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Funeral services will be held Saturday for Jenae Gagnier, the beautiful Instagram model who was tragically murdered at her Houston area home.

Gagnier, 33, was a former exotic dancer and social media influencer with 2.7 Instagram million followers.

Her killer, identified by police as 34-year-old Kevin Alexander Accorto, took his own life shortly after her death.

It’s a murder-suicide that has left so many spouting off theories of a “Beauty and the Beast” encounter from a man who was either an obsessed stalker, or a suitor who felt “used” by the woman who was known for her beautiful curves.

[My thoughts: It does not matter how she looked or what her occupation (present or former) was. The fact remains that an innocent woman was killed by an obviously deranged man. This tragedy shows the danger women face, privately and publicly, from either acquaintances or strangers. Violence against women must end.]

The victim’s father, Mark Gagnier, grew concerned after not hearing from her for a couple of days. He and his girlfriend went to his daughter’s home and, immediately, he knew things were not OK.

“I know my daughter, and when I got to my daughter’s house and it was locked up and she’s not answering my phone, which is not like her. I knew something was up so I didn’t hesitate to kick the door down,” Mark Gagnier told ABC13. “And what I saw, I wouldn’t want any parent to go through.”

His daughter’s lifeless body was lying on the floor. Police said she died due to strangulation and trauma.

In another room, he found Accorto, still alive at the time and gasping for air, with a knife stuck inside him. Police said Accorto’s wound was self-inflicted.

Accorto, who lived in Florida, left messages scribbled on the walls of the home, and even “apologized” to the landlord for causing property damage.

Some of the messages read, “The Blue Toyota corola [sic] is my rental from Alamo,” and “I shoudve [sic] stayed in Florida.” He also scribbled statements, trying to explain why he committed the crime, including “I was used” and “I wish I never loved her.”

Her grieving parents dispel the myths that she knew her killer.

“Unfortunately, someone basically was stalking, and killed my baby,” her mother, Jeanetta Grover, said.

Her father says, because of her large following, they kept many aspects of her life private and that he even moved her three times based off his own insecurities surrounding her safety.

He thanked ABC13 for reaching out to them to get the “real” story, and not sensationalizing her death, as so many did on social media. Rumors circulated that Mercedes died from HIV or COVID, both of which are not true.

“Jenae was very loved. She’s probably loved more than we would have thought of. I knew my daughter had a large following and I knew she had some friends that were influential,” Mark Gagnier said. “I didn’t know all the love that she had, and hopefully we are able to give her memorial or produce something for her in a way that everybody is happy with and everybody is able to have closure.”

Homegoing celebration:

A balloon release in Gagnier’s honor will be held Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Terry Hersey Park at 15200 Memorial Dr. in Houston.

Homegoing services will be held at Davis Greenlawn Funeral Chapel at 3900 B.F. Terry Blvd. in Rosenberg.

A private service for family and close friends will be held early Saturday.

Afterward, a public viewing for friends, fans and supporters will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.