Saul Nava convicted of December 2021 torture and murder of his girlfriend Alisen Takacs-Escobar
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Ventura County District Attorney Erik Naserenko announced Tuesday that Saul Nava of Thousand Oaks has been convicted of nine felony counts in connection with the torture and murder of his girlfriend Alisen Takacs-Escobar in December of 2021.
Nava was also found guilty by a Ventura County jury of kidnapping and torturing a previous girlfriend during his trial shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office in a press release Tuesday.
Ultimately, Nava was found guilty of the following charges:
- PC 187(a)-First Degree Murder
- PC 205-Aggravated Mayhem
- PC 206-Torture
- PC 207(a)-Kidnapping
- OC 245(a)(1)-Assault with a Deadly Weapon
- Three Counts of PC 273.5(a)-Inflict Corporal Injury to Current/Former Spouse/Cohabitant/Fiancé
- PC 311.11(a)-Possession or Control of Child Pornography
A judge will decide the following special allegations Wednesday during a court trial:
- CRC 4.421(a)(1)-Crime Involved Great Violence
- CRC 4.421(a)(3)-Victim was Vulnerable
- CRC 4.421(a)(8)-Manner in which the Crime was Carried Out Indicates Planning, Sophistication, or Professionalism
- CRC 4.421(b)(1)-Defendant has Engaged in Violent Conduct
- CRC 4.421(a)(2)-Defendant was Armed with and Used a Weapon
On Dec. 24, 2021, Nava called 911 after beating and torturing his girlfriend Takacs-Escobar in the studio apartment they shared in Thousand Oaks stated the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Arriving deputies found Takacs-Escobar deceased with extensive bruising across her body, a large laceration on top of her head, and degrading words freshly tattooed on the center of her chest detailed the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Nava was arrested at the scene stated the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, deputies located tattoo equipment, baseball bats, a hammer, and a screwdriver which had all been used on Takacs-Escobar.
Nava's cell phone was also located in the apartment and during the homicide investigation, an ex-girlfriend who had survived abuse by Nava was identified explained the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
The other abuse survivor met Nava when they were both teenagers and they moved in together shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, Nava confined the other abuse survivor to a closet, beat her, and once threatened her life with a knife when she tried to run away.
Nava impregnated the other abuse survivor when she was 17-year-old and he punched her stomach and convinced her abortion detailed the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Additionally, Nava punched, choked, and secretly filmed the two having sex and their relationship ended when Nava started dating Takacs-Escobar in the summer of 2021 explained the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
"Although this result cannot erase the immeasurable pain the defendant inflicted on the victims and their families, we hope that this brings some measure of closure to see him held accountable for his horrific crimes," said Senior Deputy District Attorney David Russell who prosecuted the case.
