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California Man Booked for the Torture Death of His Girlfriend on Christmas Eve

A woman was found murdered and apparently tortured to death in her California home on Christmas eve. 

It was a violent, bloody, and far from a Holy Night in Thousand Oaks, California. A 24-year-old man allegedly tortured and killed his girlfriend on Christmas Eve in what officials are saying was an act of domestic violence.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement deputies from their Thousand Oaks patrol responded to a call in the 600 block of McCloud Avenue at approximately 1:18 a.m. Deputies located an unresponsive female victim at the scene who was suffering from massive injuries. Emergency personnel attempted lifesaving measures on the woman but did not succeed, and she was pronounced dead.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, investigators determined the victim “had been tortured prior to her death.” She has not been publicly identified yet.

The woman’s 21-year-old boyfriend, who lives with her, Saul Nava, was at the scene, according to the statement. Detectives searched Nava’s residence and reportedly “seized evidence related to the crimes.” Police said there was no ongoing threat to the public because it was a domestic violence incident.

Ventura County Sheriff’s deputies took Nava into custody on charges of murder, mayhem, and torture. His bail is set at $2 million.

Other than the initial statement released to the press, Investigators haven’t released a cause or manner of death, pending an autopsy, Sgt. Tim Lohman of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said.

Lohman only verified that they believed this was an incidence of “domestic violence,” however, he did not disclose if the couple was known to the department or if there had been previous incidents. 

He added, “This is a tragedy in itself. Not only in the case of the victim but the victim’s family and everyone else involved. It’s an absolute tragedy. All around, when we think about the holidays, it’s hard enough with the pressures and everything with what’s going on in the world, and then with a situation like this to happen, it’s difficult, and it’s a difficult time of year.”

Anyone with additional information related to the case is urged to contact Major Crimes Sergeant Albert Ramirez with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office at 805-384-4761 or by contacting Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.