Death by Fame on ID: How did The Voice singer Christina Grimmie die?

Christina Grimmie
Former The Voice singer Christina Grimmie was gunned down during a meet and greet in Florida (Image via Lisa Lake/Getty Images)

In this week's Death by Fame on ID, an all-new episode will chronicle the death of The Voice singer Christina Grimmie. She died during a meet-and-greet tragedy in Florida a few years ago in 2016. The episode titled Behind the Screen will air this Monday, February 6, 2023, at 9.00 pm ET.

The synopsis states:

"Singer Christina Grimmie went from internet sensation to international superstar with her performance on 'The Voice'; among her legions of fans was someone whose obsession would bring her dreams to a tragic end."

Grimmie, 22, was a rising reality TV star before she was gunned down on June 10, 2016. 27-year-old Kevin Liobl, a Florida-native white man wielding two loaded magazines and a knife, was behind the tragic incident. After the attack, the singer succumbed to her injuries.

Reports stated that Loibl shot himself moments after shooting the singer. Moreover, authorities claimed that he traveled all the way to Orlando from his home, located somewhere in Florida.


Former The Voice singer, Christina Grimmie, was shot by an obsessed fan after Orlando performance in June 2016

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Christina Grimmie was only 19 years old when she finished in third place in NBC's The Voice's season 6 in 2014 as part of Adam Levine's team. The contestant initially sang Miley Cyrus' Wrecking Ball on the program during her audition and was quick to win over the judges and audience.

Unfortunately, on the night of June 10, 2016, the former The Voice contestant was brutally shot by a 27-year-old Florida-native man, who then fatally shot himself.

Grimmie, 22, eventually succumbed to the injuries she incurred during the shooting which took place at The Plaza Live in Orlando after her opening performance for the band, Before You Exit. She was reportedly meeting fans and signing autographs about half an hour after the concert concluded when she was shot.

The killer, later identified as Kevin Loibl, reportedly had an unhealthy obsession and deep-running infatuation with the victim, as per CNN.

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According to police reports, Loibl shot Grimmie while she was signing autographs. Officials also called the victim's brother Marcus Grimmie a hero as he rushed towards the shooter and tackled him despite the fact that he was wielding weapons. However, Loibl fatally shot himself moments after he shot the singer.

The shooting occurred when about 120 concertgoers gathered around Grimmie for a chance to meet her and purchase merchandise inside the venue. Fans' bags and backpacks were routinely examined when they entered The Plaza Live, however, the venue lacked metal detectors.

NBC News reported that a witness named Josh Call, who was working at a vegan hot dog stand outside the venue, told the Orlando Sentinel that he heard multiple shots - four or five shots - being fired. Call stated that immediately after the incident, he rushed inside and spotted a man and a woman on the floor bleeding heavily. "It was horrifying," he said.


Christina Grimmie's shooter believed singer was his "soulmate"

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Kevin Loibl’s friend Cory Dennington reportedly revealed that he had known the gunman for 15 years. He claimed that his friend believed that Christina Grimmie was his "soulmate," and that they were destined to be together.

According to Global News, a police report stated:

"He [Dennington] said Loibl would not entertain the idea that his plan would not work, and when Dennington did, he threatened to end their friendship. Loibl never elaborated on what he would do if he met Christina, but he referred to her as his ‘soulmate.'"

Dennington also mentioned to authorities how Loibl "watched everything to do with [Grimmie]," especially in the past year when his infatuation with her grew to a concerning level.


Learn more about Christina Grimmie's shooting death on ID's Death by Fame this Monday, February 6, 2023.

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