In 1994, 25-year-old Toni Dykstra of Los Angeles, the single mother of two young daughters, met and married Carlo Ventre, a successful 46-year-old Italian businessman. After Toni gave birth to their child, Santina, the couple's relationship soured. Despite a court custody order, Carlo fled to Italy with Santina in January 1998. Toni went to Italy where an Italian court ordered the baby returned to the U.S., but the day before she was to return home, Toni was found dead of head injuries in Carlo's apartment. Carlo claimed that he acted in self-defense when Toni attacked him. Toni's twin sister, Teri Martinez, believing that Toni had been murdered, was determined to get justice for her sister and enlisted the help of attorney Gloria Allred, who took on the case pro bono. Carlo Ventre, having been deported to Italy, was finally charged with voluntary murder in the first degree.