A California man was arrested after he allegedly tortured and killed his girlfriend on Christmas Eve.
Saul Nava, 21, was arrested for allegedly murdering his girlfriend when the Ventura Sheriff’s Department and paramedics were called to the scene, pronouncing her dead, KGTV reported. (Man Shoots His Grandmother As Family Opens Presents On Christmas, Police Say)
Saul Nava was arrested on suspicion of murder, mayhem and torture in the death of his 24-year-old girlfriend in Southern California on Christmas Eve. https://t.co/artIcGVaGu
— KTVU (@KTVU) December 27, 2021
Deputies responded to the call around 1:15 a.m., and discovered the woman, whose identity was not made public, unresponsive and suffering from severe injuries, KTTV reported. Paramedics attempted to save her life, but despite their efforts, she was pronounced dead on the scene, according to KTTV.
Investigators had discovered evidence indicating that Nava tortured his girlfriend before killing her, however, no additional information was made public, according to KNBC.
Nava was taken to Ventura County Jail, where he is being held on $2 million bail while facing felony charges of murder, mayhem and torture. When a suspect faces a charge of mayhem, the charge suggests that the suspect “unlawfully and maliciously” disfigured or disabled a victim’s body, according to the outlet.
“This was an incident of domestic violence, and there is no outstanding threat to the community,” the Ventura County’s Sheriff’s Department said in a statement, according to KTTV.
Violent crimes, including homicide, reportedly increased by 6.3% in the past year in Los Angeles. The number of reported homicides went from 317 last year to 361 this year, increasing the homicide rate by 49.2% in a two-year period, according to KNBC.