Ali Abulaban, a TikTok star known for his comedy skits and Scarface impressions, has been found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder for the shooting deaths of his estranged wife, Ana Abulaban, 28, and another man, Rayburn Barron, 29. The jury also found Abulaban guilty of the special-circumstance allegation of committing multiple murders, according to Fox’s San Diego affiliate, KUSI.
During the trial, Abulaban, 31, did not deny killing the victims but pleaded not guilty, with his defense team arguing that he was “simply out of his mind” at the time of the murders. The prosecution, however, sought a first-degree conviction, which the jury ultimately delivered.
The official verdict, as reported by KUSI, stated that Abulaban intentionally used a firearm to cause great bodily injury and death to both Ana Abulaban and Rayburn Barron. The jury reached this decision after deliberating since the closing remarks on the previous Friday.
Abulaban, who had garnered nearly 950,000 followers on TikTok, took the stand last week to provide his account of the events that transpired on October 21, 2021. He claimed that “all judgment and reason [flew] out the window” when he saw his estranged wife and his friend together, believing they were having an affair.
Under cross-examination, Abulaban admitted to a history of violence against Ana. Prosecutors revealed that he had been “harassing” her leading up to her death, with Ana even threatening to obtain a restraining order against him. On the morning of the murders, Abulaban confessed to entering Ana’s apartment while she was away, trashing the place, and activating a recording app on their daughter’s iPad, which he hid near Ana’s bed in an attempt to catch her engaging in sexual activity.
Later that day, upon hearing Ana and a man talking together on the recording, Abulaban rushed to the apartment, entered the unit, and fatally shot both individuals. During his testimony, he maintained that the decision to activate the recording app was a spur-of-the-moment choice and not a premeditated plan.
With the guilty verdict, Abulaban now faces life in prison. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, he could have potentially faced the death penalty if prosecutors had chosen to pursue it. His sentencing is scheduled for June 28 at 9 a.m.
The tragic case has garnered significant attention due to Abulaban’s notable presence on TikTok and the shocking nature of the crimes. As the legal proceedings conclude, the focus now shifts to the sentencing phase, where the court will determine the appropriate punishment for Abulaban’s actions.
