The family of slain social media influencer Janae “Miss Mercedes Morr” Gagnier is grateful Cardi B brought awareness to the tragic case.
Cardi is among the many celebrities and influencers mourning the death of the popular Instagram model.
Gagnier was found dead in her Texas apartment on Sunday. Police believe the 33-year-old was the victim of a murder-suicide, Revolt reports.
Cardi reacted to the tragic news on social media and slammed those that are justifying the killing due to the victim’s social media presence.
“So sad and f—k you b—-s and Nikkas trying to justify it cause of her lifestyle,” Cardi wrote on her Instagram Live, as reported by Hot New Hip Hop. “Ya will hate on a bad b— dead or alive. She was a sweetheart.”
Gagnier had 2.6 million followers on Instagram and also had a presence on OnlyFans.
Gagnier’s mother, Jeanetta Grover, tells TMZ that her daughter was a huge Cardi B fan. The hip-hop star has been invited by the family to Gagnier’s celebration of life Saturday in Houston. “We’re told there’s no pressure on Cardi to attend,” the outlet writes.
Gagnier died inside her apartment, theGrio previously reported. Police believe her killer was 34-year-old Kevin Alexander Accorto. According to The Fort Bend County Medical Examiner, Gagnier’s suffered a “traumatic concussion” and her cause of death was strangulation.
Accorto also died inside the apartment from “multiple sharp force trauma.” Officials said his cause of death has been ruled a suicide.
Police say that although there are no signs of forced entry in Gagnier’s unit, they also do not believe Gagnier and Accorto had a prior relationship.
Their bodies were discovered after Gagnier’s father, Mark, rushed to his daughter’s home when she didn’t return his calls on Sunday.
“I know my daughter and when I got to my daughter’s house and it was locked up and she’s not answering my phone call, which is not like her, I knew something was up. So I didn’t hesitate to kick the door down,” Mark told ABC 13.
He discovered his daughter’s lifeless body at the foot of the stairs, per the report.
“I walk in and Janae’s on the floor, and her clothes are all torn up and stuff,” he said. “I go upstairs, guy upstairs with a knife in him, still alive… I just couldn’t do nothing but stand there and call the police,” he added. “That’s the true story and that’s what I want out.”
Mark found Accorto in the kitchen, still alive, with a knife buried in his neck.
“He was twitching, he was gurgling… He was there for like two days, writing on the walls,” he said. “There’s blood all over the apartment. Supposedly, when I kicked in the door, he ended his life.”
“For me to see that, I kind of just was in shock. I just stood there. What I saw, I wouldn’t want any parent to go through,” Mark told KTRK-TV.
Gagnier’s family told ABC 13 she was being stalked.
“She’s very cautious about her surroundings,” her mother said. “Unfortunately, someone basically was stalking, and killed my baby.”
“I don’t know how he found her and I don’t know how all this happened,” said Mark. “That’s the only part that I’m waiting on. I know what happened. I know my daughter’s dead.”
Gagnier’s sister, London, shared the heartbreaking news of the IG model’s death on her Instagram on Monday.
“Yesterday was the worst day of my life. My heart is gone. My soul is gone. Me and mom talked to you on Thursday to check on you and per usual, you were having an amazing time. We talk every day. I’m so happy we said we loved you. I’m so happy I got to see your face one last time. Jenae I’m f—-n sorry. I hate this for you,” she wrote.
London also noted that she believes she knows who the suspected killer is, shooting down speculation that Gagnier was a victim of a robbery attempt.
“F— ALL THESE PUNK A– ALLEGATIONS that these blogs are posting & the comments,” she continued in the caption of a photo of her and Morr on a beach. “N—– don’t know s—. She wasn’t robbed. It was just a stalker from outta state who’d BEEN stalking her.”
An investigation into what led to the alleged murder-suicide is ongoing.
“I don’t want to release what we have or have not recovered. I will tell you there was no shooting involved. No guns recovered,” Richmond Police Department Lt. Lowell Neinast said, KHOU 11 reports.
Police are also trying to determine how Accorto got inside her apartment.
“You have to understand those apartments. You can enter three different ways: through the garage, through the back door, through the front door. So it makes it difficult to understand,” Neinast said.
Neinast also noted that how Accorto got to Texas and details about his car and plane ticket from Florida “is part of the ongoing investigation.”
“There will be closure for the family. When this case ends, there will be closure for the family,” Neinast said.
Police said Accorto had no criminal history. Investigators have been in contact with his family in Florida to try to figure out what motivated him to commit murder.
This story contains additional reporting from theGRIO’s Brenda Alexander.
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