Former Voice contestant Christina Grimmie's shooter believed he was her 'soul mate'
The man who shot and killed former The Voice contestant Christina Grimmie believed the singer was his "soul mate" and got defensive to his friends over the thought that she might reject him, the Orlando Sentinel reports. Grimmie, 22, was shot on June 11 at the Plaza Live theater while signing autographs; murderer Kevin Loibl then turned the weapon on himself.
Loibl, 27, was obsessed with Grimmie, according to records released by the police on Wednesday. He believed she was his soul mate and in order to make himself more attractive to her, he allegedly "went vegan, lost 50 pounds, got Lasik eye surgery, whitened his teeth, and got hair plugs," the Sentinel reports. Loibl's father said his son lived "like a hermit" and covered his windows with aluminum foil because he didn't like the light. He had not been diagnosed with any sort of mental illness, Fox News reports.
Loibl reportedly got defensive when friends pointed out that his chances of dating Grimmie were unlikely because they'd never met. "The thought of Grimmie rejecting him was out of the question," the Sentinel writes.
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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