‘TikTok Star Murders’ Is Another Frightening Look At Social Media

Another day, yet another terrifying true crime documentary to keep us up at night. On June 25 Peacock released the haunting true story of TikTok star Ali Abulaban and his wife Ana Abulaban’s twisted relationship, TikTok Star Murders. On social media, Ali was a viral comedic personality. How did a picture-perfect happy couple with a newborn child go from recording their love story online to turning up dead? Behind closed doors, Ali was abusing Ana and controlling their lives in a way viewers online could never imagine. It goes without saying you can never believe what you see online, but tragedies like this are a painful reminder that influencers are still nothing more than strangers at the end of the day. As much as I love doom scrolling in bed until my eyeballs hurt, other documentaries like Dancing For The Devil have shown it’s easy for the app to be exploited by the wrong people. As much as I love watching a spicy scandal and a glass of wine on a Saturday night, it’s just as important to pay attention to the more serious stories that demonstrate the dark warning signs of dangerous relationships we can all learn from. So what happened between Ali and Ana and where is Ali Abulaban today? Keep reading for the perfect co-viewing breakdown.

Where is Ali Abulaban today?

Only five hours after murdering Ana Abulaban and her friend Rayburn Barron, Ali Abulaban confessed to their murders. Abulaban’s trial concluded in May of 2024. He was convicted of two charges of first-degree murder. His June 28 sentencing has been delayed.

What is the story behind TikTok Star Murders?

Ali and Ana met in Japan where both of them were stationed for military duty in 2014. After being discharged from the Air Force, Ali moved back to the US and shortly thereafter Ana found out she was pregnant. Around 2019, Ana moved from the Philippines to Virginia on a visa to be with Ali, who had decided to take up TikToking full-time while she raised their daughter. Eventually, after moving the family to the West Coast in 2021, Ali started including his family in his content between comedy sketches, and fans thought they had the perfect relationship. But as Ana started growing her own platform, Ali started becoming more controlling. He constantly accused her of cheating, according to recorded arguments he kept on his phone. He physically and emotionally abused her and after multiple incidents of domestic violence, Ana moved out with their daughter.

On October 25, 2021, Ali used spyware to eavesdrop on Ana’s conversation in her new apartment. He heard she was inviting a male friend over to help clean up the apartment, which Ali had broken into days before. After hearing Rayburn Baron’s voice, Ali entered the apartment and shot both Rayburn and his wife Ana.