LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Clearlake man who in December 2016 shot his estranged girlfriend’s aunt to death and wounded other family members has reached a plea agreement with the District Attorney’s Office.
On Friday, Ezequiel Junior Bravo, 26, pleaded guilty to the murder of Theresa Sara Jones, and also entered guilty pleas for the attempted murder of his estranged girlfriend Shian Brown, assault with a deadly weapon on Robert Brown, assault with a deadly weapon on Stephanie Brown and assault with a deadly weapon on E.G., a minor, according to District Attorney Don Anderson.
In addition, Anderson said Bravo pleaded guilty to the attempted kidnapping of Shian Brown at the Lakeport Cinema three days prior to the home invasion and shooting.
Anderson, who personally prosecuted the case, said Bravo will return to court early next year, at which time he’s expected to be sentenced to 45 and a half years in prison.
Bravo’s attorney, Angela Carter of the Carter Brown Law Firm, said she and her client are satisfied with the outcome.
She said Bravo, had he gone to trial and been convicted, was facing five life terms plus 189 years if he went to trial.
Under California law, he’s considered a “youthful offender,” since the crime was committed under age 27. At the time the shootings occurred, the state cutoff for youthful offenders was actually lower, at age 25.
Carter said that 25 years from the time of his arrest he’ll be eligible for parole, which means he could be up for release in his 40s.
“This is a good outcome because he has the potential for being out,” she said.
It also is positive, she said, because all parties agreed to it, from the victims to Bravo and his family. “It’s been approved on a lot of levels.”
The case alleges that on Nov. 27, 2016, Bravo met with his estranged girlfriend, Shian Brown, at the Lakeport Cinema in order to exchange their children.
Anderson said Bravo had been in an abusive relationship with Shian Brown for several years and that she had ended the relationship a few days prior to that Nov. 27 meeting.
During the exchange of the children Bravo tried to force Brown into his car, Anderson said. Brown got away but Bravo threatened to get a shotgun and kill her family.
On Dec. 1, 2016, Brown was staying with her family at the Pomo Drive residence of Jones – Brown’s aunt – at the Elem Indian Colony in Clearlake Oaks, Anderson said.
At approximately 2:16 a.m. that day, Bravo went to the residence armed with a shotgun, kicked in the back door and demanded to know where Brown was, according to the investigation.
Bravo went to Jones’ bedroom, where he found her with her 6-year-old daughter, E.G. Anderson said that when Jones did not tell Bravo where Brown was, he shot her once in the face, killing her instantly, Anderson said.
Anderson said Bravo then went to the room of Robert Brown and Stephanie Brown, where he struggled with Robert Brown over the shotgun. Robert Brown was shot in the arm before Bravo fired another round, hitting E.G. in the arm.
Stephanie Brown ran outside and Ezequiel Bravo followed her. Anderson said they also got into a brief struggle over the shotgun when Bravo struck her several times then shot her in the upper chest, causing only moderate injuries.
Bravo then stole the Browns’ vehicle and fled the scene prior to sheriff’s deputies arriving, Anderson said.
Later that morning Ezequiel Bravo was spotted on the school grounds at Pomo Elementary School in Clearlake by Principal Diane Johnson. While at the school, Anderson said Bravo entered the classroom of his younger brother.
In a plan with Clearlake Police officers, Vice Principal Joe Madrid entered the classroom and asked to talk to Bravo outside. On leaving the classroom, Bravo was taken into custody without incident, Anderson said.
Anderson took the case to a criminal grand jury, which returned an indictment of Bravo on June 30, 2017.
The grand jury proceedings take place without the defense attorney, so Carter said she was not a party to what occurred there.
The case proceeded, with efforts to reach a settlement.
Carter said that Bravo always was accompanied to court by several of his family members, “and that’s unusual,” she said, noting that in her experience handling homicide cases, there are rarely family members there in support of the defendant.
She said his parents, who have five other younger children, were there for him. “It was so sad for me to see them at court every time,” she said, noting the heartbreak she saw in their eyes.
Carter said Bravo’s family didn’t make excuses for what occurred, and as his attorney she didn’t put on a defense of denial.
The first offer from the District Attorney’s Office was for 110 years, Carter said. That wasn’t accepted.
Carter said the efforts on the current plea deal started months ago, and took time while getting everyone to agree. There also were court appearances required to finalize it.
She said Bravo has been a really good inmate, and she has no reason to believe he’ll be a difficult prisoner, which will go in his favor for an eventual release.
Carter said that the plea, while a lot of time, gives Bravo a chance to eventually get out of prison and have some kind of life, which she said meant a lot to his family.
Anderson said Bravo is scheduled to return for sentencing on Jan. 22.
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Clearlake man reaches plea agreement in December 2016 murder, shootings
- Elizabeth Larson
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