Rihanna home shooting: Woman found mentally fit for trial, indicted on attempted murder

LOS ANGELES – A Florida woman pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to a 14-count grand jury indictment charging her with attempted murder and assault following a shooting at the home of music superstar Rihanna. 

The indictment was unsealed in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom one day after a judge ruled the defendant mentally competent to stand trial.

What we know:

The grand jury indictment charges 36-year-old Ivanna Lisette Ortiz with one count of attempted murder involving Rihanna, 10 counts of assault with an assault weapon, two counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling, and one count of shooting at an inhabited vehicle. 

The indictment upgrades earlier charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm to assault with an assault weapon, superseding and replacing the initial March criminal complaint. 

Ortiz appeared in yellow jail attire and spoke only to her attorney, Deputy Public Defender Derek Dillman, who entered the not guilty plea on her behalf. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Yvette Verastegui ordered Ortiz held in lieu of $2.6 million bail.

The backstory:

Ortiz is accused of driving a white Tesla Model 3 to the Beverly Crest-area residence west of Beverly Hills the afternoon of March 8 and firing at least 20 rounds from an AR-15-style rifle. 

According to law enforcement documents, bullets hit an Airstream trailer on the property, a wooden fence, the exterior wall of a nursery room, a patio, and the gate of the residence, as well as a neighboring home.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

Rihanna, whose real name is Robyn Fenty, was inside the Airstream trailer with her partner, rapper A$AP Rocky (real name Rakim Mayers), when she heard sounds resembling metal banging. 

After spotting bullet holes in the windshield directly in front of her, she pushed Mayers to the ground, and the couple ran to the garage to secure their family and staff. 

Their three young children—Rza, Riot, and Rocki—along with Rihanna’s mother, a nanny, and two staff members were on the property at the time. Two individuals were inside the neighboring residence that was also targeted.

No injuries were reported.

What we don’t know:

Authorities have not established a clear motive for the attack or identified any personal connection between Ortiz and Rihanna. 

While investigators noted that Ortiz had made multiple social media posts and videos tagging or referencing celebrities—including Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, and Cardi B—prosecutors have not stated whether these posts directly triggered the event. 

The details surrounding Ortiz’s mental state remain undisclosed, as the psychiatric evaluation reports that previously paused court proceedings have been sealed.

What they’re saying:

Following the unsealing of the indictment, Deputy District Attorney Alexander Bott addressed reporters outside the courtroom regarding the nature of the charges. 

“This is a person who wanted to kill Rihanna. Everyone else was collateral damage,” Bott said.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman detailed the scope of the endangerment during a prior briefing, noting that law enforcement continues to gather evidence to understand her motivation. 

“Rihanna was there with her partner, her three children, her mother and two staff people, representing eight of the 10 of the counts of dealing with an assault with a semi-automatic firearm,” Hochman stated, adding that investigators are reviewing social media and physical evidence to determine why the suspect opened fire.

Defense attorney Derek Dillman did not speak to reporters following Wednesday’s hearing, and her legal team has not publicly detailed her defense beyond stating they will work to protect her rights.

What’s next:

Ortiz remains in custody ahead of her pretrial hearing on October 29.  With the secret grand jury indictment replacing the original complaint, prosecutors bypassed the public preliminary hearing stage, placing the case on a direct track toward trial.

If convicted on all counts, Ortiz faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.