The woman accused of opening fire outside Rihanna’s Beverly Hills home returned to a Los Angeles courtroom on Wednesday for a brief hearing that ended without any change to her legal situation. Ivanna Ortiz, who pleaded not guilty last month to 14 charges including attempted murder, appeared before a new judge assigned to the case who denied a request from her public defender to lower her nearly two-million-dollar bail.
The hearing was short but significant in its outcome. A date for a full preliminary hearing will be set at Ortiz’s next scheduled court appearance on May 13, moving the case closer to a formal examination of the evidence against her.
What prosecutors say happened
According to prosecutors, Ortiz drove to Rihanna’s home on the evening of March 8 and opened fire with an assault rifle in what they describe as a premeditated attack. They allege she arrived at the property with a loaded weapon, extra ammunition and a wig intended as a disguise, suggesting the shooting was planned rather than impulsive.
In addition to the attempted murder charge, Ortiz faces 10 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and three counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling. If convicted on all counts, she could face life in prison. Prosecutors have emphasized the severity of the alleged conduct, noting that the circumstances could easily have resulted in the deaths of multiple people, including children.
Who was inside
No one was physically harmed during the incident. Rihanna, her partner A$AP Rocky and their three children were all inside the property when the shots were fired. The couple’s sons, ages three and two, and their six-month-old daughter were present at the time, a detail prosecutors have highlighted in arguing against any reduction in bail.
The shots struck the exterior of Rihanna’s home as well as a neighboring property. A white Tesla was linked to Ortiz and used in the alleged attack.
A bail request rejected twice
Ortiz’s bail has now been denied at two separate hearings. When she was arraigned last month, the judge presiding at the time declined to reduce the amount from its initial setting of just under two million dollars. On Wednesday, the newly assigned judge reached the same conclusion after hearing arguments from Ortiz’s public defender.
The bail figure reflects the gravity of the charges and the prosecution’s position that Ortiz poses a significant risk. Prosecutors have framed the alleged attack as deliberate and dangerous, and the courts have so far agreed that the conditions of her release should reflect that assessment.
What comes next
With the May 13 date now on the calendar, the case is moving toward its next major milestone. A preliminary hearing, once scheduled, will give both sides the opportunity to present and challenge evidence before the case proceeds further. For Ortiz, it will be the first substantial legal proceeding since her arraignment and the first chance for her defense to formally contest the prosecution’s narrative in open court.
Rihanna has not made any public statements about the case. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office is prosecuting, and the matter continues to draw significant attention given the profile of the victim and the nature of the alleged conduct.
