Aahana Swrup
In the case of Ana Abulaban and Rayburn Cardenas Barron’s murders, committed in October 2021, the former’s husband Ali, a rising TikTok celebrity, emerged as the evident perpetrator behind the crime. Therefore, once his case arrived at San Diego’s court for trial, the jury found themselves tasked with analyzing Ali’s motives to determine whether his actions fell under first or second-degree murder charges.
The Peacock documentary, ‘TikTok Star Murders’ similarly explores the marriage between Ali and Ana that inevitably resulted in the latter’s dire predicament. Ali’s mother, Dalal Warra, only appears momentarily in the documentary through one of her son’s recorded footage of a private fight. Still, even through her brief presence, Warra leaves an impression on the viewers, inviting natural intrigue.
Dalal Warra Was Aware of The Marital Problems Between Ali and Ana
Initially, in 2017, after Ali Abulaban married Ana and the latter moved to the States, the young couple lived in Virginia with Ali’s family. Consequently, his mother, Dalal Warra, was in the duo’s orbit from the start, witnessing the early days of their marriage. According to her, Ali and Ana often fought around that time, but their altercations could be chalked up as nothing out of the ordinary for a “normal married couple.” Even so, Warra admitted that she once stopped Ana from getting a restraining order against her son as it would affect his job opportunities.
In 2020, Warra separated from Ali’s father, Nasser Abulaban, with whom she had an unhealthy marriage. Shortly afterward, in 2021, Ali and Ana also moved to San Diego as the former’s career as an online personality grew thanks to his virality over TikTok. During this time, Warra would often visit his son and his family in San Diego. As a result, she learned about their growing marital problems as well as Ali’s drug addiction. Likewise, she remained privy to similar unravelings within the Abulabans’ San Diego household.
Allegedly, Ali’s sister once saw her brother punching Ana and shared the picture of her sister-in-law’s facial injuries with Warra. Although Warra denies recollection of such an event, she confirmed her son’s abusive nature when asked if Ali ever told her he punched his wife. “She [Ana] hit him [Ali] too,” Warra said, discussing a FaceTime call between her and her son wherein she saw scratch marks on him. Similarly, the mother also said, “Not punched,” in reference to Ali’s abusive behavior toward Ana. “Hit, yes, but not punched,” She stated.
Dalal Warra Testified During Ali Abulaban’s Court Case
On October 21, 2021, Ali Abulaban killed his wife, Ana, and her friend, Rayburn Cardenas Barron. The killing occurred inside Ana’s apartment in Spire San Diego, from which the wife had evicted the husband due to their growing complications. Consequently, Ali had bugged the place using an app installed on their daughter’s iPad. The same alerted him of another man’s presence in the house, which led him to carry out the attack on his wife and the other man.
Afterward, Ali called his mother, Dalal Warra, to tell her about the recent crime— even going as far as to share pictures to prove the reality of the events. In May 2024, while the court trial against Ali was underway, Warra appeared to testify and shared details about the same phone call. “I just recall saying, you know, that’s not funny, that’s not funny, Ali,” she said. “Don’t say that, that’s not funny. And then, I received a picture [of the crime scene], [and] I deleted it right away. I hung up the phone and literally fell on the ground.”
Still, Warra testified in defense of her son during the case, sharing details of his traumatic childhood under her former husband Nasser Abulaban’s abusive roof. As per her testimony, Warra married Nasser at 15 when the latter was in his mid-to-late 20s. Ali was the oldest of their four children and often witnessed his father’s abusive tendencies toward his mother. Furthermore, by the time he turned 14, things became physically violent between Ali and his father as well. Reportedly, the latter abused his son with extension cords, leaving welts on his back.
Where is Dalal Warra Now?
Although Dalal Warra rarely maintained an overt public presence, even during Ali Abulaban’s TikTok stardom, her presence on social media has significantly vanished since the court found her son guilty of two counts of 1st-degree murder. As such, while fans may stumble upon her account on various social media platforms, they won’t find any updates or posts about her life. However, it remains public knowledge that Dalal Warra, alongside Nasser Abulaban, has legal guardianship over Ali and Ana’s daughter Amira Aliana Abulaban. After her departure from Virginia, Warra’s last known whereabouts pinned her down to her home in Las Vegas, where she likely continues to reside.
Read More: Ali Abulaban: The TikTok Star is Awaiting a Prison Sentence Today
