JinnKid a.k.a. Ali Abulaban has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reported the TikTok star denied the charges, as well as an additional special-circumstance allegation of multiple killings, in San Diego Superior Court on Monday. He's accused of fatally shooting his estranged wife, Ana Abulaban, in her San Diego apartment last Thursday. Abulaban has also been charged with the murder of Rayburn Cardenas Barron, who was found dead in the living room.
According to Deputy District Attorney Taren Brast, Abulaban — who has a history of domestic violence — was asked to move out by his wife on October 18. Three days later, he allegedly snuck back into the home and installed a listening device on their 5-year-old's iPad.
Prior to the shooting, Brast said Abulaban went back to the apartment complex after hearing his wife and a man talking and giggling, where security footage captured him rushing into the apartment. There, he allegedly shot Barron three times and shot Ana Abulaban in the head before calling his mother to confess. Brast said a still-armed Abulaban went on to pick up their daughter from school and called police around 3:10 p.m. He was arrested 45 minutes later with his daughter still in the vehicle.
Following his arrest, Abulaban supposedly told investigators he believed his wife was cheating on him, though prosecutors think Rayburn was just a friend. Brast also revealed that Ana Abulaban — who was planning to file a restraining order against him — told police last month that he had pushed her, which caused minor injuries.
If convicted, Abulaban faces life in prison without parole. Prosecutors can also potentially seek the death penalty, though the DA's office has yet to announce whether they want to pursue that.
Abulaban is currently being held without bail, with his daughter under the care of family and a protective order requiring he stay away from her.
If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE).
Photos via TikTok