A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge has reinstated criminal proceedings against a woman accused of opening fire at Rihanna’s Beverly Crest-area residence while the singer, her husband, and children were home. Ivanna Lisette Ortiz, 36, was found mentally competent to stand trial on Tuesday, about four and a half months after a doubt was raised about her mental state.
Judge Maria Cavalluzzi’s ruling during a hearing in Hollywood means the case against Ortiz will now move forward. Ortiz is scheduled to appear back in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom on Wednesday.
The charges against Ortiz stem from an alleged incident on March 8, when she is accused of driving a white Tesla Model 3 to the neighborhood just west of Beverly Hills. According to the criminal complaint, she fired approximately 20 rounds from an assault-style rifle at the occupied residences, targeting an area where adults and children were present.
Deputy District Attorney Alexander Bott stated during a March 25 hearing that Ortiz's alleged conduct was “extremely dangerous,” putting numerous lives at risk. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) documented bullet holes or impacts on the exterior gate of Rihanna's residence, a wooden fence, the front windshield of an Airstream trailer, a patio area, and the exterior wall of a nursery room. Bullet impacts were also observed on a neighboring residence.
Rihanna, whose real name is Robyn Fenty, told police she was in the Airstream trailer with her partner, rapper A$AP Rocky (Rakim Mayers), when she heard about 10 loud sounds. After the noise stopped, she opened the curtains, noticed bullet holes in the windshield directly in front of her, and quickly moved Mayers out of bed, telling him they were being shot at. They both dropped to the ground before running into their garage to secure their children and staff.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman told reporters in March that Rihanna, Mayers, their three children, Rihanna's mother, and two staff members were present, making up eight of the 10 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. He also noted that two additional individuals were in a neighboring residence that was also fired upon. Hochman said at the time that Ortiz’s alleged motivation was still under investigation.
Ortiz was arrested in the parking lot of the Sherman Oaks Galleria about 30 minutes after the gunfire was reported, with police finding her in a vehicle with a rifle, ammunition, and a wig. LAPD Capt. Mike Bland confirmed the weapon was an AR-15-style rifle. Ortiz is accused of traveling through Beverly Hills before ending up in Sherman Oaks.
Ortiz faces multiple charges, including one count of attempted murder involving Rihanna, 10 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, two counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling, and one count of shooting at an inhabited vehicle. Additionally, she faces allegations that she personally and intentionally discharged a rifle. If convicted, she could face up to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Reports indicate that Ortiz, an Orlando, Florida, resident, had once been involuntarily committed and lost custody of her then-10-year-old child. On what is believed to be her Facebook page, multiple videos and posts referenced celebrities including Rihanna. One post from last February reportedly tagged Rihanna, stating Ortiz was “waiting for the singer to say something to me directly instead of sneaking around like you talking to me where I’m not at.” Another post from December stated, “I’m already threw (sic) with Rihanna, Your turn hiding (expletive), Stop begging for a look.” In another video, she reportedly claimed Rihanna wanted to kill her.
Ortiz remains jailed in lieu of $1.875 million bail. She was ordered on March 10 not to have any contact with Rihanna or Mayers. She has also been directed not to practice as a speech-language pathologist in California, where she has been licensed since 2016, while the criminal case is pending.
