The suspect accused of opening fire at Rihanna’s home is now tied to a message investigators say she sent weeks before the incident, and the email is raising new questions about what may have led up to the shooting.
Court documents connected to the Rihanna home shooting show Ivanna Lisette Ortiz allegedly contacted her estranged husband, Jed Valdez Sangalang, with a message about the singer before the gunfire erupted. According to filings submitted by Sangalang, Ortiz sent him an email on January 26 referencing Rihanna directly and demanding that he make a declaration.
“I need you to renounce Rihanna and confess that I’m better than her. Let it be done. You gotta let me know so that door can be closed,” the email states, according to the court paperwork obtained by TMZ.
Sangalang included the message as part of a request for full custody and sole decision-making authority over the couple’s minor child. He told the court he only learned about the shooting the following day after receiving calls and emails about Ortiz, including inquiries from news organizations asking for information.
The father also said he attempted to shield their child from the news. However, he told the court that another student at school mentioned the shooting, which forced him to explain what had happened.
Authorities previously charged Ortiz with attempted murder and assault after investigators said multiple rounds were fired at Rihanna’s home on Sunday. Sources familiar with the situation say Rihanna, her mother, and her children were inside the residence at the time, though A$AP Rocky was not there.
Records also indicate Ortiz had previously been placed on a psychiatric hold in Florida as the case tied to the Rihanna home shooting continues through the legal system.
