Police: Florida man killed Texas Instagram influencer
Sep 1, 2021, 3:32 PM | Updated: 3:43 pm
HOUSTON (AP) — An Instagram influencer from Texas has been found dead in her apartment and the Florida man investigators believe killed her then stabbed himself to death, authorities said.
The body of Jenae Gagnier, 33, was found in her apartment in Richmond, Texas, on Sunday. Known online as Miss Mercedes Morr, she had amassed 2.6 million followers on Instagram.
Gagnier’s father told multiple news outlets that he rushed to his daughter’s apartment on Sunday, concerned that he had been unable to reach her on the phone all weekend.
“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,” said Mark Gagnier. “What I saw, I wouldn’t want any parent to go through.”
He found his daughter dead at the bottom of the stairs.
“I walk in and Janae’s on the floor, and her clothes are all torn up and stuff,” Gagnier said.
The Medical Examiner’s office determined Gagnier died by “strangulation and traumatic concussion.”
The Richmond Police Department on Monday identified the suspect in her killing as 34-year-old Kevin Alexander Accorto, whose last known address was in Florida. The medical examiner determined he stabbed himself to death.
Mark Gagnier said he found Accorto upstairs.
“I go upstairs, guy upstairs with a knife in him, still alive,” the father said.
Richmond police have yet to determine a motive in the killing and an investigation is ongoing.
Police said Gagnier and Accorto had no personal relationship, and her parents said they believe he was crazed Instagram follower.
“Unfortunately, someone basically was stalking, and killed my baby,” said her mother, Jeanetta Grover.
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