On Feb. 9, 2013, the family of Ashley Riggitano spoke out about the young fashion designer, who killed herself on her 22nd birthday by jumping off the George Washington Bridge.
“Ashley was not only beautiful on the outside, she was beautiful on the inside,” her older sister, Jennifer, told PIX 11. “She’s going to be missed by everybody, but most of all, by me… She was a great girl.”
According to the New York Post, Riggitano killed herself amid a Facebook feud over a male acquaintance—aspiring race car driver Drew Heissenbuttel.
Zap2It.com reports that Riggitano and Alison Tinari were fighting on the social media site regarding the man.
Tinari posted a Facebook message to Riggitano that read, “Go try to kill yourself on Xanax again, you unstable loser. Go f*** yourself and never speak to me again.”
Riggitano wrote back with, “Thats called a threat, and a suicidal threat the police dont take lightly since the boy in ridgewood killed because of someones words.” She was referring to Rutgers student Tyler Clementi, who jumped off the George Washington Bridge after a university roommate secretly taped and broadcast on the Internet Clementi's sexual encounter with another man.
Riggitano jumped off the upper level of the bridge on Feb. 6 at around 4:40 p.m., according to MStarz.com. Her Louis Vuitton purse was found on the bridge with a note inside, along with medications such as Adderall and Klonopin.
The note, reports MStarz.com, listed five women, including Tinari, that Riggitano did not want to attend her funeral. Another was Riggitano’s design business, Victoria Van Thunen, who also attacked the fashionista on Facebook, according to Zap2It.com.
Design school classmate Teresa Castaldo, publicist Beth Bassil, and friend Samantha Horneff, were also banned from funeral services in the note.
Tinari told the Post she feels bad for Riggitano’s family, saying “It’s crazy… I never went after her, she went after me… She harassed me on Facebook… The only thing I’m ashamed of is what I said about her overdosing on Xanax…”
Riggitano’s family told PIX 11 she was slated to graduate from the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising this year. Zap2It.com reports she designed jewelry and was an intern for Alex Woo, Tommy Hilfiger, and Nicole Miller.
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