A man in Ventura County, California, has been charged with the murder of his girlfriend, according to a news release from the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office on Wednesday, January 15.
The tragic incident occurred on Monday, January 6, around 10:45 p.m., when 31-year-old Uriel Gamboa called authorities to report that he had killed his girlfriend, 24-year-old Aliya Pitts, in their room at the Palm Garden Hotel in Thousand Oaks, California. Deputies from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office (VCSO) responded to the scene just before 11:00 p.m. and found Pitts’s body in the hotel room.
The Ventura County Medical Examiner determined that Pitts died from sharp and blunt force injuries, along with probable strangulation. Prosecutors revealed in their complaint that the murder weapon was believed to be a “broken bottle or shards of glass.”
Authorities also reported that Gamboa had injuries he inflicted on himself and expressed feeling suicidal during his initial call to law enforcement. After being taken into custody, he was transported to a local hospital for treatment. He was discharged from the hospital on Friday, January 10, and immediately arrested on charges of murder.
On Tuesday, January 14, Gamboa faced additional charges, including using a deadly weapon, committing a crime involving great bodily injury, and a crime of great violence. He is currently being held without bail and is set to appear in Ventura County Superior Court for arraignment on Monday, February 10.
The motive behind this tragic act is still under investigation. Authorities have assured the public that this was an isolated incident and there is no ongoing threat to the community.
Anyone who might have information about this case is encouraged to contact Detective Christopher Vorzimer at 805-384-4731 or Detective Nicole Grover at 805-384-4722.
For those experiencing domestic violence, help is available. You can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org. All calls are free and confidential, and the service is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please reach out to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. You can also text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or visit 988lifeline.org.
