Rihanna is likely still shaken following the terrifying incident earlier this month when a woman fired multiple rounds into her home.
The suspect, who continues to remain in custody, formally entered her plea in the case during a recent court appearance.
Ivanna Ortiz Formally Enters Not Guilty Plea In Rihanna’s Home Shooting
According to PEOPLE, on Wednesday, March 25, during an appearance at Los Angeles Superior Court, Ivanna Ortiz pled not guilty to a host of charges connected to her allegedly shooting at Rihanna’s home on March 8 while the superstar and her three children were inside.
Among the charges against her, the most serious is attempted murder, as Ortiz is accused of brandishing an AR-15 rifle and firing off 10 rounds at Rihanna’s home.
In addition to attempted murder, Ortiz is facing 13 other felony counts, including 10 of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and three of shooting at an inhabited dwelling or camper.
After initially being held on $10 million bail, that amount was reduced to the current sum of $1.875 million. If convicted, Ortiz could receive a sentence of life in prison.
Ortiz Told Estranged Husband To ‘Renounce’ Rihanna Weeks Before Shooting
Per TMZ, in court documents in Ortiz’s case, her estranged husband, Jed Valdez Sangalang, shared an email he received from Ortiz on January 26, in which she told him to “renounce” the Fenty Beauty founder.
“I need you to renounce Rihanna and confess that I’m better than her,” Ortiz’s email read. “Let it be done. You gotta let me know so that door can be closed.”
Following the news of the shooting and Ortiz’s arrest, Sangalang has now asked the court for full custody of the former couple’s child and also the designated rights for sole decision-making.
The Suspect Has A Lengthy And Bizarre Online History Of Attacking Rihanna
According to the New York Post, Ortiz’s social media posts targeting Rihanna have been uncovered after she fired multiple shots at the singer’s home, including the most recent post on February 23.
“@badgalriri — Are you there? Cause I was waiting for your AIDS 5-head self to say something to me directly instead of sneaking around like you’re talking to me where I’m not at,” Ortiz wrote on Facebook.
A post on February 17 from Ortiz also mentioned the false claims of Rihanna having AIDS and included Drake in the rant.
Additionally, on January 5 via her YouTube channel, Ortiz held a Praying Woman’s Journal and used it to rebuke Rihanna’s influence. In the video, Ortiz repeatedly described Rihanna as “corny” and “stupid,” implying that there was spiritual warfare and that people needed to avoid the singer’s negative influence.
Ortiz also bizarrely accused Rihanna of trying to kill her.
“Listen, Rihanna, when you die, God is taking me to my future,” she said. “You want to kill me? Shut the f-ck up. Okay, shut the f-ck up. Yeah, she’s a witch. She’s a witch. I’m a watchman. She’s a witch.”
Ivanna Ortiz Has Documented History Of Mental Illness
Hal Roen, the attorney of Ortiz’s estranged husband, shared that she was previously placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold, according to TMZ. Roen also revealed that Ortiz was “Baker Acted” in Florida, meaning she was held against her will under state law.
Roen told the outlet that Ortiz is “articulate” and “very believable” despite her mental health issues. “If you sit down with her, she’s very convincing. But she does bizarre things,” he said.
A Florida judge also cited Ortiz’s mental state in April 2024 during a custody battle with ex Sangalang. The court documents obtained by the outlet stated that the legal umpire awarded Sangalang full physical custody of his child with Ortiz.
Despite her attempts in court to deny the allegations, the judge highlighted the “concerning testimony” about Ortiz’s mental health and stripped her of all contact with her child.
Ortiz was barred from having any in-person, phone, video, text, email, or third-party communication with her child until further order from the court.
She was also previously arrested for domestic violence, resulting in probation.
Rihanna Left Her Los Angeles Home After The Shooting And Has Not Returned
A day after the shooting at her home, Rihanna was photographed traveling in a line of black SUVs to the private aviation terminal at Van Nuys Airport on Monday, March 10, according to Daily Mail.
The Fenty Beauty founder and Grammy winner was then said to board a small twin-engine jet to fly out of Los Angeles.
