By El Latino Newsroom
A Simi Valley man has been sentenced to 51 years to life in state prison for the brutal stabbing death of his girlfriend, Jessica Marie Tinoco, inside their home in a domestic violence attack witnessed by her five children, law enforcement officials announced.
Ramon Joseph Rivas, 36, received the sentence from Ventura County Superior Court Judge Patricia Murphy following his earlier guilty plea on May 20, 2026, to second-degree murder. As part of his plea agreement, Rivas admitted to all special allegations and aggravating factors, including the personal use of a deadly weapon, committing a crime involving great violence, taking advantage of a particularly vulnerable victim, and having prior strike offenses on his criminal record.
The prosecution was led by Senior Deputy District Attorney John Barrick of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Major Crimes Homicide Unit. In a statement following the sentencing hearing, Barrick emphasized the gravity of the attack despite the defendant avoiding a prolonged trial by pleading guilty.
“The defendant’s willingness to take responsibility for his horrendous crime doesn’t excuse what he did to the victim and her family,” Barrick said.
Details of the Fatal Domestic Dispute
The fatal incident occurred on the evening of September 27, 2024, when officers with the Simi Valley Police Department responded to emergency calls reporting a stabbing in progress at a residential neighborhood. Upon arriving at the scene, responding officers encountered Rivas exiting the residence shirtless, with visible blood covering his hands, arms, and upper torso. He was immediately taken into custody without further incident.
Upon entering the residence, officers discovered Tinoco lying on the floor just inside the front entrance, suffering from extensive traumatic injuries. The crime scene revealed widespread bloodstains throughout the living quarters and a bent, blood-covered kitchen steak knife lying on the living room floor, which investigators later confirmed was used in the assault.
Emergency medical personnel transported Tinoco to Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, where attending physicians pronounced her dead shortly after arrival. An autopsy conducted by the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Tinoco sustained multiple stab wounds to her face, abdomen, and defensive wounds on her arms, with four of the injuries classified as fatal.
Trauma to the Children and Legal Resolution
Investigative reports and witness statements established that the violent assault escalated rapidly from a verbal domestic dispute. According to prosecutors, Rivas walked into the kitchen during the argument, retrieved a knife, and launched a sudden physical attack against Tinoco.
The entirety of the violence took place in direct view of Tinoco’s five children, who were inside the residence at the time. As the attack unfolded, the children managed to flee the home to seek help from neighbors and authorities. Family advocates and social services have since been involved to assist the surviving children with trauma recovery services.
By pleading guilty to second-degree murder and admitting to the sentencing enhancements—including the presence of prior serious felony convictions under California’s Three Strikes law—Rivas waived his right to a jury trial, leading directly to the maximum statutory penalty for the charges filed against him.
District Attorney Erik Nasarenko noted that the length of the sentence ensures Rivas will serve decades in a state correctional facility before becoming eligible for parole consideration.
