed that Katie and Jeff were wearing blue latex gloves. When he approached them, Katie and Jeff said that they were helping Aspen because she was sick, and that they didn’t want to get vomit on their hands.
Sgt. Phillips asked Aspen if she could sit up on her own, and she did. Sgt. Phillips told Katie and Jeff to take Aspen home, and he left. Moments later, he was dispatched. Aspen’s parents had reported her missing, and when she eventually arrived home, Aspen told her parents that Katie and Jeff attempted to kill her.
Aspen said she was invited to the park to drink whiskey and talk. She said things took a turn when Jeff put a rope around her neck. Katie held her down, but she fought back. Aspen’s injuries on her neck proved that she was telling the truth.
The Confession
Katie and Jeff were brought down to the police station for questioning. Katie told the police that she was convinced that Aspen wanted Mike.
Jeff told the police that Katie had planned out this attack. Katie called him, and asked to borrow his car. He asked why, and she said because she wanted to murder Aspen. Jeff said he only agreed to help because Katie was his friend. His job was to strangle Aspen, when she appeared drunk or tipsy. I’m sure they didn’t think that Aspen was going to fight back.
Katie made one more confession to the police: she killed Jenna, because she was in the middle of her happy ever after with Mike. They also believed that they would be rich. Jenna had a $100,000 life insurance policy. What they didn't know was Jenna had changed her policy. Once she found out that Mike was cheating on her, she made her grandparents the beneficiaries.
On October 6, Mike lured Jenna to Katie’s, by telling her that he wanted to reconcile. Mike kissed Jenna, which was Katie’s cue to attack Jenna with a baseball bat. However, their plan failed. Jenna didn’t die like they planned, she was just disoriented and angry.
They then decided to drive to Whiskey Slew, which was the area where Jenna was eventually found. Mike was able to talk Jenna into going there with him to beat up Katie.
Minutes after they arrived, Mike left Jenna waiting in the car, and returned with a shot gun. Jenna begged for her life, but she was shot multiple times. They then dragged Jenna’s body into the field, took her car, and set it on fire.
The Convictions
Katie Belflower, Mike Simons and Jeff Hamilton were all arrested, and charged with murder.
The police learned a few more shocking secrets before the trials. Jenna had changed her life insurance policy after she learned about Mike’s affair. The beneficarys’s were now her grandparents. Katie had also gotten pregnant with Mike’s child, which she found out about after Jenna died. The police believed that this was the motive for Katie wanting to kill Aspen.
Katie didn’t go on trial, but pleaded guilty to murder with special circumstances of lying in wait and killing for financial gain. She was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
Mike went on trial in October 2005. His defense was that Jeff was the actual shooter. However, the evidence seemed to match Jeff’s story that he gave in his police interrogation. He said Mike had killed Jenna, and that he heard the shots, and saw the muzzle flash.
Mike was found guilty of murder and arson, and sentenced to life without parole.
Jeff Hamilton pleaded guilty to second degree murder, and sentenced to 15 years to life.
Katie Belflower
Jeff Hamilton
Mike Simons
Other
In August 2003, Katie gave birth in prison. Her daughter was put up for adoption.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This reminds me a lot of the Sarah Ludemann case. Two young girls fought over a man, who wasn’t much of a man, to be honest. He probably got off on knowing that he had two teenagers fighting over him. One ends up dead, and the other ruined her life over some lowlife.
Also, Jeff, why the fuck did you help take someone’s life? You ruined your own life, and deserve to rot in prison just like the other two.
Sources
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/81428609/jenna-nacole-nannetti
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2005/07/21/sentencing-in-teens-2002-slaying-today/
https://www.sierrasun.com/opinion/murderer-gets-life-in-prison-plus-25-years-and-deserves-more/
https://eastbayexpress.com/little-miss-murder-1/
https://www.recordnet.com/article/20030709/a_news/307099986
https://caselaw.findlaw.com/ca-court-of-appeal/1180568.html
