The Florida woman accused of traveling across the country and opening fire near Rihanna and A$AP Rocky’s home has been indicted on 14 felony counts, including attempted murder.
Ivanna Lisette Ortiz, 36, of Orlando, Florida, was indicted by a Los Angeles County grand jury, per AP. The indictment was unsealed Wednesday after being kept confidential for several months while Ortiz underwent psychiatric evaluations.
Ortiz appeared in court in yellow jail clothing and spoke only with her attorney. Her lawyer entered a not guilty plea on her behalf. A judge ordered Ortiz to remain in custody on $2.6 million bail.
The indictment came one day after a judge determined that Ortiz was mentally competent to stand trial. The grand jury returned its indictment on June 18, but the document remained sealed while the court considered Ortiz’s competency. With that issue resolved, the case is now moving forward toward trial.
Authorities allege Ortiz drove a Tesla to the gates of the Beverly Hills-area property where Rihanna and A$AP Rocky live on March 8. Investigators say she pulled out an AR-15-style rifle and fired at least 20 rounds toward the property and a neighboring home.
No one was injured during the shooting.
“This is a person who wanted to kill Rihanna,” Deputy District Attorney Alexander Bott told reporters outside court. “Everyone else was collateral damage.”
According to a police report, several bullets struck an Airstream trailer on the property. Gunfire also hit a wall near the nursery inside the home, where the couple’s three young children were with their nanny at the time.
Rihanna’s mother and multiple members of the household staff were also reportedly inside the home. Authorities allege Ortiz additionally fired toward a neighboring residence.
Ortiz’s attorney, Deputy Public Defender Derek Dillman, did not comment to reporters following Wednesday’s hearing. The public defender’s office also did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the indictment.
Ortiz’s attorneys have previously declined to publicly discuss the allegations beyond saying they intended to protect their client’s rights.
Investigators said Ortiz told them on the day of her arrest, “I wasn’t attempting murder.”
Ortiz was initially charged in March with attempting to murder Rihanna, along with more than a dozen additional felony counts. Those charges were dismissed Wednesday and replaced by the new indictment.
By using a grand jury, prosecutors were able to bypass California’s preliminary hearing process, which typically requires prosecutors to present evidence publicly to establish whether a case should proceed to trial.
The new indictment includes 10 counts of assault with an assault weapon, one for each person prosecutors say was present at the two properties. It also includes three counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling or camper.
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky’s three children, RZA, Riot, and Rocki, who are all under 5, are listed as victims in the indictment. The assault-with-an-assault-weapon charges carry a potentially harsher sentence than the original allegations of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.
If convicted on all charges, Ortiz could face life in prison.
The psychiatric evaluations that delayed the case have been sealed, and details about Ortiz’s mental state have not been publicly disclosed. Prosecutors have also not revealed a motive or identified any known connection between Ortiz and Rihanna.
Ortiz, who had worked as a licensed speech pathologist, reportedly had no prior criminal record before the alleged shooting.
