The heartbreaking story surrounding influencer Ashlee Jenae continued to unfold yesterday as her family laid her to rest in New Jersey. Meanwhile, her fiancé, Joe McCann, finally broke his silence after weeks of questions the internet has not let go of. This story has had everyone paying close attention since the moment the news broke, and the latest developments are not making it any easier to process.
As Complex reported, Jenae’s funeral took place May 5 in New Jersey at Second Baptist Church in Paulsboro. Her family and loved ones gathered to lay the 31-year-old influencer to rest nearly a month after she died during a trip to Zanzibar. And before anyone asks, no, Joe McCann was not there. Per TMZ, McCann — who had been with Ashlee Jenae on the trip — did not attend the funeral, having been barred from the service by her family. The family has also not spoken to McCann since Jenae’s death.
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For those who need a full refresher on how we got here, Ashlee Jenae — whose legal name was Ashly Jenae Robinson — was a lifestyle and travel content creator who traveled to Zanzibar, Tanzania, last month with McCann to celebrate her 31st birthday. He proposed to her during a safari, and her final posts were full of joy. Days later, she was found unconscious in their villa and was rushed to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Authorities in Tanzania had previously withheld McCann’s passport while questioning him as a witness, and, as of this writing, he has not been accused of any wrongdoing or charged with a crime.
Her parents — Harry Robinson and Yolanda Endres — have been vocal about their devastation and their unanswered questions. Harry told reporters, “Nothing about it makes sense. It just doesn’t add up.” Her mother, Yolanda, added, “Everything that we knew was that she was supposed to be happy, and she was engaged. She celebrated her birthday thereafter, and then she’s just gone.”
The family has also been conducting an independent autopsy because they do not accept the initial findings.
It was in the middle of all of this that McCann finally decided to speak. As TMZ reported, Joe took to social media after not saying anything for weeks as the investigation into her death overseas left him without a passport. His message begins with, “There are no adequate words to describe the total devastation, emptiness, and shock I feel after losing my best friend, confidante and fiancé, Ashly Jenae Robinson.”
He continued in the Instagram post, writing, “As a father myself, I am also heartbroken for Ashly’s parents, Yolanda Endres and Harry Robinson. Ashly’s death is an incomprehensible tragedy.”
He also addressed what Ashlee wanted for her future, writing, “What Ashly desired most was to become a mother and to raise a family together. There is no question that she would have been an amazing mom.”
As People noted, the service proceeded without him as her family and community came together to celebrate her life. The family’s GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral arrangements, travel, and related expenses has raised more than $60,000, with over 1,200 contributors. The outpouring of support from people who never met her personally speaks to just how much her presence resonated online.
The investigation remains ongoing and the family is still pushing for full transparency. Ashlee Jenae deserves answers, and the people who followed her are not going anywhere until there are some.
Check out the fiancé’s post below:
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