On July 30, 2019, 27-year-old Robert Kimu was sitting alone in a Los Angeles bar after what he believed was the end of his relationship. He had been drinking heavily and appeared deeply upset.
Later that night, he walked onto the bar’s small stage during an open mic session and began freestyle rapping about his personal problems.
What the people around him did not know was that his words allegedly described something far more serious.
The next morning, police surrounded Kimu’s car. A video recorded inside the bar had reportedly been sent to investigators after someone became alarmed by what he said during his freestyle.
Robert Kimu Was Drinking Alone After a Breakup
Around 1 a.m., Kimu was several drinks into the night at a bar in Los Angeles, California.
He had recently had a major argument with his girlfriend. Their relationship had already been troubled, and Kimu believed the breakup was now final.
He felt that he had lost the most important person in his life.
Kimu was also living with his parents and had become distant from his friends while focusing on his relationship. After the breakup, he felt that he had nobody to turn to.
So he stayed at the bar and continued drinking.
He Joined an Open Mic Rap Session
The bar was hosting an open mic night. A group of people on the small stage were taking turns freestyling.
Kimu watched them and noticed how relaxed they seemed.
They passed the microphone around, encouraged one another, and appeared to have little concern about being judged.
Kimu had never considered himself a rapper. But after several drinks, he felt confident enough to try.
He walked toward the stage and joined the group.
One of the rappers eventually handed him the microphone.
At first, Kimu became nervous as he looked at the people watching him. But he took a breath and started rapping.
Kimu Allegedly Rapped About the Crime
Kimu’s freestyle began as an expression of his emotions.
He talked about his relationship and the problems in his life. But according to the transcript, he eventually began describing events that were much more disturbing.
The people around him did not immediately understand what they were hearing.
Kimu continued rapping while the other performers encouraged him.
As the performance continued, he became more comfortable and spoke more openly.
Some people in the crowd were reportedly recording the open mic session on their phones.
One person became concerned enough about Kimu’s words to send a recording to police.
Police Surrounded His Car the Next Morning
After the bar closed, Kimu left.
He knew he was too drunk to drive, so he went to his parked car, climbed into the back seat and fell asleep.
The following morning, he woke up with a severe hangover.
At first, he heard police sirens in the distance.
Then the sound became closer.
Kimu looked outside and saw police officers surrounding his car.
Officers were reportedly ordering him to come out with his hands raised.
The Arrest Was Linked to His Girlfriend’s Death
According to the transcript, Kimu had been under house arrest before the incident.
His girlfriend had allegedly accused him of domestic violence and was pressing charges against him. He had been fitted with an ankle monitor while awaiting trial.
The transcript says that Kimu allegedly cut off the monitor on the morning of July 30.
He then allegedly kidnapped his girlfriend and killed her.
That night, he went to the bar.
While surrounded by strangers, he allegedly talked about what he had done during his freestyle.
The video recorded at the bar then became important to the police investigation.
A Bar Video Helped Police Find Kimu
The person who recorded Kimu’s performance reportedly became alarmed by his words and contacted police.
Investigators obtained the recording and used it as part of their response.
By the next morning, officers had located Kimu sleeping in his car.
He was arrested and charged with capital murder, according to the transcript.
At the time described in the source material, Kimu had not yet gone to trial.
A Freestyle Became an Alleged Confession
What began as a night of drinking and an unexpected appearance at an open mic took a much darker turn.
Kimu had apparently believed he was simply expressing his feelings in front of strangers. But his words allegedly revealed information about a violent crime.
The case shows how an apparently casual recording can become important evidence in a criminal investigation.
For Kimu, the decision to take the microphone may have brought his night at the bar to an end—but it also allegedly helped lead police to him the following morning.