Social media rumors falsely tie Cape elderly couple to slain rapper

Police are guarding an elderly couple’s home after a rumor circulated on social media the suspected killer of a South Florida rapper XXXTentacion lived.

“It’s very disturbing that people have access to personal information that quickly,” said homeowner Laurie Bernard said.

Twenty-year-old Jesse Gonzalez was arrested for loitering and is accused of trying to deliver a Cape Coral family a pizza as a way of getting revenge for a rappers murder. Bernard said they did not order the pizza.

A phone call alerted Bernard that her family’s home address had gone viral.

“We seem to be the unfortunate recipients of social media putting our address out as the home of a alleged murderer of a rapper,” Bernard said. “We are not.”

Bernard has a message for those who doubt her.

“Shame on you,” Bernard said. “Shame on you for arbitrarily just picking an address and just believing what’s posted.”

Joseph North, an attorney at the North Law Firm, said this unfortunate act is troubling.

“In terms of anything she can do legally, she has the right to file a claim of defamation if she can find out who was the original person that put that bad information out there,” North said.

Law enforcement has to stand guard outside the elderly couple’s home as the threats continue.

“If they were smart enough to get the address, look at our ages. 73 and 76,” Bernard said. “We can walk, that’s about it. We’re not going out to try and kill anybody.”

The Bernard’s neighbors are also stepping up security around the entrance gates.

Fans of XXXTentacion are planning a vigil Thursday in Cape Coral.