Actor Ashton Kutcher‘s then-girlfriend Ashley Ellerin was murdered by a serial killer nicknamed “The Hollywood Ripper” in 2001, when she was 22 years old. Ellerin’s killer, Michael Gargiulo, was sentenced to death in 2021, after Kutcher’s involvement in the case helped authorities deliver justice.
Kutcher has always claimed that he had gone to Ellerin’s apartment to pick her up for a date, and saw what he thought was spilled wine near the front door. Assuming she was not home, he left the premises, only for the police to find Ellerin had been brutally murdered. Kutcher cooperated with the ensuing investigation.
Now, new allegations surrounding what Kutcher witnessed at the scene of the crime have arisen amid a more recent controversy attached to the actor.
The Allegations
Masterson’s ex girlfriend, actress-model Chrissie Carnell Bixler, was among the three women who Danny Masterson was convicted of raping. Bixler was instrumental in assisting the other two survivors in building their cases against the actor. Bixler’s claims come amid the news of two of Masterson’s “That 70s Show” costars, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, defending Masterson’s character via letters sent to the Los Angeles judge ruling on his rape and sexual assault case.
After Kutcher and Kunis’ letters were leaked, Bixler began speaking out on the alleged skeletons in Kutcher’s closet. In a series of Instagram posts, the model-actress accused Kutcher of lying to the police about what he actually witnessed the night of the late Ellerin’s murder. Bixler claimed that Kutcher called his team of publicists and Danny Masterson before the police at the scene of the crime, in an alleged attempt to distance himself from it as much as possible.
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@stephwithdadeets Y’all im shook. Like this is getting creepy real fast. ???? #ashtonkutcher #milakunis #dannymasterson #ashtonandmila #chrissiebixler #dannymasterson #popculture #dannymastersontrial #exposed #dannymastersoniscancelled
Additionally, Bixler’s statements are leading some true crime followers to further allegations, that the LAPD covers up crimes committed by the Church of Scientology. Now, some accuse Kutcher’s anti-human trafficking organization Thorn of being some kind of sinister cover up.
damn, that’s crazy so does this mean that Ashton Kutcher’s company ‘Thorn’ is less about catching predators and more about giving the government access to additional surveillance programs? https://t.co/TZ3fdBGncB
— ⵣ (@bint_haramm) September 9, 2023
Others argue that Thorn actually does more work to shut down consensual sex work for adults than it does to end child exploitation.
https://x.com/sab_magic/status/1700206034181144980?s=20
None of the claims regarding Thorn have been confirmed or denied.
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Why The Internet Is Talking About The Case
Kutcher and his now wife, actress Mila Kunis, co-starred on “That 70s Show” alongside actor Danny Masterson. Kutcher and Kunis sent letters to the Los Angeles judge who convicted Masterson on three counts of rape and sexual assault, asking for leniency on his sentencing.
The sentence of 30 years to life in prison was delivered by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo. Prior to the charges and the ensuing trials that led to his conviction, Kunis and Kutcher, now a married couple since starring on the sitcom together, had spoken highly of the now disgraced actor.
The couple’s letters were leaked online, and first brought to the masses on X via one of Masterson’s survivors. A woman named Niesha Trout claimed that the couple sent the letters to the judge asking her for leniency on his sentencing. Trout was previously identified as an anonymous Jane Doe in reports on the case.
The letters will be leaked soon, but I want you all to know that post Danny Masterson's conviction & after they read all of the gruesome sworn-under-oath testimony of 5 of Danny's victims, Ashton Kutcher & Mila Kunis submitted letters to the judge asking her for leniency on Danny
— Niesha Trout (@nieshatrout) September 8, 2023
The news of the leaked letters came as a shock to much of the public, who now recognize Kutcher for his longtime advocacy for victims of human trafficking. Now, some online sleuths accuse the actor of false advocacy and actually doing more harm than good.
https://x.com/_dhanum/status/1700169945080791097?s=20
The couple were among 50 individuals who allegedly sent letters to the judge regarding Masterson’s sentencing. Kutcher’s letter recounted their 25 year friendship, and stated that Masterson’s fatherhood is the primary reason why he did not deserve jail time. “I do not believe he is an ongoing harm to society and having his daughter raised without a present father would [be] a tertiary injustice in and of itself,” the actor wrote.
Kunis’ letter additionally refers to Masterson’s “exceptional character.”
The letters were first obtained and published by Meghann Cuniff. The couple later addressed the letters, claiming that they were simply character witnesses and that they support “all victims of sexual assault.” The statement was met with widespread backlash, with many sensing that the brief video was meant to insinuate that they still supported Masterson.
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Amid the resurfaced murder case, others also accuse Kutcher of making inappropriate comments about then teenage television stars Hilary Duff and Mary Kate and Ashley Olson. A viral clip now shows Kutcher on his 2000s hit show “Punk’D” saying that everyone “can’t wait” for Duff to turn 18.
https://x.com/ask_aubry/status/1701016362276290939?s=20
Kutcher and Kunis are yet to address the mounting allegations of misrepresenting Thorn and more at this time.
