(Scypre.com) – Ali Abulaban, a well-known TikTok personality from San Diego, is facing trial for the alleged murders of his wife, Ana Abulaban, and her friend, Rayburn Barron. During his testimony on Wednesday, Ali shared a dramatic account of the events that led to the tragic incident on October 21, 2021.
Ali, 31, is accused of fatally shooting Ana and Rayburn after discovering them together. He expressed deep shock and pain during his testimony, saying, “I didn’t expect Ana would ever do that to me, him of all people. She knew how I felt about him. She knew how I felt.” Ali admitted that he had been struggling with drug addiction and mental health issues and was trying to repair his relationship with Ana. “I was trying to believe her. I was trying to believe that she wasn’t cheating on me, that she would let me fix this,” he added.
Describing the moments leading up to the shooting, Ali said, “When I saw that it was him, I couldn’t take it. I couldn’t take the betrayal.” He recounted how he couldn’t control his actions, “And before I could stop myself, I just snapped. My gun was in my hand, and next thing, I’m shooting, and I can’t stop. I’m just shooting.” He described feeling like he was a bystander to his own actions, saying, “It’s like I’m watching it happen, like I’m in the passenger seat of my own body.”
After the shooting, Ali said he called his mother and then dialed 911 in a desperate attempt to get help for Ana. “I called 911 to get them help in the chance to save her,” he explained. He then made plans with his family to pick up his 5-year-old daughter from school and find a safe place for her before turning himself in. Ali told his daughter, “I hurt mommy. I have to go away now,” before being surrounded by police cars.
Prosecutors claim that Ana had asked Ali to move out on October 18, 2021. Although he checked into a hotel, Ali allegedly returned to their shared apartment and trashed it. He is also accused of planting a recording device on his daughter’s iPad to spy on Ana. On October 21, after hearing Ana with Rayburn through the device, Ali reportedly went back to the apartment and shot Rayburn three times and Ana once in the head.
At the time of the incident, Ali was known as JinnKid on TikTok, where he had approximately 940,000 followers. His content primarily consisted of comedy skits and impersonations of Tony Montana from the 1983 movie “Scarface.” Deputy District Attorney Taren Brast mentioned Ali’s online persona during his arraignment in October 2021.
As the trial continues, the court will determine whether Ali’s actions were driven by a moment of uncontrollable rage or if they were premeditated. The case has drawn significant attention due to Ali’s social media fame and the tragic nature of the alleged crimes.