Woman Accused Of Shooting At Rihanna’s L.A. Home Charged With Attempted Murder

Charges were filed this week against the woman accused of firing multiple shots at Rihanna’s Los Angeles home on Sunday while the singer was on the property. 

Ivana Lisette Ortiz, 35, was charged with 14 counts, including attempted murder, use of a firearm, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, and shooting into an inhabited dwelling, along with sentence enhancement, according to ABC7. If convicted on all charges, Ortiz could face life in prison.

Ortiz’s public defender, Jamarcus Bradford, initially entered a not guilty plea on her behalf before withdrawing it to delay the arraignment until March 25. Her bail was initially set at $10 million but was later reduced to $1.875 million, the outlet noted.

Authorities allege Ortiz used an AR-style firearm and fired multiple rounds into the residence where Rihanna’s three children, her mother, and several staff members were inside. The singer and her partner, A$AP Rocky, were also on the property but in a separate building at the time of the shooting, NPR reported. Bullets penetrated exterior walls but did not breach interior walls.

According to LAPD, Ortiz allegedly drove to Rihanna’s residence from her home in Florida. Investigators are examining whether that travel indicates premeditation. 

“My understanding is the person drove here from Florida. How long they’ve been in the area … I don’t have that information,” LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said. “They’re working on that. That would be part of the whole motive, why the person came out here. We haven’t established a motive, we do know, and are aware of, social media posts that had been made that they’re looking into further.”

In a January social media video reviewed by authorities, Ortiz allegedly said, “Listen Rihanna, when you die God is taking me to my future.. yeah, she wants to kill me. Shut the [expletive] up.” A Facebook profile believed to belong to Ortiz also included posts directed at the singer. 

This isn’t the first security incident involving Rihanna. In 2018, a man broke into her Hollywood Hills home and remained inside for several hours. Eduardo A. Leon later pleaded no contest to felony stalking and vandalism charges and a misdemeanor count of resisting arrest. He was sentenced to probation.