The 48 Hours episode “Hollywood Horror Story” investigates the brutal murder of Ukrainian-born Iana Kasian. She moved to the U.S. in 2014 and worked as a model in Los Angeles. She fell in love with wealthy Hollywood producer, Blake Leibel. In May 3, 2016, she gave birth to daughter Diana. Three weeks after Diana’s birth, Leibel, 37, tortured and savagely killed Kasian, 30, via exsanguination (severe blood loss) in their apartment. Prosecutors say the Hollywood producer turned graphic novelist patterned the murder after gory details from a book, Syndrome, he worked on years earlier. At his trial, Deputy Public Defender Haydeh Takasugi said Leibel didn’t write or illustrate the book. “We’re reaching for something that is not there,” she said. However, his name is on the cover of the graphic novel Syndrome, as seen below.
In June 2018, Leibel was convicted of first-degree murder, torture and aggravated mayhem, and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Blake Leibel is the son of Lorne Leibel, former Canadian Olympic sailor (Montreal 1976) turned Toronto construction magnate, and brother of Cody Leibel. The Toronto Sun reports that Blake Leibel exploded when he found out he got less than he thought from his mother’s $12 million will (she died of cancer in 2011). A family friend to the Sun, “Blake felt betrayed by his brother [Cody] and his dad over the will.” 48 Hours airs Saturdays at 10pm on CBS. [Related: Blake Leibel also worked on the United Free Worlds graphic novel series.]
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