A heartbreaking story has emerged from Salinas, California, where a man admitted to a horrific crime that left his family shattered. Rodrigo Bravo, a 31-year-old with a history of domestic violence, will serve 16 years to life in prison for stabbing his girlfriend, Eleni Tavua, in front of their two small children. The tragedy unfolded despite an active restraining order meant to keep him away from her.
The nightmare happened on June 23, 2023, in the family’s apartment on Natividad Road, located in Salinas, about 100 miles southeast of San Francisco. That day, Bravo showed up at the apartment, violating the restraining order issued against him in November 2021. The order stemmed from previous incidents of domestic violence against Tavua.
Inside the apartment, an argument broke out between Bravo and Tavua. Things quickly escalated, and Bravo pulled out a knife. He stabbed her at least five times, one of the wounds puncturing her aorta. Tavua’s two young children, just 1 and 2 years old, were present during this horrific act. As Tavua lay bleeding, Bravo fled the scene, leaving the children alone with their dying mother.
Hours later, Bravo turned himself in to the Salinas Police Department. Authorities confirmed he had previously been convicted of injuring Tavua and violating a court order. This tragic incident marked the devastating culmination of years of abuse.
Family members have shared their heartbreak and the unbearable pain of losing Tavua. Her brother, Alex Carr, revealed that he had spoken to her shortly before her death. She had expressed a desire to leave Salinas and start fresh in Reno, Nevada, where he lived. Tavua confided in her brother about the abuse she was enduring and her hope of creating a safer life for herself and her children.
Her uncle, Tavau Junior Misikau, remembered her as a loving and kind soul who was adored by many. He spoke of the deep bond they shared and the profound loss her death has brought to their family. “She loved her kids with all her heart,” he said. “She didn’t deserve to go the way she did.”
The Salinas Police Department confirmed that Bravo had been previously convicted of domestic violence, which was the basis for the restraining order. They described the case as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those in abusive relationships.
Bravo will be sentenced on March 5, bringing some legal closure to a case that has left a community grieving. Tavua’s loved ones hope her story serves as a wake-up call about the urgent need for stronger protections against domestic violence and greater support for those trying to escape it.
