Popular Instagram model strangled to death in apparent murder-suicide: police

Authorities in Fort Bend, Texas, say an Instagram model popularly known as “Miss Mercedes Morr” was killed in an apparent murder-suicide incident. According to Click2Houston, the body of the deceased, whose real name is Janae Gagnier, was found in her apartment on Sunday.

The Fort Bend County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the 33-year-old deceased’s cause of death as strangulation and traumatic concussion. The body of Janae’s alleged killer, Kevin Alexander Accorto, was also discovered in the victim’s apartment. The 34-year-old’s death was ruled as suicide by multiple sharp force trauma.

Police said it’s unlikely the victim and her killer were in a relationship prior to the incident. Janae’s body was discovered by her father, Mark Gagnier, when he went over to her apartment to check up on her Sunday evening, ABC13 reported. Gagnier said he went to her home because the family had been unable to get in touch with her throughout the weekend.

“I know my daughter and when I got to my daughter’s house and it was locked up and she’s not answering my phone call, which is not like her, I knew something was up. So I didn’t hesitate to kick the door down,” Gagnier recalled. “What I saw, I wouldn’t want any parent to go through.”

Gagnier said he initially thought his daughter may have died as a result of an accident. But he later got to know there was more to it when he found her killer upstairs. The suspect is said to have stabbed himself in the neck.

“He was twitching, he was gurgling,” the victim’s father said. “I could look in the room and there’s writings all over the wall.” The writings included notes of Accorto confessing to the incident and also declaring his love for Jenae. He also issued apologies.

Jenae was a very popular Instagram model in Houston with almost 3 million followers on the photo and video sharing social media platform. Her photos were always swarmed with thousands of likes.

“My monthly conversation is, Jenae you have all these followers. Some probably because they love you, some because they like your look, some more crazy, and some obsessed,” Gagnier told ABC13, adding that Accorto was probably an obsessed fan.

“I don’t know how he found her and I don’t know how all this happened,” he said.

The news of Jenae’s death was followed by multiple online rumors about what may have happened to her. But authorities said they’re investigating how the suspect managed to trace Jenae and enter her apartment.