TikTok star Ali Abulaban apologizes to daughter and family members while being sentenced for killing estranged wife

TikTok star Ali Abulaban, aka JinnKid on social media, was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison without any possibility of parole after brutally killing his wife and her friend.

But moments before his sentencing on Friday, September 6, Abulaban took ten minutes to read a handwritten statement. He addressed his late wife, Ana, directly, telling her, "I wish this never happened." Abulaban also apologized to his and Ana's daughter, Amira, in his 10-minute statement on Friday, saying:

"When you're old enough to see this, please don't blame yourself. None of this is your fault. Your mother loves you so much, and I love you so much. You're the strongest girl I've ever known, and I'm so proud to be your father."

Elsewhere in his statement, Ali Abulaban asked for forgiveness from Ana Abulaban for "becoming distracted, for letting [his] anxiety and [his] insecurities affect [his] thoughts and [his] behavior" towards her. He maintained that "he lost himself" and was affected by the "drugs."

He also addressed the family of Rayburn Cardenas Barron, the man he suspected his wife was dating. He told them he now believes that "Ray was a good person," referencing Barron's family's consistent appearance in court throughout the trial.

For the unfamiliar, Ali Abulaban was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder in May. The verdict comes two years after the murder happened in 2021 when he shot Barron three times and Ana in the head at their San Diego apartment. During his court testimony, Abulaban claimed that it wasn't the first time he was violent with his wife and that he "snapped" after seeing Ana with another man.

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Ali Abulaban "will die in prison" and denied parole after his double first-degree murder sentencing

California judge Jeffrey Fraser handed down Ali Abulaban's sentence after the San Diego social media star was convicted of double first-degree murder in May. During the sentencing, Judge Fraser mentioned that he had "serious reservations" about whether or not Abulaban was truly sorry for what he did. Talking about the TikTok star, he said:

"He's a very selfish person, as I think the jury saw. The bottom line here is, he will die in prison, he will never be a free man. He will take his last breath there."

Elsewhere in the trial, Ali Abulaban pleaded with the judge to give him a chance of parole. He said that being sent behind bars forever "feels like [he's] being sent to hell," and he doesn't think that it's fair.

However, the judge didn't budge and responded that he was "ineligible for probation." Judge Fraser added that even if he was eligible, "the court would not give him probation." He also called the social media star a "very talented actor" who decided to commit a "cold-blooded killing without remorse."

Abulaban was given two 25-year to life sentences for both murders plus another 50 years in prison for gun enhancement.