Current:Home > MyFormer TikToker Ali Abulaban Found Guilty in 2021 Murders of His Wife and Her Friend -FinanceMind
Former TikToker Ali Abulaban Found Guilty in 2021 Murders of His Wife and Her Friend
View
Date:2025-04-19 05:54:31
A verdict has been reached in the case regarding former TikToker Ali Abulaban.
On May 29, a jury in San Diego, Calif., found the social media personality—who went by "JinnKid"— guilty of two counts of first-degree murder in the case regarding the killings of his wife Ana Abulaban and her friend Ray Barron.
In a video of the verdict shared by CBS San Diego, the gallery can be heard cheering as the conviction was revealed and Abulaban can be seen breaking down in tears.
While Abulaban initially pleaded not guilty to the charges back in 2021, he admitted to the killings during the trial that began earlier this month, per the outlet. The jury was then tasked with determining whether this constituted as first or second-degree murder (and if his actions were intended and premeditated) or voluntary manslaughter done in a heat of passion.
As seen in footage from the trial shared by Court TV, Abulaban—who'd accused Ana of cheating on him—detailed how he'd been recording his estranged wife to see if she was with another man and how he went to the apartment they used to live in together with a gun, found her and Barron on the couch and shot them in 2021.
"Before I could stop myself, I just f--king snapped," Abulaban said on the stand. "My gun was in my hand, and next thing I'm shooting and I can't stop."
However, during closing arguments, prosecutor Taren Brast argued that Abulaban did not act out of heat of passion.
"There is not of heat passion when you walk in on your separated wife who is not with you on the couch with someone else, fully clothed, not having sex," she said, as seen on Court TV. "And heat of passion does not apply when you walk into an apartment that you had bugged with a keycard you are not supposed to have to a fight that no one else knew was happening but you, and you brought a gun. That is not heat of passion."
Meanwhile, Jodi Green for the defense argued Abulaban—who shared daughter Amira with Ana—did act out of heat of passion and pointed to his "spiraling" mental health and cocaine use.
"Yes, he killed Ana—the woman he loved, the mother of his beautiful daughter Amira—and he killed Ray, a man with whom Ana was having an affair," she said, as shown on Court TV. "And he cannot undo what he has done, but he did not murder them. He is not a murderer."
Abulaban is set to be sentenced on June 28.
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (7)
Related
- Opinion: Gianni Infantino, FIFA sell souls and 2034 World Cup for Saudi Arabia's billions
- Trumpetfish: The fish that conceal themselves to hunt
- In Oklahoma, Native American women struggle to access emergency contraception
- Inflation rose 3.2% in July, marking the first increase after a year of falling prices
- Newly elected West Virginia lawmaker arrested and accused of making terroristic threats
- Visiting gymnastics coach denies voyeurism charge in Vermont
- 41 reportedly dead after migrant boat capsizes off Italian island
- Miami-area village plans peacock vasectomies to try to curb their population
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- Mastering the Art of Capital Allocation with the Market Whisperer, Kenny Anderson
Ranking
- What do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?
- What to stream this weekend: Gal Gadot, ‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ and ‘Only Murders in the Building’
- Traveling to Hawaii? Here's what to know about the Maui fire.
- This Reversible Amazon Vest Will Be the Staple of Your Fall Wardrobe
- Chuck Scarborough signs off: Hoda Kotb, Al Roker tribute legendary New York anchor
- Why the sell-off in bond markets could impact you
- Adam Sandler's Daughters Sadie and Sunny Are All Grown Up in Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah Trailer
- NOAA Adjusts Hurricane Season Prediction to ‘Above-Normal’
Recommendation
New data highlights 'achievement gap' for students in the US
33 NFL training camp standout players you need to know in 2023
Trading Titan: The Rise of Mark Williams in the Financial World
3 hunters found dead in underground reservoir in Texas were trying to rescue dog, each other
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Hi Hi!
Fire in vacation home for people with disabilities in France kills 11
The Complicated Aftermath of Anne Heche's Death
Hip-hop at 50: A history of explosive musical and cultural innovation