Giselle Esteban's case - A detailed case overview ahead of Snapped

Snapped season 18, episode 6, titled Giselle Esteban explores the brutal 2011 murder of 26-year-old nursing student Michelle Le. The episode originally aired on September 11, 2016, and is scheduled to re-air tonight, Monday, September 22, 2025, on Oxygen.

The episode follows the disappearance and murder of Le, and the conviction of Giselle Esteban, a former high school friend of Le’s, whose jealousy and resentment spiraled into a fatal act of violence that killed her.

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Who is Giselle Esteban? Relationship with victim Michelle Le explored

Michelle Le was a nursing student at Samuel Merritt University in Oakland, California, who was completing clinical rotations at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Hayward. Giselle Esteban, 28 at the time, was also from San Diego and had attended Mt. Carmel High School with Le.

Michelle Le's body was disocvered (Image via Getty)

Their relationship soured over the years, largely due to Esteban’s suspicions about Le’s friendship with her ex-boyfriend, Scott Marasigan. Esteban and Marasigan had been in a tumultuous relationship for nearly a decade, sharing custody of their daughter. By 2010, after losing custody, Esteban grew increasingly unstable and isolated. She became resentful towards Marasigan and Le, as reported by CBS.

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The murder and disappearance of Le

On May 27, 2011, Michelle Le vanished after leaving for her car in the parking garage at Kaiser Hayward. Her sudden disappearance sparked widespread concern and a massive search effort by police, family, and volunteers.

Investigators suspected foul play from the beginning, especially after surveillance footage placed Giselle Esteban at the parking garage shortly before Le disappeared. Blood stains found in Le’s car also matched her DNA, while additional blood evidence was discovered on a pair of sneakers at Esteban’s home.

Furthermore, cellphone records revealed that Esteban and Le’s phones traveled along similar routes in Alameda County in the hours following the disappearance. As per CBS, Le’s body was found on September 17, 2011, nearly four months after her disappearance, in a remote canyon between Pleasanton and Sunol. The case was confirmed to be a homicide.

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The arrest and trial of Esteban

Esteban was arrested on September 7, 2011, based on DNA, cellphone data, and surveillance video, even before Le’s body was located. She was charged with first-degree murder.

During the trial in 2012, the prosecution argued that Esteban meticulously planned the killing, motivated by jealousy, hatred, and rage toward Le. Deputy District Attorney Butch Ford highlighted Esteban’s stalking behavior and her premeditated presence at the hospital garage as evidence of calculated intent, as reported by ABC.

The defense, led by Andrea Auer, argued that Esteban killed Le, but it occurred in an impulsive moment. They claimed Esteban had been pushed to a breaking point due to extreme provocation, pointing to her fraught relationship with Marasigan and her obsession with his connection to Le. However, the jury was unconvinced by this argument.

Testimonies during the trial shed light on the complex dynamics between Esteban, Marasigan, and Le. Marasigan testified that while he briefly dated Le years earlier, they did not work out and remained friends. He also described Esteban’s volatile behavior and jealousy, which had escalated over time.

According to ABC, on October 29, 2012, an Alameda County jury found Giselle Esteban guilty of first-degree murder. The verdict reflected the jury’s belief that Esteban acted with premeditation rather than in a moment of uncontrollable passion. Esteban was scheduled for sentencing on December 10, 2012. An Alameda County judge sentenced Giselle Esteban to 25 years to life for her crimes.

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The case is explored in detail on Oxygen's Snapped, and it re-airs tonight at 10 PM ET.