Inside The Death Of Rapper J $Tash
Rapper J $tash has died. The rapper, 28, allegedly shot and killed his girlfriend before shooting himself on New Year's Day in Temple City, California, according to People. Deputies discovered the bodies of J $tash, born Justin Joseph, and Jeanette Gallegos, 27, when they arrived at the scene. Gallegos' three children, aged 5 to 11, were in the home at the time of the incident. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed that the children were all physically unharmed and removed from the scene when authorities arrived, according to the New York Post.
Joseph and Gallegos had been dating for one year, and it was during an argument in the master bedroom when the rap artist locked the door. Deputies noted, "The female victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds, while the male victim sustained an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound." The Sheriff's Department also mentioned that there had been a report of domestic abuse at approximately 7:14 a.m. the same day.
Jeanette Gallegos' family is reaching out
Homicide Lt. Derrick Alfred told Billboard the few facts of the case they can speculate on at this early point in the investigation. "It appears Justin Joseph, aka J $tash, shot and killed his girlfriend ... before turning the gun on himself." Alfred continued, "The children were in the home, but it does not appear it happened in front of them ... They heard gunshots, then called 911."
It was reported by the Associated Press that the timing of the family call is unknown concerning whether it came before or after the fatal shots were fired.
A GoFundMe page was created by Jeanette Gallegos' family. In a brief message on the page that explains donations are to be used for funeral expenses, Gallegos' sister Erika Chavez also shared a small perspective of their loss. "My sister leaves behind 3 beautiful boys who will have to continue living life with what's left, the memories created with their mommy," she wrote. A police investigation is still ongoing as of this writing.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.