People still talk about the "throuple murder" like it’s some kind of twisted TV script. But for the family of Aileen Seiden, the reality was a lot more gruesome than any true crime documentary could capture. When you look at the names Zachary Abell and Christina Araujo, you aren't just looking at two people who ended up behind bars. You’re looking at a toxic, high-speed collision of three lives that ended in a Florida motel room.
The story is messy. It involves a furniture heiress, a used car dealership, and a relationship dynamic that went from "unconventional" to "deadly" in less than a year.
The Love Triangle That Spiraled
It started in North Miami. Zachary Abell and Christina Araujo had already been together for about five years when Aileen Seiden entered the picture in 2017. Aileen wasn't some stranger; she had known Zach since they were teenagers. When she lost her job as a property manager and her apartment around the same time, she started working at the used car lot run by Abell and Araujo.
Most people don't just "become a throuple" over lunch. According to those close to them, Zach had been seeing Aileen on the side. When he tried to break it off with Christina to be with Aileen, Christina supposedly countered with a wild idea: why don't we all just date each other?
Honestly, it sounds like a recipe for disaster from day one.
The jealousy was immediate. Friends like Mike Picavet recall the two women literally trading punches in kitchens and bars. It was a cycle of raucous partying followed by hotheaded brawls. One minute they were all drinking together; the next, someone had a black eye.
A Road Trip With No Return
By April 2018, the tension reached a breaking point. It’s reported that during a road trip to Texas, Christina Araujo sent over 150 angry texts to Zach and Aileen in a single 24-hour window because she felt left out. Eventually, she joined them. On the way back to South Florida, they stopped at the Sportsman's Lodge Motel in Eastpoint, a quiet town in the Florida Panhandle.
They checked into Room 15.
Only two of them checked out alive.
When investigators eventually entered that room, they found a "bloody spectacle." A luminol test lit up the bathroom like a neon sign. Someone had tried to clean it up, but you can't just scrub away that kind of violence. Aileen Seiden’s body was found six miles away, dumped at the end of a cul-de-sac.
The Evidence Against Zachary Abell and Christina Araujo
The medical examiner’s report is hard to read. Aileen’s injuries weren't from a quick fight. They were "comparable to a motor vehicle crash." Almost all of her ribs were broken. Her body was covered in bruises from head to toe.
For a long time, both Zachary Abell and Christina Araujo pointed the finger at each other. They both claimed innocence for years. But the "police royalty" card that Christina allegedly liked to brag about—her father was a high-ranking official with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Department—didn't save her.
Eventually, the alliance between the two killers cracked.
- The Plea Deal: Christina Araujo took a deal in April 2023. She pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and agreed to testify against Zach.
- The Testimony: She told the court she acted under duress and coercion from Abell. She claimed he was the primary aggressor.
- The Defense: Abell’s lawyer argued that Christina was actually the one in control, pointing to toll booth photos showing her driving the car after the murder while Zach sat in the passenger seat.
The Final Verdicts
The legal system finally caught up with them in 2024.
Zachary Abell was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. He’s currently serving that time, with the judge describing the incident as a "torture death."
Christina Araujo, thanks to her cooperation and plea, received a lighter sentence. She was handed 20 years behind bars. It’s a significant amount of time, but many of Aileen's friends and family felt it wasn't enough given the brutality of the crime.
Why the Story Still Matters
We talk about red flags all the time, but this case is a textbook example of how domestic violence can hide behind "unconventional" labels. Aileen Seiden’s friends knew she was in trouble. One friend, "Allie," even tried to help her plan an escape just days before she was killed. Aileen was reportedly terrified to go to the police because she believed Christina's family connections would make the problem worse.
If there’s anything to take away from the tragedy of Zachary Abell and Christina Araujo, it’s that isolation is the greatest weapon an abuser has.
Actionable Takeaways for Safety
If you or someone you know is in a volatile relationship—whether it’s a throuple, a couple, or anything else—here is how to handle the "policed royalty" or "connected" threats:
- Document Everything Externally: Use cloud storage or a trusted friend to hold photos of injuries or copies of threatening texts. Don't keep them on your phone if your partner has access.
- Seek Out-of-Jurisdiction Help: If you truly believe local law enforcement is compromised by a partner's family, reach out to state-level authorities (like the FDLE in Florida) or national domestic violence hotlines.
- The "Escape Bag" Rule: Always have a small bag with essentials (ID, cash, spare key) kept at a neighbor's house or a workplace.
- Trust the Instinct: Aileen told her friend she needed help. She was right. If a situation feels like it’s "spiraling," it probably is.
The legal saga of Zachary Abell and Christina Araujo is closed, but the shadow it cast over the Florida Panhandle remains. It’s a grim reminder that when relationships turn into power struggles, the cost is often paid in blood.
