Ivanna Lisette Ortiz faces attempted murder charges after allegedly driving across the country to fire rifle rounds at the Beverly Hills home of Rihanna and A$AP Rocky.
By Adam Makins·
A Florida woman has been indicted on 14 felony counts, including attempted murder, after authorities say she drove cross-country to fire an assault rifle at the Beverly Hills home of Rihanna and A$AP Rocky. Ivanna Lisette Ortiz, 36, from Orlando, appeared in Los Angeles County Court this week where a judge ordered her held on $2.6 million bail.
The grand jury indictment came after months of psychiatric evaluation and a court ruling determining that Ortiz is mentally competent to stand trial. What once seemed like a case that might stall indefinitely is now accelerating toward trial.
On March 8, authorities say Ortiz drove a Tesla to the gates of the celebrity couple’s property, rolled down the window, and fired at least 20 rounds from an AR-15 style rifle. The bullets tore through an Airstream trailer where the couple was inside, and shots also struck the wall of their home’s nursery where their three young children were with their nanny.
Beyond the immediate targets, Ortiz allegedly fired shots toward a neighboring house as well. Rihanna’s mother and several staff members were also present in the home during the shooting. Remarkably, no one was injured in the attack.
Deputy District Attorney Alexander Bott made his position clear outside the courtroom: “This is a person who wanted to kill Rihanna. Everyone else was collateral damage.”
When arrested, Ortiz told investigators “I wasn’t attempting murder.” However, prosecutors are painting a different picture through their charges.
The new indictment supersedes earlier charges filed in March and includes counts that carry steeper penalties. Beyond the attempted murder charge, Ortiz faces 10 counts of assault with an assault weapon (one for each person on both properties), and three counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling or camper.
The indictment specifically names the couple’s three children, Rza, Riot, and Rocki, all under age 5, as victims. This designation is significant because assault weapon counts carry stiffer sentences than charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. If convicted on all counts, Ortiz faces potential life imprisonment.
The decision to use secret grand jury proceedings allowed prosecutors to bypass California’s preliminary hearing process, where evidence must be presented publicly to determine if a trial is warranted.
Ortiz’s background offers few clues about her alleged actions. She was a longtime licensed speech pathologist with no prior criminal record, making her alleged rampage all the more puzzling to observers. Prosecutors have not publicly disclosed any motive or cited any connection between Ortiz and the entertainment industry figures.
The sealed psychiatric evaluation reports remain confidential, leaving the public without insight into her mental state or potential underlying issues. Her defense attorney, Deputy Public Defender Derek Dillman, has not publicly commented on the charges beyond entering a not guilty plea.
The target of this alleged attack is Rihanna, a nine-time Grammy Award winner who has dominated the music industry for nearly two decades. Her career includes 14 number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including chart-toppers like “Umbrella,” “Work,” “We Found Love,” and “Disturbia.”
Beyond music, Rihanna has built a business empire that extends into entertainment and fashion, making her one of the most recognizable public figures globally. Her relationship with A$AP Rocky, with whom she shares three young children, has also drawn significant media attention.
The attempted shooting at her home is a stark reminder of the security threats that high-profile celebrities face daily. For Rihanna and her family, what could have been a tragedy was narrowly averted, though the psychological impact of such an attack extends far beyond the moment.
Ortiz’s case raises uncomfortable questions about access, obsession, and the increasingly volatile nature of celebrity culture in the social media age.
Source: Associated Press and HuffPost
