San Diego, CA – A San Diego Superior Court judge postponed the sentencing of a former TikTok influencer, who had earlier confessed to the fatal shooting of his estranged wife and her companion in a downtown San Diego luxury apartment. The decision to delay the sentencing to September 6 was made Friday, despite opposition from the prosecution who argued that the victims’ families were in need of closure.
Ali Abulaban, 32, who was known as “JinnKid” online, had faced the court visibly altered in appearance with a buzz cut and donned in jail attire, different from his look during the trial. He was convicted on two counts of first-degree murder on May 29, for the killings of his 28-year-old wife, Ana Abulaban, and her 29-year-old friend, Rayburn Cardenas Barron, at the Spire San Diego high-rise in October 2021.
The judge, Jeffrey Fraser, saw the defense’s request for a sentencing delay as fundamental, marking it as his policy not to deny a first-time continuance request. This delay pushes the final sentencing to early fall, prolonging a high-profile case that has captured local attention.
During the trial, jurors were presented with clear evidence that Abulaban was responsible for the deaths, and were tasked to determine whether the murders were premeditated. Deliberations began on May 24 and concluded five days later with a guilty verdict.
Prosecutor Taren Brast, advocating for the victims, pressed the seriousness of the crimes in her closing arguments. She retraced Abulaban’s actions on the day of the murders, highlighting his premeditated plans to confront and kill both victims in the apartment they were found. Abulaban had secretly installed a listening device in the apartment and used a key card he wasn’t supposed to have, arguing against any notion of a crime of passion.
The prosecution detailed how Abulaban had stalked his wife after suspecting her infidelity and plotted the killings. Graphic evidence and sound recordings from Abulaban’s phone were used in court, revealing his meticulous premeditation and disregard for human life.
In contrast, defense attorney Jodi Green painted a different picture. She argued her client acted out of a mental break exacerbated by drug use and a troubled past, suggesting that while he had committed the killings, it did not constitute murder. She pointed to Abulaban’s unstable mental state, highlighted by evidence of his cocaine use detected hours after the killings.
The tragic case has stirred strong emotions, evident in the response from the victim Barron’s sister, Jordana Barron, who spoke of a “little bit of justice” following the verdict. She expressed a mix of relief and enduring loss, noting that while nothing could bring back her brother or Ana, the verdict ensured Abulaban could not harm others again.
As the community awaits the final sentencing, the impact of this case continues to be felt deeply, sparking discussions on domestic violence, mental health, and the complexities of criminal justice in emotional and high-profile crimes. The additional time until sentencing keeps both the victims’ families and the community in a state of anticipation, looking toward resolution and justice in this disturbing case.