A FITNESS model who was stabbed to death in his apartment made a shocking phone call just before he was killed.
Jacob Zieben-Hood, 34, who was found dead on his toilet, was covered in stab wounds when police officers found him on August 1.
When cops arrived at the couple’s apartment on Friday, they found Jacob slouched over the toilet with stab wounds on his calf that penetrated his muscle.
Investigators believe it was Jacob’s allegedly abusive husband, Donald, who killed him, and the latest evidence helps to back that theory up.
After a massive fight the night before his murder, Jacob called his father, claiming that Donald was “coming after him” and wouldn’t let him leave their New York City apartment, prosecutors said in court.
Prosecutors also said that Jacob sent his father a photo of his injured leg.
In the background, Jacob’s dad claimed to have been able to hear Donald calling his son derogatory names.
Friends and neighbors reported that the couple had a track record of blowout arguments and toxic behavior.
“They fought all the time, I would hear it,” Craig Wesley, 44, a neighbor in their building, told The New York Post.
Wesley said the pair’s fighting became a “consistent thing” which led to the cops being called in June.
He claimed to have awoken to the commotion around 4 am on Friday.
Donald, 40, has previously been accused of allegedly choking Jacob and threatening him with a knife back in 2022.
He’s previously defied multiple court protections, and police reported having responded to the couple’s home nine times in three years.
In 2024, officers arrived at the Harlem apartment after Donald allegedly hit his husband with an unspecified object, leading to an order of protection.
This past February, Donald was arrested twice for allegedly strangling Jacob in their apartment, which led to a judge setting a $5,000 bail for the influencer.
One month later, prosecutors said that officers responded to the couple’s home to see Jacob with a gash in his forehead.
Jacob and Donald both reported that Jacob had fallen and hit his head.
On June 14, Donald was arrested for allegedly threatening his husband with a knife.
After threatening him, court records show that Donald said, “I will attack.”
Donald was arrested for violating his order of protection and received a $5,000 bail, despite prosecutors’ request for a $30,000 bail.
After the officers arrived on Friday, Donald acknowledged that he violated his order of protection, which prohibited him from being in Jacob’s vicinity.
He was charged with first-degree burglary, weapons possession, and aggravated criminal contempt for violating the protection orders.
The judge denied Donald bail as they await to hear back about Jacob’s official cause of death from the medical examiner.
ONLY three days are left for drivers to claim their piece of a massive $150 million settlement for a class action lawsuit.
Chevrolet and GMC drivers are estimated to each get cash payments of $2,149 after some cars were found with defective engines.
Claimants in North Carolina have to fill out a form by Friday to grab their money.
General Motors agreed to the $150 million settlement to resolve claims that specific Chevy and GMC models had defective engines that consumed excess oil.
The settlement will benefit car owners and those who are just leasing Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra, Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles made between 2011 and 2014.
The affected cars are equipped with LC9 engines.
Plaintiffs in the lawsuit claimed GM knew about the defect but didn’t tell customers when they got their cars.
GM didn’t admit to any wrongdoing, but agreed to a $150 million settlement.
Class members can get their payout in cash.
They’ll receive their piece of the pot based on the number of cars they own or lease.
Each claimant is estimated to receive at least $2,149, according to the settlement website.
The exact amount you get might fluctuate depending on how many class members participate in the payments.
All of the claimants must live in California, Idaho, or North Carolina.
For California drivers, the car had to have been bought or leased in brand-new condition in the state before May 23, 2022, to be eligible.
As for the Idaho class, you must have purchased or leased the car from a GM-authorized dealer in the state as of May 23, 2022.
In North Carolina, you’re eligible if you bought or leased the car in the state as of May 23, 2022.
The cars that make you eligible for a class action lawsuit settlement due to claims of defective engines sold in North Carolina, Idaho, and California include:
The cars must have LC9 engines made on or after February 10, 2011.
Any vehicle that got an upgraded engine for free under warranty isn’t included in the class action lawsuit.
Source: GM Engine Litigation
However, class members in North Carolina have to take an extra step.
If you are eligible for the settlement and in the North Carolina class, you were supposed to receive an identification notice in the mail or in your email.
To claim your payment, you have to complete the form by August 8.
North Carolina class members have to provide their vehicle identification number, as well as the name and address of the person who bought or leased the affected car.
If you’re not sure if you’re a member of the class, you can verify on the class action settlement’s website by entering your notice ID.
Class members in Idaho and California don’t need to fill out a claim form.
Class action lawsuits offer groups of people, or 'classes,' a way to band together in court.
These suits are often brought by one or a few people who allege a company or other entity has wronged a large group of people.
When a suit becomes a class action, it extends to all “class members,” or people who may have similar complaints to those who filed the suit.
Companies often settle class actions – offering payment to class members who typically waive their right to pursue further legal action by accepting money.
These payout agreements frequently include statements by the defendant denying wrongdoing. Companies tend to settle class actions to avoid the costs of further litigation.
Pollution, discrimination, or false advertising are a few examples of what can land a class action on a company’s doorstep.
If you didn’t get a North Carolina Class Member Identification notice, you don’t need to do anything.
You’ll receive a direct payment without filling out any form.
If the settlement is approved, you will get a pro rata share of the $150 million settlement.
The deadline to object or be excluded is also on August 8.
The final approval hearing for the lawsuit settlement is scheduled for October 2, 2025.