Business manager to Kardashians killed, boyfriend charged

Los Angeles: A Los Angeles business manager whose clients had included Nicki Minaj and the Kardashians was killed, and her boyfriend was charged with murder and torture, authorities said on Wednesday.

Police found Angela Kukawski, 55, dead in her car in Simi Valley northwest of Los Angeles on December 23, a day after she was reported missing, police said in a statement. Her 49-year-old boyfriend, Jason Barker, was arrested Tuesday and charged with counts of murder and torture, authorities and public records said.

Kukawski died from sharp and blunt force injuries to the head and neck and strangulation, the Ventura County coroner said. A criminal complaint from Los Angeles County prosecutors alleges Barker also tortured her with a knife before her death.

Detectives believe Barker killed Kukawski inside their home in the Sherman Oaks section of Los Angeles, put her inside her car, drove it to Simi Valley, parked it and left her inside, authorities said.

Barker was being held in jail on more than USD 3 million bail. He has not entered a plea or responded to the charges. It is not clear whether he has hired an attorney who could comment.

Kukawski worked for the firm Boulevard Management and handled several high-profile clients during her career, including Minaj, Kim Kardashian, Offset and the estate of Tupac Shakur, according to entertainment trade papers Variety and The Hollywood Reporter. “We are saddened and heartbroken by the loss of our colleague, Angie Kukawski,” Todd Bozick of Boulevard Management said in a statement.

“Angie was a kind, wonderful person, and she will be greatly missed by all who knew her.”