05-05-2025
Playboy employee's mystery death explored in shocking new documentary as ex-boyfriend maintains foul play
The mysterious death of Playboy casting assistant Kimberly Fattorini is put under the spotlight in a shocking new documentary, in which her devastated ex-boyfriend expresses his belief that there was foul play.
Fattorini died on July 21, 2017, in West Hollywood, California, from an apparent overdose following a night out.
While the date rape drug GHB was found in her system – as well as cocaine and alcohol – the coroner did not perform a sexual assault exam and by the time the cops requested one 'in light of additional information he had received,' it was no longer possible.
There was not enough evidence to file a criminal case, and the investigation was closed with zero arrests.
The season three premiere of Investigation Discovery's The Playboy Murders takes a closer look at the case and lays bare the murky holes, while Fattorini's loved ones share their doubts over the official cause of death.
Hours before she passed, Fattorni had been partying with Monica Maass and Eli Wehbe.
In her interview with detectives, Monica claimed that the group had gone to Eli's residence to take drugs and party and at one point, NFL player Shawne Merriman arrived.
She alleged that Shawne ordered an Uber to take the women to Monica's apartment where they continued to drink.
The following day, Monica claimed she discovered Fattorni dead on the sofa. She claimed Shawne panicked and fled the scene.
There had been accusations that Shawne had drugged and raped Fattorni before her death. He denied those claims.
In his interview with detectives, Eli also denied that Shawne had brought GHB to his house. Shawne was never charged in connection with the death.
Many of Fattorini's loved ones refute the idea that she overdosed and believe there were much darker circumstances surrounding her death.
One of those sceptics include her ex-boyfriend, former Playboy casting director Sam Rhima, who describes the details surrounding her death as a 'coverup.'
Speaking in the Playboy Murders documentary, he said: 'I know Kim more than anybody else. The only thing she would have done that night was drink alcohol.'
'Nobody does GHB as a party drug,' he adds. 'Nobody does a drug that's meant to date rape people.'
'When I found out there was GHB in her system, I knew that she was drugged,' Fattorini's friend and former Playboy model Tawnie Jaclyn added.
'I knew that was somebody else's doing.'
Addressing his heartbreak over investigation being closed, Sam added: 'I was shocked. I don't know who else was involved in the coverup, but there was obviously a coverup of what happened to her.
'I think no one got arrested because they'd spread all these rumors to make it look like she'd OD'd, which she did not.'
He went on to add: 'And I don't know how high the cover up goes or who else helped them cover up but more happened to Kim than what they're saying.
'I still can't understand why the sheriffs department didn't do anything about it,' Sam adds.
'Knowing what happened and what is right there in their face.
'How do you close an investigation on a girl who was obviously drugged, raped and kill. Why would you close an investigation on something like that?'
Fattorini's parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit in July 2019 against Shawne, Monica, and Eli, in which they cited battery, drug dealer liability, and negligence.
The lawsuit states paramedics found Fattorini laying on the floor unresponsive.
'She was half-naked with her jeans unzipped and unbuttoned, as though someone had tried to pull her jeans on to her body before the police or paramedics arrived,' the filing reads.
'Her bra was twisted and her lips were blue. She was also not wearing any underwear despite.'
The lawsuit is still pending.
In the litigation, Shawne, Eli and Monica each filed answers denying each and every allegation in the action.
They also denied that the plaintiffs were entitled to any damages.
contact Shawne, Monica and Eli for further comment. It is noted that the trio declined to discuss Fattorini's death for the series.
At the time of its filing, reps for Shawne called the lawsuit 'baseless.'
They added to TMZ: 'Shawne attended an after party more than two years ago where a young woman unfortunately overdosed... The police thoroughly investigated and found no wrongdoing whatsoever by Shawne.
'The fact that they are raising this now, two years after the fact, demonstrates the baseless nature of these allegations.'
contact Shawne, Monica and Eli for further comment. It is noted that the trio declined to discuss Fattorini's death for the series.
They've previously denied accusations that were connected to Fattorini's death.
In an exclusive interview with last week, Holly Madison, the host and executive producer of The Playboy Murders, revealed why Fattorni's case means so much to her.
'This season, the one we're opening up with the Kimberly Fattorini case,' she said. 'That one really sticks with me. It was a case that was brought to our attention.
'As season two was airing we kept getting all these messages on Instagram from people who were close friends of Kimberly and wanted us to cover her case because they feel like it wasn't getting enough attention and that there were so many unresolved questions.
'There's still a pending civil suit going on regarding that case, so it means a lot to me to be able to bring that case to the forefront again, hoping that it might help somebody get closure.'
The Playboy Murders premieres on Monday, May 5 at 9/8c on ID and streams on Max.
