Tangled Loyalties: The Unconventional Relationship Behind Aileen Seiden’s Murder

Blood on the Forgotten Coast – The Murder of Aileen Seiden

In the quiet seaside town of Eastpoint, Florida, the salty breeze carried an unusual chill one morning in April 2018. A couple out on a simple fishing trip stumbled upon something that would shatter the town’s sleepy stillness — the lifeless body of a young woman, bruised and abandoned off Highway 98.

She had no ID. No one knew her name. For the time being, she was simply "Jane Doe."

Lieutenant Ronnie Jones of the Franklin County Sheriff's Office was among the first on scene. As he stood by the roadside, staring down at the battered body, he couldn’t help but wonder: Was a killer on the loose in their peaceful town?

But what Jones didn’t know yet — this was only the beginning.

Less than 24 hours later, a second crime scene emerged. This time, it was at the Sportsman’s Lodge Motel in nearby Apalachicola. Room 15, normally just another number on a weathered wooden door, was now soaked in blood. The mattress was stained deeply, the floor marked, and the air hung thick with the sour tang of vinegar — a failed attempt to clean up a violent act.

A luminol test lit up the bathroom like a crime scene out of a horror film. Blood everywhere. And most of it, it turned out, belonged to the same woman found by the highway — 31-year-old Aileen Seiden.

A Face, a Name, and a Past

When investigators finally identified the victim, it fell on them to deliver devastating news to Aileen’s older sister, Franceasca Seiden.

"My sister was murdered," she remembered hearing over the phone. "I didn’t know what to do. I just broke."

The sisters had already endured so much. Their mother, Murtha, died of cancer when Aileen was just nine. Their father, Frank, passed away six years later from a heart attack. At only 14, Aileen became an orphan. Franceasca, just 22, became her legal guardian — suddenly forced to juggle work, school, and parenting her grieving little sister.

Though they tried to move forward, grief has a way of returning — often in waves, often without warning.

A Sudden Spiral

Aileen eventually grew up to be an independent, hard-working woman. Based in Miami, she managed rental properties and paid her bills on time. But her best friend — who asked to remain anonymous and is referred to here as "Allie" — said that Aileen’s emotional pain often simmered below the surface.

In 2016, Aileen spent time in Los Angeles with Franceasca, and for a moment, things felt okay again. But when she returned to Miami, she reconnected with someone from her past — a man named Zachary Abell.

Allie recalled that Aileen had known Zach since high school and had some initial doubts about him. But the two eventually grew close. What began as a fun, adventurous relationship slowly turned into something more complicated… and far more dangerous.

Room 15’s Secrets

Franklin County detectives soon learned that in the days leading up to her death, Aileen had been staying at the Sportsman’s Lodge Motel — in Room 15 — with Zach Abell and another woman: Christina Araujo.

The trio’s presence in the quiet town hadn’t gone unnoticed. But what truly caught the investigators’ attention was a simple, chilling observation: three people had checked into that motel room. Only two were seen leaving… and they were carrying something wrapped in a sheet.

What had happened inside Room 15? What twisted dynamic played out between these three individuals?

To understand that, investigators had to dig into the past — and examine a deeply tangled relationship triangle filled with manipulation, secrets, and dark intentions.

Trapped Between Two Worlds

Mike Picavet had been around Zach Abell and Christina Araujo long enough to see the disturbing power dynamics in their relationship. Zach, though charismatic and easygoing, often seemed like a puppet in Christina’s hands.

"He tried so many times to leave her," Picavet recalled, "but he just didn’t know how to. And then there were the threats. Every time she got drunk, she'd say things like she could make him disappear."

Those threats weren’t taken lightly. Christina Araujo often bragged about her father being a major in the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Department. "If we ever get into trouble," she’d slur, "he’ll fix it." What began as brash, drunken bravado started sounding more like a shield — one that made her feel invincible.

So when Zach found himself emotionally split between two women — the controlling Christina and the sensitive, independent Aileen — things spiraled. He wanted to move on, but Christina wouldn’t let go. And by the time they all ended up sharing Room 15 in that rundown Florida motel, the pressure was unbearable.

Three Checked In…

According to witness accounts and surveillance footage, Zach, Aileen, and Christina arrived in Apalachicola together and checked into the Sportsman’s Lodge Motel.

Then, on April 23, 2018, Aileen’s body was discovered — brutally beaten and dumped near a fishing spot.

Inside Room 15, investigators uncovered a horror show: A bed soaked in blood, a bathroom glowing under luminol, and a shower curtain rod with blood and a palm print — a potential murder weapon. The vinegar smell confirmed what they already suspected: someone had tried to clean up.

Only Zach and Christina were seen leaving the motel — and they weren’t empty-handed.

Jarred Patterson, assistant prosecutor, summed it up grimly:

"Three people entered that hotel room. Two came out… carrying a body."

Aileen’s Story Deserved Better

Aileen Seiden was more than a headline. She was a woman who had battled grief, carved a life of independence, and held deep bonds with her sister and close friends.

"She was strong," said her friend Allie. "She built a life for herself after losing both her parents. She didn’t deserve this."

Zach and Christina’s twisted relationship didn’t just pull Aileen in — it destroyed her. Whether it was jealousy, control, or desperation that sparked the violence, one thing became clear: Aileen was caught in the crossfire of something far more sinister than she ever expected.

Justice for Aileen

As the investigation deepened, so did the truths behind that motel room door. A forensic trail — blood, prints, and testimonies — began pointing toward Zach Abell and Christina Araujo. Eventually, arrests were made, and justice began its slow grind forward.

But for Franceasca, Aileen’s sister, the pain remains.

"I became her guardian to protect her," she said through tears. "But in the end… I couldn’t."