Thousand Oaks man sentenced for the murder, torture of his girlfriend
Saul C. Nava
LOS ANGELES - A Thousand Oaks man was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison for the murder and torture of his girlfriend.
Saul C. Nava, 24, was previously convicted of nine felony counts, including the first-degree murder and torture of his girlfriend Alisen Takacs-Escobar, and the torture and kidnapping of an ex-girlfriend.
According to the Ventura County DA's Office, on December 24, 2021, Nava called 911 after days of beating and torturing his girlfriend Alisen Takacs-Escobar.
When deputies arrived at their studio apartment in Thousand Oaks, they found the victim dead with multiple injuries all over her body.
Officials say she suffered from extensive bruising, the top of her head had a large laceration, and degrading words were tattooed on the center of her chest.
Nava was arrested at the scene. In the apartment, deputies located tattoo equipment, baseball bats, a hammer, and a screwdriver which were allegedly used on Takacs-Escobar.
On Nava’s cell phone, investigators found videos taken hours before her death. According to the DA's office, the videos showed Nava taunting Takacs-Escobar.
While investigating her death, an ex-girlfriend who had survived Nava’s abuse was identified.
"Nava met this additional victim when they were teenagers, and their relationship escalated quickly. Nava brought her into his home, confined her to a closet, and beat her. At one point, she tried to run away but Nava found her and threatened her with a knife until she got into his vehicle. The abuse finally stopped when Nava started dating Ms. Takacs-Escobar during the summer of 2021," the DA's office said in a statement.
"The sentence imposed reflects the heinous nature of the defendant’s horrific conduct. While nothing will make the victim’s family whole again, this sentence will protect the community from an offender who tortured and abused vulnerable victims," said Senior Deputy District Attorney David Russell, who prosecuted the case.