Police Call the Death of Influencer Ariela La Langosta "Not a Random Act"

Dominican influencer Ariela La Langosta, whose real name is Ariela Mejia-Polanco, is dead at 33. According to a Facebook post from the Westchester County Police Department, she was found in her car at around 8 a.m. on Aug. 18, 2025, on the shoulder of the Cross County Parkway near the Broad Street exit in Mount Vernon, N.Y.

One person commented beneath the Facebook post that this is a particularly harrowing exit that cars frequently speed on when getting off the highway. They also said the south side of Mount Vernon, where Meija-Polanco was found, is dangerous. This opinion should be taken with a grain of salt because the commenter also blamed Luigi Mangione for an alleged uptick in crime around New York City. What happened to Meija-Polanco? Here's what we know about her cause of death.

The Westchester County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that Meija-Polanco died as a result of gunshot wounds. Based on a preliminary investigation, authorities believe this was a targeted attack that was not random. Detectives from the General Investigations Unit, along with other local, state and federal law enforcement agencies are treating this as a homicide.

In a series of Instagram Stories, rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine mourned the loss of Meija-Polanco, who was featured in the music video for his 2023 song "Wapae." The rapper said Meija-Polanco was like a sister to him, writing in Spanish that she was the "queen of New York." He also said New York wouldn't be the same without her, adding that he loved her, per People.

Meija-Polanco was a bartender at ikon., a restaurant/lounge in New York City. Following the news of her death, the ikon. Instagram account posted a tribute to their late employee. Beneath a photo of Meija-Polanco at the restaurant, they wrote that her passing was heartbreaking. They went on to say her joy, humility, and the way she treated everyone with care always made Meija-Polanco stand out. "Thank you for giving so much love and support to our home, which also became yours," the post read.

The responses to ikon.'s Instagram post were mostly shock, with one person saying they just saw Meija-Polanco working the night before she died. A few people tossed out theories surrounding Meija-Polanco's death. One person said they believe she killed because the influencer was "talking too much about some guy in a Colombian cartel."

The Starlets of NY Instagram account also shared a tribute to Meija-Polanco, writing that the entire Starlets family is deeply saddened by the loss of one of their own. "She was a one-of-a-kind soul" as well as "beautiful friend, loving mother, and daughter whose smile and energy lit up every room she entered."