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The cold-blooded murder of 32-year-old Nicole Pietz at the hands of her husband, David Pietz, became quick news in 2006 as Nicole's body was discovered in a wooded area in Burien. As investigations progressed, suspicions about David Pietz's involvement rose owing to his cold behavior towards the mishap and odd actions.
David was involved with four different women during their marriage while his relationship with Sabrina Strieck started while he was going out with Nicole Pietz. The murder of Nicole Pietz shook her family which will be covered in the upcoming episode of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered titled Secrets in Seattle. The synopsis reads,
"Nicole Pietz was a well-liked fitness executive married to the man of her dreams. Then one night, she didn't show up for dinner with her husband and friends. Had Nici's troubled past caught up with her or did someone want to harm her?"
TheDateline: Secrets Uncovered Season 5 Episode 7 re-airs on December 12, 2023, at 9 p.m. EST on Oxygen.
Who was David Pietz? Details explored
On January 28, 2006, Nicole Theresa “Nici” Zurcher Pietz was reported missing by her husband of four years, 34-year-old Martin "David" Pietz. Nicole and David got married at the beach in Maui on April 20, 2002. The two met while Nicole worked as a receptionist at a local health club while David was a salesman at another health club. David placed a call to the local police at 10.20 p.m. that night reporting his wife missing while Nicole's parents, Gael and Rod Schneider were on their way.
David brought up the issue of the couple not wearing their wedding bands anymore after which he stated that Nicole often chose to wear her mouthguard during daytime as well as outdoors. He pointed out the 56 missing painkillers from an empty bottle as well indicating drugs as the reason behind her disappearance. Nicole struggled with addiction due to her pain medication for endometriosis but she had been 8 years sober when she went missing.
According to the Daily Mail UK,
"Toxicology reports showed only trace amounts of prescription pills in Nicole's system and no signs of recent drug abuse."
According to CBS News, Gael mentioned that Nicole deeply loved David as she said,
"She was always saying 'My wonderful husband, my brilliant husband, my handsome husband.' She loved him!"
What did David Pietz do?
Nicole Pietz's naked and bruised body was found in a wooded area near the airport in Burien with her mouthguard still inside her mouth. Her car was recovered from a spot 20 miles away from the area where her body was found and the insides of the vehicle had more of David's DNA than Nicole's. Her feet were bare but clean as well indicating that she had been carried outdoors.
While Nicole's family prepared for her funeral, they started noticing patterns in David's behaviour which seemed odd. David Pietz appeared nonchalant in his approach to the situation as he gave away Nicole's ashes to their real estate agent, and her beloved pets to lesser-known people and showed no sign of remorse. Gael spoke to CBS News saying,
"David put his arms around me at that point and said, 'I didn't think you'd take it so hard.' And that still rings in my ears. I kept thinking, 'Why would he say that? Why would he say that?'"
The investigators got hold of security footage from the 24-Hour Fitness building where David worked and witnessed David step out of the camera range when Nicole's call came in at the reception around 11:50 a.m. Detective Mike Mellis of the King County Sheriff's Office explained,
"The tower that connected Nicole's phone for that phone call was right there...about 188 yards almost due north of this complex."
David Pietz had informed the detectives,
"I don't have much of a libido. It's kind of opposite roles of what the stereotype is."
However, he had extramarital affairs with four women while he was married - Renee Stewart, Samantha Duffy, Sabrina Lucia Strieck and Julie Hansen-Freeman.
Where is David Pietz now?
David Pietz was arrested at his Kirkland workplace on March 21, 2012, according to Fox 13 Seattle. He was convicted of second-degree murder on October 14, 2013, at the King County Court and sentenced to a jail time of 18 years and 4 months - the maximum under the Washington State Law.
Nicole Pietz died of asphyxia due to manual strangulation.
