The business manager for Nicki Minaj and the Kardashian family was killed last week in Los Angeles, the Ventura County Coroner’s office confirmed.
Angela “Angie” Kukawski, 55, was a Los Angeles-based business manager who worked at Boulevard Management in Woodland Hills. The cause of death appears to be a homicide, according to sources who said it’s likely connected to a Dec. 22 murder in Van Nuys and Simi Valley, Calif, Variety reported.
Los Angeles police have arrested Jason Barker, 49, and he is currently being held on a $2 million bond. However, on Dec. 29, his bail was increased to $3.07 million. Barker is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 12, 2022.
According to a local report, a woman believed to be in her 50s was found dead in the trunk of a car parked in Simi Valley, just north of Los Angeles. Sources confirmed that Kukawski was the woman. The Simi Valley Police Department and the Los Angeles Police Department have arrested the alleged suspect, who appeared to have transferred the body from Van Nuys to the home of a relative in Simi Valley in the early morning hours Dec. 23, per Variety.
Kukawski, also known as Angela Castro, was a mother of five and, according to friends, was “beloved” in the industry. Many have described her as “hard-working” and a “straight shooter,” said a business owner who worked closely with her. Boulevard, where she was employed most recently, specializes in accounting and financial management services for entertainers, athletes, and entrepreneurs.
While employed at Boulevard, Kukawski managed rappers Nicki Minaj, Kanye West, Offset, and the Kardashian family for a short time. According to government filings and past associates, she also managed the estate for the late Tupac Shakur.
“We are saddened and heartbroken by the loss of our colleague, Angie Kukawski,” Boulevard’s Todd Bozick said in a statement to Variety. “Angie was a kind, wonderful person, and she will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Our deepest condolences go out to all of Angie’s family and friends.”
In a press release issued by the LAPD on Dec. 29, Barker was confirmed as Kukawski’s boyfriend. He reportedly killed her inside the home they shared in Sherman Oaks, then “placed her inside her vehicle” and drove to Simi Valley, where the car and the victim’s body were discovered on the 1500 block of Patricia Ave.
The Los Angeles Times stated that the L.A. County DA had charged Barker with two felonies: one count of premeditated murder and one count of torture, per a criminal complaint obtained by the paper. Also, a report from the Ventura County Medical Examiner confirmed that Kukawski’s cause of death was from “sharp and blunt force injuries of the head and neck, as well as strangulation.”
The Times also reported that a knife and firearm were used in the attack.
In a statement to People magazine, the Kardashian-Jenner family said: “Angela was truly the best. She cared about every one of us and made things happen that were impossible. She will be greatly missed, and we send our sincere condolences to her family and loved ones during this most difficult time.”
In an Instagram story posted the afternoon of Dec. 29, Nicki Minaj wrote: “Hardest working, most reliable, sweetest person you could ever know. You didn’t deserve this, Angela. My heart is breaking for your children. Rest In Peace.”
