Fitness Influencer Not Charged with Husband’s Murder

A fitness influencer who was arrested after her husband was discovered covered in blood in their Manhattan apartment will not face murder charges. This decision comes even after a coroner concluded that the man had been assaulted and fatally stabbed, according to recent information.

Prosecutors confirmed this week that they opted against filing charges against Donald Gibenhood, 40 years old, citing “reasonable doubt” regarding whether the stab wounds suffered by her husband, Jacob Zibenhood, 34, during an altercation at their Harlem residence in 2025 were responsible for his untimely death.

Jacob died from what the city medical examiner’s office classified as “multiple blunt and sharp impact injuries” to various parts of his body, coupled with acute alcohol intoxication and the presence of lorazepam—along with chronic alcohol consumption and other contributing factors. This information was released in October.

Assistant District Attorney Samantha Litrenta referred to the medical examiner’s report during a recent court hearing, indicating that Jacob had a dangerously high blood-alcohol level of 0.40 percent, which is often lethal. He also had Valium in his system, raising questions about whether his death could have occurred even without the stabbing.

Donald, who boasts an impressive following of around 68,000 on Instagram with flashy posts, did not attend the hearing. He continues to face charges of assault and robbery, with potential prison time of up to 25 years if found guilty.

New court documents reveal that the couple was celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary when a significant dispute erupted.

Jacob, a medical student, was found deceased hours later in the bathroom of their home on West 138th Street near Frederick Douglass Boulevard.

According to court filings, when police arrived and arrested Donald on August 1, he expressed concern for Jacob’s wellbeing, saying, “I don’t want her to die because of me, so I want to know how she died.” He worried about the possibility of Jacob harming himself or doing something reckless, adding, “Today was our 10th anniversary.”

Prosecutors mentioned that Donald had faced previous allegations of assaulting Jacob, including an incident on February 25 and another in which he threatened with a knife on June 14, despite a court order meant to keep him away.

Prior to Jacob’s tragic passing, he reached out to his father, revealing that Donald had assaulted him and sent photos showing his injuries, which included a bloody head wound and severe bleeding on the soles of his feet.

When police discovered Jacob, he was found passed out in the bathroom, covered in blood with a head injury and multiple stab wounds on his leg, one of which had penetrated the calf muscle. Authorities reported that one of the stab wounds severed an artery, leading to his death from blood loss.

Donald faces additional charges stemming from an earlier violent encounter. Prosecutors indicated that law enforcement has logged nine domestic violence incidents involving the couple since 2022.

The Legal Aid Society, which is representing Donald Gibenhood, opted not to comment on the situation.

Currently, he is being held at Rikers Island without bail, with his next court appearance scheduled for May 20th.