No Plea From Suspect In Newbury Park Murder

Sunday January 12, 2025

     Updated--The man accused of killing a woman he was dating in a Newbury Park hotel room has been charged with murder.

     In addition the murder charge, prosecutors also filed a special allegation that 31-year-old Uriel Gamboa of Thousand Oaks used a deadly weapon to kill 24-year-old Aliya Pitts of Sherman Oaks.

     The DA's office filed additional special allegations of great bodily injury and that the crime involved great violence.

     Pitts body was found in a room at the Palm Garden Hotel on Ventu Park Road and the 101 Freeway in Newbury Park.

     Deputies had been called their by Gamboa who told the 9-1-1 operator that he had killed Pitts, who he was dating, and wanted to kill himself.

     When they arrived, the deputies found her body and also took Gamboa into custody.

     He ultimately spent several days in the hospital and then was released and booked into the Ventura County Todd Road Jail on Friday, January 10th.

     Gamboa appeared in court Tuesday via video feed from the jail and he did not enter a plea.

     The arraignment was continued until February 10th and Gamboa will remain in custody without bail.