The Lives and Deaths of Two Ojai Women
A challenging story about deadly violence in Ojai.
Readers — Let this serve as a trigger warning for all — this is a story about deadly violence and local people. It was challenging to write, and I sought to do so with compassion and sensitivity. I ask that readers treat this story with the same level of care.
Carolyn Nino De Rivera
On the evening of May 31st, Carolyn Nino De Rivera, a 26-year-old mother of two, was found dead in an Upper Ojai home rented by 25-year-old “Matilija Handyman” Christian Hillairet, according to officials from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office (VCSO).
The two were involved in an “on-again, off-again relationship,” VCSO Captain Rob Yoos said. Evidence at the scene indicated that Nino De Rivera was the victim of a homicide. According to VCSO Sergeant Monica Smith, she died in the afternoon hours of May 31st.
Nino De Rivera’s mother called her “Carolyn Kay.” Friends called her Carol.
Nino De Rivera lived at the Ojai Valley Estates mobile home park in Meiners Oaks for most of her life, with mom Kellie MacDonald and her brothers Ian and Aiden — Nino De Rivera was the middle sibling. She attended school in the Ojai Unified School District, including Meiners Oaks Elementary School, Matilija Junior High School, and the Chaparral High School program1.
“Carolyn loved animals,” her stepfather Michael Lopez said during a candlelight vigil in Nino De Rivera’s honor June 11th. “Horses, dogs, cats… she loved raising pigs…Carolyn even raised a hedgehog. She named him Hedgie. He was an albino and slept 24 hours a day.”
Attendees brought sunflowers, Nino De Rivera’s favorite.
Nino de Rivera’s love of animals manifested at the Simoore Grange, which operates out of the Ojai Valley. “She stepped into this role of helping the kids learn to show their animals and how to take care of their animals.” Simoore Grange President Nickie Perez said. The work culminates every year at the Ventura County Fair.
“She just loved to be a mentor. She loved to help others,” Perez reflected, “I can see her in those overalls and her muck boots at the Fair — so pregnant. And I'm like, ‘You have to sit down young lady!’ She just wanted to keep going and helping, even though, I mean, she was ready to pop any minute.”
“Carolyn was loved by a lot of people. I don't think she knew how much she was loved,” Perez added, pausing. “And that’s hard.”
Nino De Rivera is survived by two young children: a son, Jameson, 18 months, and a daughter, Gracie, 6. The trio lived in Meiners Oaks with MacDonald and Lopez. Both children are with their fathers, Lopez said.
The Meiners Oaks house is quiet now, MacDonald observed during a recent interview, her voice just above a whisper. A large photo of 1-year-old Nino De Rivera is displayed in the household’s front room, alongside a toddler-sized dress she’d worn for her birthday.
Nino De Rivera worked at the Deer Lodge as a server beginning in 2023. Previously, she’d worked at local restaurants Ojai Pizza and Hakane Sushi. “She was funny, sassy, and didn’t take shit from anyone,” Sophia Miles, the Deer Lodge owner, reflected. “She hustled, would always carry a totally loaded tray, running around. She was a hard worker.”
“I worked with Carolyn every single day. She was my favorite part of the day,” another Deer Lodge co-worker shared during Nino De Rivera’s vigil.
Miles added, “I did hear that her co-workers/friends were encouraging her to break up with [Christian] for a long time. I believe that she wanted to… but as we know, these messy relationships can be intoxicating and very hard to get out of…2”
Hillairet was charged with Nino De Rivera’s murder in Ventura County Superior Court on June 6th. He has not yet entered a plea.
The Events of Saturday, May 31 — Friday, June 6th
(Trigger warning for readers — this section includes descriptions of violence.)
The first 911 call alerting law enforcement to a potential murder in the 12000 block of Sisar Road came in at 9:08 p.m., VCSO Sgt. Smith said.
One neighbor described how he was watching TV that evening — a Saturday — when he heard a helicopter flying low over his home. When he came outside, he saw the VCSO helicopter’s spotlight above and heard a law enforcement officer shout, “Christian, come out with your hands up!”
Indeed, VCSO quickly identified Hillairet as a person of interest. But he was no longer in Ojai.
By Sunday, June 1st, Hillairet crossed the U.S.-Mexico border through San Diego’s San Ysidro border crossing, VCSO said. On Monday, June 2nd, Hillairet was arrested in Rosarito, a popular tourist location about 20 miles south of the border.3 “My understanding is that they were able to locate him based on something that happened down there,” VCSO Capt. Yoos said, unable to provide further information. On Wednesday, June 4th, Hillairet was transferred to U.S. custody. Sheriff’s office photos of Hillairet’s arrest show he was taken into custody wearing a T-shirt displaying his business name.
On June 6th, Ventura County District Attorney (DA) Erik Nasarenko charged Hillairet with Nino De Rivera’s murder. The DA’s criminal complaint alleges that Hillairet committed the “willful, deliberate, premeditated murder” of Nino De Rivera using a knife. “Multiple sharp force injuries” caused Nino De Rivera’s death, the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office said.
