UPDATE 03/05/26 at 6:00 p.m. ET — TikTok star Riziki Ilenre’s cause of death has been revealed.
The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences confirmed to People on Thursday, March 5, that Ilenre died by suicide. The department told the outlet that the content creator had a “reported history of depression and previous suicide attempts.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
Original story:
TikTok star Riziki Ilenre has died at age 27.
The creator, who rose to fame online for her comedic videos, died on Friday, December 12. Her account appeared to be deactivated after her death.
A spokesperson for the Montgomery Police Department in Alabama tells Us Weekly that an investigation into Ilenre’s death is “ongoing” and there is no further information available at this time.
In the wake of Ilenre’s death, a church in Carrollton, Georgia, paid tribute to the social media star in a statement.
“Our church family is grieving the heartbreaking loss of someone deeply loved and deeply valued, Riziki Ilenre,” Church Without Walls wrote via Facebook on Saturday, December 13. “She was part of our ministry family, a bright and brilliant young woman, full of purpose, faith, and promise. She served faithfully, graduated college, and was pursuing her dream of law school. Her future was meaningful, and her life mattered.”
The statement continued, “This is not a moment for speculation or easy answers. This is a moment for grieving, compassion, and love. Scripture reminds us that even Jesus paused to weep in the face of loss and today, our community weeps. Today, we mourn.”
The church asked for “prayers for her family, for all who loved her, and for anyone silently battling deep pain.”
The statement concluded, “May we honor her memory by loving harder, listening better, and protecting one another more fiercely.”
Several users took to the comments section to send their condolences.
“Even though I did not talk to this young lady like that it took me by surprise when I found out she passed away but when I did talk to this young lady she brought joy to my heart because she was full of life and she had a great spirit and she had a great personality and I remember I tried to talk to her and she turned me down nice and sweet, but we always been friends and she was full of happiness and joy and she always had a smile on her face and for all of these things I will truly miss so until we meet again my friend rest easy RIP,” one user wrote, while another added, “Praying for all family.”
In a separate tribute, Walter D’Andre Green — an apostle at Church Without Walls — honored Ilenre as his “daughter — not biologically, but absolutely spiritually.”
“Her smile was infectious,” the statement read via Facebook on Saturday. “Her grit and determination were unmatched. Her loyalty and honor were unwavering.”
The statement continued, “I had the privilege of watching her grow from an awkward sophomore in college into a young woman preparing to take on the world as a law student. She was brilliant, driven, and fearless in thought. One thing about Rizi — she loved to debate. She thrived in apologetics and theological discourse, and I think that’s part of why we were so close. She loved truth, and she wasn’t afraid to wrestle with it.”
He concluded his message by noting it had been a “long day” and he had “very little sleep.”
“And I’ll be honest — this hurts deeply. I’m still processing. But even in the pain, I rest in this: Riziki is eternally safe now,” he wrote. “No more worrying. No more fighting. No more carrying what was never hers to bear. Just peace.”
