Simi Valley man pleads guilty to murder of girlfriend Jessica Tinoco

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Ramon Joseph Rivas / Ventura County District Attorney's Office

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VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – A Simi Valley man faces up to 51 years to life in state prison after pleading guilty to the brutal 2024 second-degree murder of his girlfriend, Jessica Marie Tinoco, whom he stabbed to death in front of her five children.

What we know:

On May 20, Ramon Joseph Rivas, 36, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and admitted to all special allegations and aggravating factors, including the use of a deadly weapon, a crime involving great violence, victim vulnerability, and strike priors.

The conviction stems from an incident on September 27, 2024, just after 6 p.m., at a home in the 800 block of California Avenue. 

Simi Valley police officers responded to the scene after one of Tinoco's daughters called 911 to report that her mother was being stabbed by her live-in boyfriend. 

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Simi Valley mother stabbed to death; boyfriend arrested

At the scene, officers detained Rivas, who had blood on his upper torso, as he exited the home. 

Inside, police found 34-year-old Tinoco lying near the front door with multiple stab wounds to her face, chest, abdomen, and arms, alongside a bent, bloody steak knife on the living room floor.

Tinoco was transported to Los Robles Hospital, where she died from her injuries.

Witnesses stated that during a domestic dispute, Rivas retrieved the knife from the kitchen and began his attack, prompting the children to flee the residence. 

At the time of the murder, Rivas was on post-release community supervision and was subsequently placed on a probation violation hold. 

He remains in custody without bail.

What they're saying:

Senior Deputy District Attorney John Barrick, who is prosecuting the case for the Major Crimes Homicide Unit, emphasized the devastating nature of the crime on the victim's family.

"This murder was a tragedy, but what made it so uncomprehensible was the fact that the defendant murdered Jessica in front of her children," Barrick said. "There is no amount of time the defendant could serve in prison that could ever balance the scales of justice against the horrors the children witnessed and the complete disregard for their wellbeing the defendant demonstrated on September 27, 2024. Yet, I am hopeful today’s guilty plea will begin the healing process that the children and Jessica’s family deserve."