Donald Zieben-Hood finds himself entangled in a legal web. On August 3, the model was formally indicted on counts of burglary and contempt of court, mere days after the tragic discovery of his estranged husband, Jacob Zieben-Hood, lifeless in a New York City apartment, as revealed by charging documents acquired by NBC New York. Jacob's body, bearing multiple stab wounds, including a gaping head laceration and deep cuts on the back of his legs, was pronounced dead at the scene by authorities who shared the details with E! News. The personal trainer, who had been granted a protective order against Donald since the previous year, met his untimely demise in a home where the protective shield was meant to keep him safe.
Donald, sporting stitches on his arm, frantically called 911, claiming to have stumbled upon Jacob's lifeless form in the bathroom, according to court documents. He confided in the dispatcher his fears of arrest for breaching the protective order that mandated his distance from Jacob. When police arrived at their Harlem residence, Donald alleged that Jacob had armed himself with a knife and attacked him. Yet, prosecutors highlighted a conflicting narrative: Jacob's father recounted a phone call from his son, in which Donald's voice could be heard berating and issuing threats to the 34-year-old.
The couple's tumultuous history of domestic violence stretches back at least to 2022, as evidenced by police records. Donald pleaded innocence to the charges leveled against him and is due back in court on August 7, per court records accessed by E! News. While he has not been charged directly with Jacob's murder, authorities are treating the case as a homicide investigation.
This wasn't the first instance where Donald had defied the protective order. In June, prosecutors noted in the documents, the 40-year-old was accused of threatening Jacob with a kitchen knife. Prior to that, in February, he faced charges including strangulation following an alleged assault on Jacob. Donald pleaded not guilty to all accusations, according to online court records, and is scheduled to appear in court again on August 28.
