An online model who was popular on social media has reportedly died following a suspected murder-suicide at her home in suburban Houston on Sunday afternoon, according to multiple reports.
Jenae Gagnier, who was more popularly known by her Instagram handle, Mercedes Morr, was found dead inside her apartment in the city of Richmond, Texas, alongside a man who police suspect killed the 33-year-old model with millions of social media followers before killing himself, according to local news outlet ABC 13.
Condolences have been pouring in on social media.
Richmond police identified the man as 34-year-old Kevin Alexander Accorto but did not specify the nature of his relationship with Gagnier.
Local news outlet KHOU reported that Gagnier had been “strangled” and that Accorto, of Florida, likely killed himself from “multiple sharp force trauma.”
Gagnier’s family asked the police to do a welfare check after not hearing from her for several days.
“At this point in the investigation, it is not believed that there was a relationship between the suspect and the victim,” the Richmond Police Department said in a statement. “At this point, this is being considered a murder/suicide and it is an ongoing investigation to determine motive in the case.”
However, a growing number of gossip websites and social media accounts have suggested — without proof — that Accorto was Gagnier’s “sugar daddy,” a term that refers to a man who spends money freely on a woman in return for sexual favours.
Those reports were not immediately substantiated and the police had not announced an official cause of death for Gagnier or Accorto.
Other reports suggested Gagnier was killed during a robbery, but neighbors in the Cortland Apartments complex where the model lived said the area is safe and a robbery, let alone a murderous one, would be an anomaly.
“It would be kind of surprising to know that this was an intruder, someone that broke into the house because I wouldn’t think that would happen here,” Field Ledford, who lives in the apartment complex, told ABC 13.
The popular Gossip In The City Instagram account, which is verified and has nearly 650,000 followers, said that Gagnier’s father found his daughter’s body.
Another Instagram account, Industry Blitz, wrote without proof that Accorto was Gagnier’s “Sugar Daddy.”
Yet another unsubstantiated rumor was making the rounds on social media claiming that Morr actually died from HIV following surgery. That rumor was promptly debunked because of how she was found in her apartment with Accorto.
A Twitter account attributed to Gagnier’s father slammed those reports and cautioned people against rushing to judgment until all the facts come out.
“The false statements put out by social media and several news outlets is alarming,” the Twitter account for Mark. P. Gagnier posted on Monday. “The death of my daughter is still under investigation. Until we have all the facts no statement will be made please respect the family.”
That sentiment was echoed by Gagnier’s fellow Instagram model, htownciara, who confirmed the death via her own account. (NewsOne)
