Ortiz Pleads Not Guilty to Attempted Murder of Rihanna

Ivanna Lisette Ortiz, a 35-year-old woman from Orlando, Florida, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to the attempted murder of singer Rihanna. According to multiple reports, Ortiz also pleaded not guilty through her attorney to more than a dozen other felony counts in Los Angeles Superior Court.

The incident occurred on March 8 when prosecutors allege Ortiz drove up to Rihanna's home in the Beverly Hills area and fired approximately 20 bullets from an AR-15 style rifle into the tall exterior wall. The shooting endangered Rihanna, her hip-hop star partner A$AP Rocky, their three young children, and others who were present at the time.

Ortiz is charged with one count of attempted murder, 10 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, and three counts of shooting at an occupied vehicle or dwelling. If convicted on all charges, she could face life in prison. Her bail was set at $1.875 million.

During the court hearing, Ortiz's lawyer, deputy public defender Derek Ray Dillman, requested that her bail be reduced from $1.9 million to $70,000 based on her ability to pay. However, Judge Theresa McGonigle declined the request and kept the bail the same. The prosecutor argued against the reduction, stating that Ortiz was a major risk to the community and would likely flee.

Public records show that Ortiz has been a licensed speech pathologist for more than a decade. According to The Guardian, McGonigle ruled at the state attorney general’s request that she should be prevented from practicing in California. Neither side spoke to reporters outside the courthouse, and an email to Dillman seeking comment was not immediately answered.

District Attorney Nathan Hochman stated that Rihanna and Rocky were together in an Airstream trailer at the time of the shooting, while her mother, their children, and staff members were in the main house. The three counts of firing at a dwelling were for Rihanna’s house, her trailer, and a neighbor’s house. The 10 assault counts were for Rihanna and family, two staffers, and two people in the neighboring house.

Hochman would not discuss a motive or describe any connection between Ortiz and Rihanna, saying all were under investigation. He also mentioned that his office was investigating social media posts from Ortiz from the days leading up to the gunfire. According to BBC, prosecutor Alexander Bott noted that Ortiz allegedly had a wig with her to serve as a disguise, which he claims shows that she planned out the alleged crime.

According to CBS News, authorities said Rihanna and her partner, rapper ASAP Rocky, were inside the camper when the shooting occurred. On March 8, officers from the Los Angeles Police Department responded to the Beverly Crest neighborhood home after receiving reports of a shooting. After the shooting, police located Ortiz about eight miles away from Rihanna's home, at the Sherman Oaks Galleria shopping center.

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said a witness provided police with a description of the suspect's vehicle, and with the help of an LAPD helicopter and automated license plate readers, they were able to locate Ortiz. The LAPD investigation found a series of strange posts on Ortiz's social media mentioning Rihanna. In one post on X, she mentioned the singer and said, 'Are you there? ... say something to me directly instead of sneaking around like you talking to me where I'm not at.'

According to BBC, court documents allege Ortiz was trying to shoot Rihanna, rapper A$AP Rocky, their three young children and others who were in the home and another adjacent property. No one was injured.