Thousand Oaks Man Charged With Girlfriend's Murder at Local Hotel

Picture this: a quiet Monday night in Thousand Oaks, California. It's Jan. 6, 2025, and the Palm Garden Hotel is serving up its usual cozy vibe. But at 10:45 p.m., the scene takes a dark turn when 31-year-old Uriel Gamboa picks up the phone and delivers a confession that no one saw coming. According to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, Gamboa called the police and admitted he killed his girlfriend.

Deputies rushed to the hotel, arriving just before 11 p.m., only to find a horrifying scene inside the couple's room. Aliya Pitts, 24, was discovered lifeless, with sharp and blunt force trauma injuries, as well as signs of probable strangulation. Prosecutors allege Pitts was killed with "broken bottle/shards of glass" sometime during the previous two days, as reported by the Ventura County Star. And as if things couldn't get grimmer, Gamboa was found at the scene with self-inflicted injuries and reportedly told authorities he felt suicidal.

From Hotel Room to Hospital Room

After confessing to the crime, Gamboa was taken to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries. While the details of his wounds haven't been disclosed, they were significant enough to keep him hospitalized until Friday, Jan. 10, 2025.

But don't think for a second that this story ends with bandages and bed rest. The moment Gamboa was discharged, authorities were ready with handcuffs.

Fast forward to Jan. 14, 2025, and Gamboa is standing in a Ventura County courtroom for the first time, charged with murder, use of a deadly weapon, and crimes involving great bodily injury and great violence. His arraignment is scheduled for Feb. 10, 2025. And yes, it'll be in Courtroom 13, because apparently, this case needed even more ominous vibes.

A Chilling but Isolated Incident

As unsettling as this case is, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office has assured the public, "The investigation shows this to be an isolated incident, with no outstanding threat to the public," according to PEOPLE. While the motive remains under investigation, the evidence paints a bleak picture of what transpired that night.

In general, women are more likely to be murdered at the hands of intimate partners or family members. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in 2023, 8,300 women in the Americas were victims of intimate partner/family member femicide — a shocking number to be sure.

Justice Awaits

For now, Gamboa remains in custody without bail, awaiting his next day in court. Meanwhile, the quiet city of Thousand Oaks, California, is left grappling with the tragic end of a young woman's life. Aliya Pitts' death is a sobering reminder of the dark corners that sometimes exist behind closed doors.

So, while the Palm Garden Hotel might eventually go back to being just another place for getaways, for those who know this story, it'll forever be the backdrop of a crime that rocked a community. Stay tuned, because Feb. 10 is just around the corner, and Courtroom 13 is sure to be a place of revelations.

References: Calif. Man Allegedly Used 'Shards of Glass' to Kill Girlfriend in Hotel Room, Prosecutors Say | Uriel Gamboa charged with the murder of his girlfriend at a Thousand Oaks hotel room Tuesday | Femicides in 2023: Global Estimates of Intimate Partner/Family Member Femicides | Murder charge filed for slaying at Thousand Oaks hotel