Shanna Moakler and boyfriend Matthew Rondeau tried to downplay their relationship woes prior to his arrest, but the situation eventually reached a tipping point, a source exclusively tells Us Weekly.
“Shanna and Matt were working on their relationship leading up to” Wednesday, February 23, the source says.
Us confirmed that Rondeau, 29, was taken into custody on Thursday, February 24. He was arrested for felony domestic violence following an altercation with Moakler, 46.
“They were celebrating the Celebrity Big Brother finale and got into a fight later on in the night, which is when things escalated,” the insider says. “She left their home to give him space and came back in the morning, which is when they got into another fight.”
This is not the first time that Moakler and Rondeau have come to blows either, according to the source.
“They’ve gotten into fights before in the past. This one just got out of control,” the insider tells Us. “They definitely have a toxic relationship and go through this toxic cycle of breaking up and getting back together. Friends think she deserves better.”
Rondeau raised eyebrows on Thursday when he posted an alarming tirade about Moakler on her Instagram account.
“So, it’s over, K? Oh lord is f–king right, so record me now because this is done,” he said. “I’m done. I’m never talking to this f–king specimen of a f–king human again. The truth is I found out that she was talking to other f–king people the whole entire time in our relationship.”
The Murder Party star also claimed that Moakler still has feelings for her ex-husband, Travis Barker. She and the Blink-182 drummer, 46, were married from 2004 to 2008 and are parents of son Landon, 18, and daughter Alabama, 16. The musician has since moved on with Kourtney Kardashian.
“We have a laptop that we f–king share together. My name pops up in the f–king laptop; this f–king a–hole is talking to her exes,” he alleged. “She ain’t over f–king Travis, she ain’t over anything. … So that’s what she f–king is. She’s a f–king whore, I don’t give a f–k, you can quote me on it. It’s f–king done.”
Rondeau also claimed that Moakler slept at their neighbor’s house on Wednesday instead of at their shared residence.
A source told Us after the model’s Instagram Live that his allegations are false. “Matthew is spinning the story,” the insider said. “She would never sleep with a married man. The thought of it is ridiculous. She wasn’t cheating on Matthew.”
Shortly after news broke of Rondeau’s arrest, Moakler’s daughter Alabama assured fans that her mother was all right. “Just texted my mom,” she wrote via her Instagram Story on Thursday. “I’m not sure what happened on her live I’m in contact with her and she is okay That man needs serious help!”
The pair sparked split speculation earlier this month when they unfollowed each other on social media amid her stint on Celebrity Big Brother. Rondeau also slammed Moakler for her “unacceptable” interactions with costar Lamar Odom while she was on the CBS reality show. Amid the drama, the chef claimed on Monday, February 21, that he and the TV personality “truly do love one another and just never want to let each other go.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
