In 2022, a sixteen-year-old girl disappeared after a party in California. Later her body was found in her SUV submerged in a lake. Ryan Upchurch, a country rapper and YouTube personality who has publicly supported Trump for years, released a video taunting her grieving family for faking her death to raise money. The Committee gives him the Conservative Barf Bag Award for cruelty.
From People magazine
Ryan Upchurch has been ordered to pay millions after a jury found him liable for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. In 2023, Upchurch was sued by David Robertson and Daniel Rodni, the grandfather and father, respectively, of Kiely Rodni, who died at age 16 in August 2022. Her body and vehicle were discovered weeks after she was reported missing, having disappeared from a party near Tahoe National Forest in California. Multiple news outlets later reported that the Coroners Division of the Nevada County Sheriff's Office (NCSO) ruled Kiely's death was an accident. A statement from the NCSO read, "This decision is based on the pathologist's report that she drowned and that there was no other evidence to suggest that she was killed by someone else. As always, our office will keep working with the family and look at any new information about this investigation. "Per court documents viewed by PEOPLE, Robertson and Daniel filed a complaint in Tennessee claiming that Upchurch posted a YouTube video titled “ZERO proof of Kiely Rodni situation being REAL.” The plaintiffs alleged that Upchurch stated in the now-unavailable video, “Everyone telling me I should be ashamed of myself, how dare you, that, oh, this is faked—show me that it's real. Show me proof of Kiely Rodni.” The complaint also claimed Upchurch suggested the case was a "scam" to raise money on a GoFundMe page. Attorneys claimed Upchurch caused Robertson and Daniel "reputational injury, financial losses, and emotional distress."
On Monday, May 18[,2026], the jury ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, with the verdict determining that Upchurch owes $17.5 million in total, per court documents obtained by PEOPLE. He has been ordered to pay Daniel $6.5 million and $11 million to Robertson.
End quote
Never ever underestimate the malignance of conservatives.