American Monster is examining the murder of Kira Simonian, who was killed during an argument by her husband, Matthew Gretz, in their home in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2008.
On June 27, 2008, Simonian and Gretz had been married four years when they started arguing in their south Minneapolis apartment. The fight ended with Gretz beating his wife with a hammer before stabbing her approximately 15 times in the neck and chest.
Early the following morning, Gretz coolly left the apartment and boarded a plane to New York, supposedly for a business trip. The remains of his 32-year-old art student wife were discovered later that day.
Gretz returned home and tried to play the role of a shocked, grieving husband; he even spoke at a vigil organized for Kira shortly after her death.
However, the police were suspicious of Gretz. They wondered why he was covered in cuts and scratches, which looked suspiciously like defensive wounds.
The evidence against Matthew Gretz mounted up
The cops also wondered why Gretz had shipped his suitcase from New York to Chicago instead of his home. When they intercepted the travel bag, they learned why. They found blood in the case and on a watch that was inside the suitcase. A DNA test found the blood belonged to Kira.
Furthermore, an autopsy revealed that Kira had Gretz’s DNA under her fingernails.
Watch the Latest on our YouTube ChannelA neighbor of Gretz and Simonian later reported to the police that they had heard from the apartment a man shouting, “do you love me?” followed by a woman screaming and then silence.
The killer was subsequently arrested and charged with murder. In June 2008, he pleaded guilty to second-degree intentional murder and was sentenced to just over 25 years in prison. He will be eligible for parole from 2024.
At his sentencing, Kira’s sister, Lara Simonian, insisted on staring directly at Gretz so her face would remind him of Kira and what he’d done to her. Her father, Raffe Simonian, called the murderer a “coward.”
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American Monster airs at 9/8c on Investigation Discovery.
Matthew Gretz looked creepy in every picture. I guess you can’t help the way you look. My condolences go out to Kira’s family.
How and why was he only sentenced to 25 years WITH PAROLE BEFORE THEN for brutally murdering his wife with a hammer AND knife????????? This makes NO SENSE!!!!!!!! Infuriating when other ppl get life without parole for far less horrific crimes. He showed no mercy to her!!!! This judge who imposed such a light sentence makes me so mad!!!!
Remember this psychopath brutally murdered his wife in Minnesota, a left wing, Democrat controlled state. Largest city wanted to defund the police and hire social workers to work with the criminals instead.
Domestic violence does not have a political affiliation. You trying to exploit abuse to push your own agenda is disgusting. Would you like the stats on domestic murders in ‘Right winged states’ ?I t is estimated that more than ten million people experience domestic violence in the U.S. each year. The ten states with the highest rate of females murdered by males were, as of 2010, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana, Virginia, Texas, New Mexico, Hawaii, Arizona, Georgia.
In his interrogations, he has no remorse, no empathy and very shallow affect of emotion the signs of a psychopath. He also was calculated in his approach to the murder. If it had been a crime of passion worthy of second degree murder charges exactly what is the motive. A fight about pornography feels like a very shallow motive leading to an argument leading to a murder. The show shows very little about Matt it is completely about Kira. I wonder if the family really knew him at all or anyone? He has no back story. Who is Matt Gretz? Does he have a history of psychopathic tendency and signs of a double life? Is 25 years and a plea deal the right sentence for a possible psychopath to be released on the public after only 25 years sentence? Those are the questions I have about this case.
Why!! not life in prison. If we as women, we would get life for doing that to our abusive husbands.