The criminal complaint against Hillairet also contains a past felony charge: he was convicted of 2019 robbery in Riverside County. That’s far from the most shocking news in the document, though; it’s the second murder charge.
DA Nasareko alleged June 6th that Hillairet is also responsible for the murder of a 44-year-old Ventura man, William “Billy” Thompson. Thompson was “bludgeoned to death” with a crowbar in November 2023, the DA said. A representative from the Ventura Police Department confirmed that Hillairet was arrested on November 11, 2023, but couldn’t say if the arrest was related to Thompson’s murder.
And who was Billy Thompson? Thompson was born and raised in the Montalvo neighborhood of Ventura. He was unhoused much of his life — up until his death, a family member told me. Thompson did keep in contact with family, “so we always knew where he was and if he was okay,” they added. “He did not have an easy life, but he was loved and cared for by many.”
“The defendant’s alleged actions reflect a chilling pattern of violence and cruelty,” DA Nasarenko said in a press release. “Our office is committed to securing justice for these victims and prosecuting Hillairet to the fullest extent of the law.”
MacDonald and Lopez were present in Ventura County Superior Court for Hillairet’s June 6th arraignment. Hillairet attended via Zoom. “He kept playing with his beard and pulling it,” MacDonald told me. “He did that here, too,” she said, looking around the home she shared with her daughter, holding Lopez’s hand.
“I cooked for him. I let him spend the night here. I hugged him. We trust[ed] him here. He [was] so polite and respectful… That face, that mugshot. That's not the face I saw in this house,” MacDonald whispered.
Hillairet’s arraignment was continued to July 8th at the request of Public Defender Bailey Fowler, according to Superior Court records. Deputy District Attorney Theresa Pollara will prosecute the case against Hillairet, who is currently being held at the Todd Road Jail facility in Santa Paula.
Sandra Alejo Arcos
Three months prior to Nino De Rivera’s alleged murder, another Ojai mom met the same (alleged) fate. On the final day in February — Friday the 28th — Sandra Alejo Arcos, a 42-year-old mother of three, was found dead in her Meiners Oaks garage. Alejo died in the early evening hours of Tuesday, February 25th, VCSO Sergeant Aaron Grass said. Evidence at the scene indicated she too was the victim of a homicide, according to VCSO.
“She was an amazing mom. She cared so deeply about her kids,” Maritza Ceja said of Alejo. “She loved to dance. She was a great dancer. She had the most amazing smile.”
The two women got to know each other nearly ten years ago, when their daughters became friends as students at San Antonio Elementary School4. The women also connected at fundraising events for the local Latino community.
“When I met Sandra, she was working full-time. She did housekeeping and she did odd jobs,” Ceja recalled. Alejo ended up quitting work for a period when her daughter became seriously ill, Ceja said. Most recently, Alejo worked at Meiners Oaks Mexican restaurant El Jarro.
In the early days of their friendship, Ceja learned that Alejo was trying to flee a violent relationship — something Ceja had experienced herself a few years prior. Ceja connected Alejo with resources, “but because [a former partner] had control of all the finances, it was really difficult for her.” After a stint in Oak View, Alejo found a place to live in Meiners Oaks, Ceja explained. It was the home where she ultimately died.
HELP of Ojai co-Executive Director Jayn Walter got to know Alejo in the aftermath of the 2017 Thomas Fire. “I met her doing disaster relief case management,” Walter explained. “We supported lots of families during that time. And I stayed in touch with her for years after.”
Alejo participated in a range of volunteer opportunities with HELP, Walter remembered, including food distribution, Spanish language COVID outreach, translation services, and even answering the phones.
“She was great. She always wanted to help,” Walter said. “She would show up and just be like, ‘Can I do something?’”
The Events of Friday, February 28th — Saturday, March 1st
(Trigger warning for readers — this section includes descriptions of violence.)
At 4:09 p.m. on Friday February 28th, VCSO received a call stating that an unresponsive woman — Alejo — was found inside her garage. Alejo’s cause of death was ultimately determined to be the same as Nino De Rivera’s, the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office said: “multiple sharp force injuries.”
VCSO quickly identified Ricardo Yelotzi Ortega, a 29-year-old restaurant worker residing in Oxnard as a suspect, stating publicly that Ortega and Alejo were “known to each other.” I asked Sgt. Grass, a member of VCSO’s Major Crimes Division, if he saw this as a case of intimate partner violence. “I’d prefer not to say, but I think it’d be safe to assume,” he replied.
Ortega was arrested and his vehicle was seized after 11 p.m. on March 1st, according to Superior Court records. On March 4th, the DA’s office issued a criminal complaint in Ortega’s case, accusing him of murdering Alejo with a knife, “willfully, unlawfully, and with malice aforethought.”
On April 1st, Ortega entered “not guilty” pleas to all three charges against him: murder, use of a deadly weapon, and crimes committed with great bodily injury.
Ortega, who is represented by a public defender Matthew Benitez and utilizing a Spanish language interpreter, will next appear in Ventura County Superior Court on August 13th, 2025. He is being held in the Ventura County Main Jail (located in the City of Ventura) with no possibility of bail.
