Fashionista Ashley Riggitano, 22, Dead After Being Bullied On Facebook
So sad: After getting into a fight on Facebook over a boy, a New York resident jumped to her death — on her 22nd birthday.
Ashley Riggitano, 22, leapt off the George Washington Bridge into the Hudson River on Feb. 6, leaving behind her Louis Vuitton bag on the bridge with a note calling out the five people who bullied her to death. Ashley wrote in the note, “To any funeral, these people should not be allowed based upon words and actions.” Adderall and Klonopin were also found in Ashley’s bag.
The New York Post identified the five people as Alison Tinari, Teresa Castaldo, Beth Bassil, Samantha Horneff — as well as Ashley’s best friend, and business partner, Victoria Van Thunen.
Ashley, who owned her own jewelry business called Missfits with Victoria Van Thunen, also mentioned a man in the note who was allowed to attend her funeral —but she hoped he “gets what he deserves” while there. She also listed three other people by first name, adding that they were the “only people I love & always there to tell sorry.”
The Facebook Bullying That Led Up To Ashley Riggitano’s Death
Earlier in the day, Ashley wrote on her Facebook, ‘Those who incessantly blame others as the cause of their issues should perhaps take a step back and reevaluate these situations. The common thread may be that “they” aren’t the problem, but rather that YOU are.”
In early January, Ashley and Alison Tinari (one of the five people banned from her funeral) got into a fight on Facebook over Alison’s friendship with Ashley’s boyfriend, Drew Heissenbuttel. According to the Post, Ashley started the argument when she sent Alison a Facebook message telling her to stay away from Drew.
“[S]ince drew cannot take care of the issue at hand, I will. You have been nothing but a bitch to me every time you walked in the door ignoring my existence maybe because you were so concerned with picking up your drugs…” Ashley wrote. “Everyone who has spoken to me when i came into the picture told me all about you and his friends had nothing good to say except you used Drew for his money.”
“Go Try To Kill Yourself … Again”
Alison wrote back, “Go try to kill yourself on Xanax again, you untable loser. Go f*** yourself and never speak to me again.”
Ashley responded, “Thats called a threat, and a suicidal threat the police dont take that lightly since the boy in ridgewood killed because of someones words,” referring to Tyler Clementi, a Rutgers University student who committed suicide by jumping of the George Washington Bridge in 2010.
In an interview with the New York Post, Alison claimed Ashley was harassing her on Facebook via private messages, adding that she and Ashley were not friends.
“It’s really horrible what happened. I feel really bad for her family,” Alison said. “The only thing I’m ashamed of is what I said about her overdosing on Xanax. I shouldn’t have said that.”
— Jenny Pickard
More Tragic Bullying & Suicide News:
- Bullied Student, 15, Commits Suicide — Jumps In Front Of Train As Classmates Watch
- Two 14-Year-Old Girls Kill Themselves In Suicide Pact After Being Bullied
- Phoebe Prince Suicide: Now 5 Teens Pleading Guilty In This Terrible Bullying Case