Boyfriend Charged In Murder Of Former Celebrity Business Manager

A Los Angeles man will appear in court on March 2 after police say he killed his girlfriend on Dec. 22, 2021.

Jason Barker was 49 years old when he was arrested for murdering his girlfriend, 55-year-old Angela Kukawski. According to news reports, Kukawski was reported missing from Sherman Oaks on Dec. 22, 2021, and officers found her car parked on the street in the 1500 block of Patricia Avenue in Simi Valley. Kukawski, 55, was deceased in the trunk of her vehicle.

The LA Times reported that Kukawski was strangled and had suffered multiple injuries to her head and neck.

Her death sent shockwaves through Hollywood; according to Variety, Kukawski was a well-known business manager with Boulevard Management and had worked for stars such as the Kardashian family, Nicki Minaj, Kanye West, and the estate of rapper Tupac Shakur. She was also a mother to five children.

After her death, the Kardashians told People magazine that Kukawski was “one of the best.”

Police arrested Barker on Dec. 28 and charged him with murder and torture. An LAPD press release theorized that Kukawski had been killed at the couple’s Sherman Oaks home before Barker put her in her car and abandoned it in Simi Valley.

Barker entered a not-guilty plea during a May 2022 court date. He is being held at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic, California. His next scheduled court date is on March 2 in Van Nuys District Court. He has been in custody since his arrest with a bond set at $3.07 million.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic violence or abuse from a romantic partner, you can visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline website, call 1.800.799.SAFE or text START to 88788 for help. Advocates are available 24/7 to help callers talk through their situation and connect them with local resources. There is no charge to reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.