Oxygen is re-showing the Dateline: Secrets Uncovered investigation of the murder of Pamela Fayed by her estranged husband, James Fayed, in a murder-for-hire case from Century City in Los Angeles, California.
Pamela and James Fayed married in 1999 and established a very successful business trading in precious metals called Goldfinger Inc. However, by 2008, their marriage was disintegrating, and they were going through a bitter divorce. The FBI was also investigating the couple for running a Ponzi scheme.
James decided he didn’t want to share their fortune with his ex-wife, so he paid an employee, Jose Moya, $25,000 to arrange her murder. Moya enlisted Gabriel Jay Marquez, who in turn asked his nephew, Steven Simmons, to commit the crime.
On July 28, 2008, the Fayed couple met to discuss divorce proceedings at the office of James’s attorney. After the meeting, Pamela walked to the parking garage, where Simmons attacked her.
The 44-year-old was stabbed about 13 times in the head, neck, and chest. She died at the scene. Pamela had tried to fight off her attacker; her hands were covered in defensive wounds, and many witnesses reported hearing her blood-curdling screams.
According to LA County Judge Kathleen Kennedy, James would have heard his wife’s screams, but he just sat on a nearby bench “texting on his cellphone, like he doesn’t have a care in the world.”
The cops identified Steven Simmons as the killer in Pamela Fayed murder case
The LAPD identified a suspicious SUV that had entered the parking garage at the time of the murder.
Watch the Latest on our YouTube ChannelThe vehicle had been rented under the Goldfinger company name, and the cops found Simmons’ fingerprint on the parking ticket.
In the meantime, James was arrested on fraud charges for running the Ponzi scheme.
While in jail, he discussed with a jailhouse informant how much he hated his wife and how he hoped to hire the mafia to kill his wife’s killers to “clean up the … mess.”
James Fayed sentenced to die for Pamela Fayed killing
James Fayed told the informant he hoped he wouldn’t end up in the “death chamber”; however, in 2011, he was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death.
Governor Gavin Newsom introduced a moratorium on all executions when he assumed office, and the death row facility at San Quentin is currently in the process of being demolished, so it’s unclear if James Fayed will ever serve his sentence. It is unlikely he will ever be released.
Gabriel Jay Marquez, Jose Luis Moya, and Steven Simmons were all convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
This episode of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered re-airs Tuesday at 7/6c on Oxygen.