13 YO Discovers Sister's Disturbing Secret | The Case of Lisa Knoefel

“He was chopping it up. That was sketchy.”

On November 16th, 2012, 13 year-old Megan Zanella witnesses her mother being attacked by her foster sister, Sabrina Zunich. Tragically, the police arrive too late to save Megan’s mother, Lisa Knoefel, and Sabrina is apprehended at the scene. However, in the subsequent investigation and trial, Megan and the police come to understand that nothing is as it seems, and become suspicious of Megan’s step-father, Kevin Knoefel. Megan must now gather her strength and face off against her own family in her quest to get justice for her mother.

Credits:
Directing, writing & editing by Alexandre Gendron
Research by Tianyi Zhang
Script revision by Tiffany Loxton
Produced by Alexandra Salois & Salim Sader
Voiceover by William Akana

Sources:
WEWS-TV - ABC - Sabrina Zunich Accused
Dayton Correctional - A Look Inside
Dateline - Deadly Betrayal
Investigation Raw - Unrequited Love
Law & Crime - Sabrina Zunich Interrogation
Sex & Murder - Family Love Triangle
Snapped - Sabrina Zunich
Snapped: Behind Bars - Sabrina Zunich
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Uncover what true crime documentaries don’t show you: real cases and real people, but with a new twist. This is Unseen.
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[seeya]

The guy is pure evil! Took a mother from her children and also ruined that girl's life for his own sexual desires. Sickening!

[Shiochan]

The father is the common denominator in this entire situation. What a vile evil individual

[byewhobayou]

Poor Megan. She fought for her mom and lost. I couldn’t imagine what she must have gone through everyday since then.

[Idonotknowwhat]

What’s sad for me is that this whole time Sabrina probably didn’t know she was being abused. Since she never had a proper family she probably thought what “love” her foster dad gave her was what a normal family was supposed to do to her.

[benmcreynolds]

Wow, I had no idea the younger daughter was such a crucial & important part to this case. She was 13 when the stabbing occurred, she fought her while the stabbing occurred, she was the most important witness to her dad's messed up actions after her mother's murder. It is INSANE how the dad was able to collect all that money, he didn't even attempt to fake things around his daughters. I'm so glad his daughter was so observant and caught on to every messed up thing her twisted father did. This is Such a sick and insane case...

[GiovannaFernandes-yeuz]

The father in this case is the fucking devil.

[muckyboys]

He took advantage of an already troubled girl that craved acceptance and love and made her do something so heinous. I'm so sad for all the little girls involved.

[LordVlax]

Kevin is completely despicable... When Lisa brought Sabrina home to take care of her, he probably only saw her as an object for his sick desires... He couldn't even keep a facade, not even for his grieving daughters, his wife was murdered and he just took the insurance money and spent it like he had won the lottery.
They sure didn't deserve the same sentense, Sabrina was being groomed by Kevin, it was all his fault, he had her in his hands, coached her and manipulated her into doing his bidding...

[vidsby.lilaaa]

I understand that Sabrina deserves to be in jail and she did very wrong, but I do feel bad for her. She was failed so badly

[puppy]

The regret in Sabrina’s voice in her interview is so genuine that you can feel it through the screen. I feel for her and i dont believe she deserves life, and her step father needs to rot. Poor girl. I understand being manipulated in a horrible place in my life so i definitely feel for her.

[BandlerChing]

This is one of the few times that I feel the killer is genuinely remorseful. Sabrina seems to feel the full weight of what she did. She’s not asking for leniency in the justice system, just forgiveness from what used to be her family.

I don’t know that I could grant it, so I don’t blame the girls at all. It’s just an absolute tragedy all around.

It’s too bad Lisa didn’t report that her daughter was being abused instead of being jealous of a child. She’d probably be alive today.

[battlerudee]

Lisa didn’t deserve to die…but she betrayed Sabrina as well…she was the social worker and chose to stay with him..and isolate her as if she did something wrong..literally was going to just give her back

[mattiefletcher]

*a social worker who is a professional in child sa, realizes her husband is a predator, does nothing but isolate and punish the young girl being abused*

[sassysav]

This case shows that the BEST actions to take in suspected CSA is reporting it. If her foster mom reported the suspicions, she would be alive today. She wanted to try and manage it, which kept the two murderers in the home.

[AuthenticallyAlvarez]

This i a really sad case. I will also add that here in Cleveland, DCFS is a huge mess. The kids are removed from home only to be put in worse homes. There are kids that were removed from their home and are now sleeping in the DCFS building downtown with no ssupervision. These kids get no help or redorection and no hope for reunification. The dcfs workers are all corrupt, and the whole dcfs needs to be revamped.

[Rishro]

Wow, what a dark and intricately woven tragedy. Both Megan and Sabrina will forever live with this in their own, torturous way.

[projectpsx-playingeveryps]

Megan is so strong, I cant imagine what it feels like to go through what she has but she carries herself and her mum's memory with great dignity and class

[shannsimms]

I really feel bad for everyone in this story besides that evil man. He’s it’s so clear how he took advantage of Sabrina.

[tinas_hotdog_sophie]

Sabrina was a victim of her surroundings. I am not saying she shouldn't be where she is, but life did fail her.

[itslocro]

I hate so much that jealousy clouded Lisa’s better judgement. I’m in no way victim blaming; rather, I’m afraid many women may have had a similar response. But working in *that very field* and knowing he groomed her and then directing the anger toward the child in that scenario is so sad.

Sabrina should’ve been protected, embraced and surrounded by family - not isolated and most importantly, Kevin should’ve been reported to the authorities because he’s a pedophile.

I can’t imagine how hard this was for Lisa, she must’ve been absolutely devastated. Betrayal is the worst but what Kevin did is a whole different level of disgusting.

Look at Megan, though! What a beautiful and brilliant young woman she’s turned into. Lisa would be so proud of her. I mean, I’m proud of her!