A California courtroom erupted in applause as a TikTok personality, convicted of murdering his estranged wife and her friend, received a lengthy prison sentence.
Ali Abulaban, 32, garnered fame on TikTok under the username ‘JinnKid’ for his impersonations of well-known characters like Scarface.
Before his conviction earlier this year, Abulaban had amassed nearly one million followers. The charges stemmed from the October 2021 killings of his estranged wife, Ana Abulaban, 28, and her friend, Rayburn Cardenas Barron, 29.
Despite their estrangement, the TikTok star had installed a listening device on their five-year-old daughter’s iPad. He overheard another man’s voice in their San Diego residence.
Upon discovering Ana and Barron in the apartment, Abulaban fatally shot Barron three times before turning the gun on his wife.
During the trial, Abulaban admitted to the crime, stating he “just snapped.”
“My gun was in my hand and next thing I’m shooting,” he testified.
Abulaban was convicted on two counts of first-degree murder and was sentenced this month by San Diego Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Fraser.
During the sentencing hearing, family members of the victims delivered impact statements before the judge announced his decision.
Ana’s sister addressed Abulaban: “You promised my mom that you would take good care of them like my parents did for Ana Marie and Amira back in the Philippines.
“But I had no idea that my sister’s life would be miserable living with you. You treated my sister like she didn’t matter, but she mattered.”
Barron’s sister, Lizbeth, added that his family is struggling to live a ‘normal and healthy life’ following their loss.
In his statement, Abulaban apologized for the pain he caused to the families, but claimed the killings were due to ‘a drug-induced psychosis.’
Judge Fraser expressed ‘serious reservations’ about Abulaban’s remorse and labeled him a ‘very selfish person.’ He then imposed two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 50 years for gun enhancement charges.
Fraser remarked: “The bottom line here is, he will die in prison, he will never be a free man. He will take his last breath there.”
The courtroom erupted into cheers and applause as the judge delivered the sentence, with family members and onlookers visibly relieved.
Abulaban responded by mocking the crowd, joining in the applause and mouthing an expletive.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, please know that you are not alone. You can talk in confidence 24 hours a day to the national domestic violence helpline on 1.800.799.SAFE (7233). You can find a list of local resources here.