Friend: Shooter had fixation on 'The Voice' singer

'The Voice' contestant shot, killed at Orlando concert

ORLANDO, Fla. – The investigation into the shooting death of "The Voice" star Christina Grimmie has been closed, officials said on Wednesday.

Grimmie was shot and killed while signing autographs after a performance at The Plaza Live in Orlando June 10 just after 10 p.m.

Orlando police said the case was closed and cleared since the suspect, Kevin James Loibl, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene. Had Loibl lived, police said they would have charged him with first-degree murder.

A friend of the gunman who shot Grimmie says his friend had developed a fixation on her within the last year.

 A police report released Wednesday recounts an interview with Cory Dennington, who describes himself as the only friend of Loibl, the man police say fatally shot Grimmie on June 10. Loibl killed himself after the shooting.

The report released Wednesday stated that Loibl took a cab from St. Petersburg to Orlando and stayed in the Courtyard Marriott in downtown Orlando. The hotel front desk worker described Loibl as "strange."

"He made plans to come to Orlando and took a taxi to come here, stayed in a hotel and went to the Plaza Live that night," said Wanda Miglio with OPD.

Grimmie, 22, who performed with a band named Before You Exit, was signing autographs about 30 minutes after the concert ended when Loibl walked toward her and shot her, police said.

Grimmie's brother immediately tackled Loibl, who shot himself during a struggle, police said. The shooter, who had two guns, was pronounced dead at the scene. Grimmie, of New Jersey, was taken to a hospital in critical condition and was pronounced dead just before 11 p.m., officials said. 

Dennington, Loibl's "only friend in the world," said that he became aware of Loibl's fixation on Grimmie over the last "six months to a year," the report stated. Loibl's family said they weren't aware of his obsession and said he rarely left his room, except to go to work. Dennington worked with Loibl at a Best Buy store in St. Petersburg.

According to the report, Grimmie's manager said she had not received any threatening text messages, emails or calls.

Dennington also said he believed Loibl spent most of his waking hours watching Grimmie on YouTube, as well as constantly monitoring her social media accounts. He said that Loibl had undergone Lasik surgery, teeth whitening, hair implants and lost weight to improve his appearance for Grimmie, according to the report.

Loibl did not mention going to one of Grimmie's concerts, and Dennington said that when he would try to point out that it was illogical to think he could begin a relationship with Grimmie, Loibl would become angry and defensive, police said.

The report also stated that Loibl had legally purchased two guns at two St. Petersburg gun shops. He had never been diagnosed with mental illnesses or threatened to do harm to himself or anyone else, his father told police.

 He was found with two handguns and a hunting knife at the Plaza Live that night. It's not clear how Loibl was able to get them inside, as security was checking bags.

"I don't know how he concealed the weapons. I'm not sure, but I'm not sure how they're going to do security now," Miglio said.

Grimmie finished in third place during season six of "The Voice."​ She was discovered on YouTube, where she has a massive following.

Check back for more on this story.


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