Celebrity News June 12, 2016
Christina Grimmie's Hero Brother and Selena Gomez Speak Out on Her Murder
Selena Gomez, whose stepfather Brian Teefey had once signed the late Christina Grimmie to a management contract, is speaking out about the former "Voice" contestant's shocking murder.
According to Us Weekly, Selena — who was named for the Tejano star shot dead by a fan/business associate in 1995 — took to Twitter to air her grief over Grimmie's senseless slaying.
"My heart is absolutely broken," Selena wrote to her millions of followers. "I miss you Christina."
The girls became close during the time, beginning in 2011, that Teefey worked with Grimmie. In a recent interview with Seventeen magazine, Grimmie praised Selena for her support. "She's been really, really encouraging to me. She really taught me two things. First: be yourself no matter who talks crap about you... The other thing is to keep going when you mess up live."
Meanwhile, Grimmie's brother Mark, who wrestled her killer to the ground before the assailant, Kevin James Loibl, fatally shot himself, has also opened up about the tragedy.
On Saturday, Mark Facebooked his his gratitude toward fans expressing their sympathies, writing, “By now I'm sure many [of] you have heard that Christina has passed away due to gunfire after a show. I really don't have much to say about anything and am just blown away with the prayers and support. I PROMISE I will respond to everyone when I can. Christina was more than my sister. She was a partner in life. A superstar. A goofball. Introverted. And a friend to everyone. Genuinely. But above all…she was my baby sister. She loved the Lord and her family and was always there for me and I honest don't know what ill do without her."
One fan who claims to have witness the murder on Friday evening wrote on social media that as Loibl approached Grimmie after her concert, she had "her arms open wide ready to greet him, as she would any of her other friends with such enthusiasm." Police have confirmed that Loibl — a possible "deranged fan" — likely traveled to Orlando from St. Petersburg, Florida, on a mission to kill Grimmie.