Cases of teenagers, schoolmates, and friends getting involved in a tragic love triangle are on the rise. A case in point is the story of Pedro Bravo, who became infamous in 2012 for the murder of his teen friend, Christian Aguilar. Pedro killed Aguilar for dating his ex-girlfriend, Erika Friman. So, what happened, and where is he now?
Pedro Bravo was convicted of first-degree murder and six other counts in the death of Christian Aguilar in August 2014. Consequently, he was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. Here is everything you should know about Pedro Bravo's story.
Full name | Pedro Bravo |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 29 October 1993 |
Age | 30 years old (as of 2024) |
Zodiac sign | Scorpio |
Place of birth | Florida, United States |
Current residence | Okeechobee, Florida, United States |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | White |
Religion | Christianity |
Sexuality | Straight |
Height in feet | 5'5'' |
Height in centimetres | 165 |
Weight in pounds | 148 |
Weight in kilograms | 67 |
Hair colour | Brown |
Eye colour | Blue |
Father | Pedro Bravo Sr. |
Mother | Azucena Duque |
Relationship status | Single |
Education | Doral Academy High School, Santa Fe Community College |
Pedro Bravo was born on 29 October 1993 in Florida, United States, to Azucena Duque and Pedro Bravo Sr. There is no information about his early life and siblings. He went to Doral Academy High School, where he graduated in 2012. He later attended Santa Fe Community College.
Pedro Bravo hit the headlines in 2012 following the murder of his teen friend and former schoolmate, Christian Aguilar. He killed Christian for dating his ex-girlfriend, Erika Friman. Christian Aguilar, Erika Friman, and Pedro Bravo went to the same school, Doral Academy High School in Florida, and they were all part of the same circle of friends.
Erika and Pedro became high school sweethearts and dated for three years. Unfortunately, the duo broke up in early 2012, just as they were about to graduate from high school.
Later, Erika joined Santa Fe Community College and struck a romantic relationship with Christian in late 2012. Bravo was upset when he learnt of the relationship between his ex-girlfriend and his friend Christian through a mutual friend.
Aguilar, a first-semester biomedical engineering student at the University of Florida, disappeared on 20 September 2012. Erika and Bravo reported him missing to the Gainesville Police Department and the University of Florida Police.
Pedro became a person of interest in the investigations of Christian's disappearance since he was the last person to have seen the missing teen. The authorities linked him to the murder of the American teen after he kept on changing his account of what transpired that fateful day.
At first, Pedro informed the police that he argued with Christian over how he handled his personal issues before dropping him off on the fateful day. A few days later, he told the authorities that his disagreement with Aguilar was physical.
He further told the detectives that he punched Christian in the face several times before he got into his car and drove off, leaving the helpless Christian behind. He said,
I pushed him out of the car; then I got out of the car, then I kept punching him. I really hope he's okay. When I left the scene, it was me; I was just there whaling on him, then I kept going until I could see he was okay, but he couldn't move anymore. Then I drove away.
Pedro was arrested on 28 September 2012 by the authorities over the disappearance of Christian. Later, detectives found a roll of duct tape, a Gatorade bottle and a blood stain on the car floor mat inside Pedro's car.
Later, decomposing skeletal remains were found in a shallow grave on the grounds of Gulf Hammock Hunting Club in Levy County. The discovered body was matched to Aguilar using DNA and dental records. The clothes around the grave also matched what Christian had put on.
Further analysis from the crime lab revealed that the duct tape found with Christian's remains matched the tape on the windshield of Bravo's vehicle. The blood on Bravo's car floor mat also matched Aguilar's DNA.
While searching Pedro's residence, detectives found journals filled with shocking entries describing the suspect's plan to win back his ex-girlfriend, Friman.
Yes, the American celebrity killed Christian. Pedro's trial over the murder of Christian Aguilar began on 4 August 2014. Bravo was later found guilty of first-degree murder and six other counts in the death of Aguilar. Consequently, he was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole on 15 August 2014.
Prosecutors who handled the case believed that Bravo sedated Aguilar. He then used a belt to strangle the victim in his SUV at the Walmart parking lot in Gainesville, Florida. Bravo reportedly murdered Christian because he was driven by jealous rage after Aguilar started dating Erika Friman, his ex-girlfriend.
Pedro Bravo has been incarcerated since August 2014 at the Okeechobee Correctional Institution in Okeechobee, Florida, where he is serving his life sentence.
He recently spoke to ABC's 20/20 in a jailhouse interview and still insisted he was innocent of the murder of Christian. When the interviewer asked Pedro what he thought about Aguilar's parents, he said,
I can’t come close to understanding what it feels like to lose a son. There’s no words that I could offer to make things better or make that pain go away.
Bravo's defence team are attempting to overturn Pedro Bravo's conviction in the murder of Christian Aguilar. The American murderer has already filed a motion for post-conviction relief. A decision is expected before the end of 2024. However, the case is considered closed until a judge rules on Pedros' motion.
Pedro Bravo is serving his life sentence at Okeechobee Correctional Institution in Okeechobee, Florida. He was convicted of the first-degree murder of Christian Aguilar on 15 August 2014. However, recently, Bravo filed a motion for post-conviction relief and a decision is expected before the end of 2024.
Tuko.co.ke published an article about Donna Palomba. Donna is an American sexual assault victim. She made headlines after a masked intruder attacked her at a Connecticut home in September 1993.
When the burglar broke into Donna's house early in the morning over two decades ago, she was sound asleep with her children. Palomba's husband was not in the house during the attack. Donna sought justice for over a decade. Eventually, her perpetrator was nabbed by the police in 2004.
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Pedro Bravo looks in the direction of Aguilar's family in the courtroom (L). Pedro looking at the camera (R).
Five facts about Pedro Bravo
Pedro Bravo speaking to a journalist at Okeechobee Correctional Facility