Intimate Partner Violence: the Numbers
But first, a note on language. Intimate partner violence is defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as “abuse or aggression that occurs in a romantic relationship.” The term can apply to both current and former spouses and dating partners.
Domestic violence, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), refers to “a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner.”
The terms are often used interchangeably.
According to the CDC, about one in five homicide victims is killed by an intimate partner. More than half of female homicide victims are killed by a current or former male intimate partner, CDC says.
In 2021, 34% of female homicides in the United States were committed by an intimate partner. For male homicide victims, that number is 6%, according to a DOJ report.
A recent Public Policy Institute of California study found that the number of domestic violence incidents in California is trending downward, but they are now more likely to involve weapons.
As for Ventura County, a survey of homicide data from the State of California’s Open Justice database5 shows that domestic violence was a “precipitating event” in one 2023 homicide, two 2022 homicides, three such homicides in 2021, and two in 2020. When we look back a little further for additional context, we find one domestic violence-related homicide in 2010 and four in 2009. All of these homicide victims were women.
I also took a look at domestic violence-related calls for assistance in the City of Ojai. (Unfortunately, valley-wide data is not available.) In 2023, law enforcement officers in Ojai (the City) fielded 37 calls for service due to domestic violence. In 2022, that number was 25; in 2021, 53; in 2020, 726. Looking back further into the past, in 2010, there were 75 domestic violence-related calls to law enforcement, and in 2009, 74.
Violence in Ojai: One Woman’s Story
(Trigger warning for readers — this section includes descriptions of violence.)
According to Walter, intimate partner violence is often a factor in local homelessness.
“We have a lot of homeless clients now who are moms… And I'd say many of them are homeless because they don't have a safe relationship with the father of their children or [partner],” she explained. “A lot of women who experience housing insecurity do so because they're in a bad situation at home. And it's not always necessarily a domestic partner or significant other, but there's some sort of power and control with men that they're living with or somehow peripherally related to. I would say that it is incredibly common.”
Intimate partner violence often goes unspoken, Ceja, who works as a case manager at Mesa Farm, said.
“There's such a big stigma of shame and guilt when you're dealing with domestic violence, especially in the Hispanic community,” she said. Because she experienced violence in a past relationship, Ceja is dedicated to speaking openly about it. “During the time I endured abuse, I thought it was normal. I was told that he would grow out of it,” she remembered.
On Christmas Eve 2011, Ceja was six months pregnant and living in Ojai. That evening, her former partner strangled her to the point where she lost consciousness, she said. According to the Family Justice Center, individuals who have been strangled are seven times more likely to be killed by their intimate partner.
Pregnancy, too, is a risk factor for deadly intimate partner violence — homicide is the leading cause of death for pregnant women in the United States, according to a 2022 study.
Ceja says that community is one key to safety from intimate partner violence. “You literally wrap your arms around [that] individual, you build a community, you listen and you don't judge,” Ceja said.
“I literally had my uncles watch me work my shifts,” Ceja recalled. “They would sit in the parking lot to ensure that I wouldn't get murdered. And that's literally what set me apart… I had a community that was willing to stand behind me and actually physically be there with me.”
Today, Ceja is a certified peer support specialist who can identify relationship red flags and support others trying to escape a violent relationship. A red flag that can indicate a potentially abusive or violent relationship, she said, is when an individual pulls away from other meaningful relationships. Isolation can be a risk factor, she explained, as is financial control and substance abuse.
Poverty can also increase an individual’s vulnerability to intimate partner violence, the World Economic Forum says, as low-income individuals have limited options to escape a violent situation.
Ceja disclosed that a friend of hers is currently experiencing intimate partner violence. I asked how she supports her. “She has a spare key to my house, no questions asked. If she wants to talk about it, we can. If she just wants to go over and lie down on my couch, she can.”
Final Thoughts
Well, readers, I’m feeling this story in my body. I imagine you are too.
Over a period of three months, two mothers who lived in Meiners Oaks and worked in the food service industry were allegedly murdered by a man they knew, wielding a knife. I don’t know what to do with that information except repeat it.
I recall both women from their workplaces. I can conjure their faces: one smiling behind a counter, the other carrying an impressively large tray of plates.
Maybe you can, too.
I don’t know what to do with that, either.
As always — thank you for being here.
Written in honor of Carolyn Nino de Rivera, Sandra Alejo Arcos, and William “Billy” Thompson. May they rest in peace.
All of these schools are now either closed or have different names.
Research shows it can take approximately 7 attempts before a survivor permanently leaves an abusive partner, according to Women Against Abuse.
This is a striking/strange detail, because Nordhoff High School graduate Brandon Ellis was also arrested in Rosarito in 2015 after committing the murder of a Ventura man and attempting to murder the mother of his child. After pleading guilty, Ellis was sentenced to 72 years in prison in 2019.
Another OUSD campus that operates under a different name today.
This is a great resource.
National statistics show a spike in violence crime in 2020.