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The “Death By Fame” series on Investigation Discovery, set to return on January 22, 2024, will delve into the disturbing story of Blake Leibel. In 2016, Leibel, a Canadian graphic novelist aspiring to make it in Hollywood, committed a heinous crime by brutally torturing and killing his fiancée and the mother of his child, Iana Kasian.
Blake Leibel, son of Canadian Olympic sailor and wealthy construction industry executive Lorne Leibel, had moved to Los Angeles in 2004, relying on his parents’ wealth while pursuing a career in Hollywood. During this time, he crossed paths with Iana Kasian, a Ukrainian woman who had moved to the U.S. in 2014 to work as an interpreter.
The tragic events unfolded in 2016 when Kasian’s mother, Olga Kasian, took custody of Leibel and Iana’s child, hoping the couple could repair their relationship. During this period, Leibel inexplicably confined Iana in their West Hollywood apartment, subjecting her to malicious torture and dismemberment while she was still alive. Leibel’s actions were reportedly fueled by jealousy towards his newborn child, reminiscent of a scenario from his 2010 graphic novel, “Syndrome.”
At Leibel’s trial, Superior Court Judge Mark E. Windham described the case as “unusual only in its savagery” and characterized Leibel’s acts as displaying “inconceivable cruelty.” Iana’s official cause of death was ruled as exsanguination or severe blood loss.
In 2018, Blake Leibel was found guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated mayhem, and torture, receiving a life sentence in prison without the possibility of parole. He was also ordered to pay millions to Iana Kasian’s family. As of 2024, Leibel is serving his sentence at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi, near Bakersfield.
Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman, during Leibel’s trial, described the case as an act of depravity, stating that Iana Kasian suffered a slow and painful death, and Leibel discarded her remains like trash. “Death by Fame” from Investigation Discovery, covering this chilling story, will be available for streaming on January 22, 2024, on platforms such as Max, Apple TV, and others.