Man pleads guilty to killing mother in front of their children
By Ricardo Tovar
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SALINAS, California (KSBW) — The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office confirmed with KSBW 8 that a man pleaded guilty to the murder of his estranged girlfriend back in 2023.
Rodrigo Bravo pleaded guilty to a count of second-degree murder with the use of a knife. He will be sentenced to 16 years to life in prison, per the district attorney’s office.
Bravo admitted to killing 30-year-old Eleni Tavau a mother of three, at her apartment complex near 100 Natividad Road. She was stabbed in the chest while home alone with two of her toddler-aged children, fathered by Bravo.
Investigators say Tavau had a restraining order against Bravo for domestic violence.
Investigators say less than three hours later, Bravo walked into the Salinas police station, told police they were looking for him and confessed to the crime.
Before that court documents state that Bravo walked to the sheriff’s office to turn himself in but was turned away by the front desk. That’s when he walked to Salinas police.
Police did confirm Bravo had traces of blood on himself when he was arrested.
“There’s conflicting information about what was said in that conversation. There’s also conflicting information about his physical appearance and demeanor while in the lobby. After several minutes he walked out of the lobby,” said Monterey County Undersheriff Keith Boyd at the time of the murder.
Bravo will be sentenced on March 5, 2024.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline (Spanish and English speaking) at 800-799-7233 or start a text chat by texting START to 88788.
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