Editor’s note: If you are struggling with domestic violence, or know someone who is, there are resources that can help. In Mendocino County, Project Sanctuary provides free resources and support. They have temporarily suspended some visits due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but can be reached 24/7 at (707) 463-4357 for the inland county area, and (707) 964-4357 for the coast.
MENDOCINO Co., 4/14/20 — Tavion Johnson, 21 of Willits, was arraigned at the Mendocino County Superior Court in the killing of his wife, Elenah Elston, last week and will appear again at his preliminary hearing today at 9 a.m. Johnson plead not guilty in the death of Elston, and also denied a probation violation. Assistant District Attorney Dale Trigg will be prosecuting the case and asked for a high bail, which was set at $500,000, Johnson’s lawyers are expected to contest this bail, though the D.A.’s office has said they are determined to keep Johnson in custody.
Johnson was initially booked in the early morning hours of March 30, after Elston had already been declared brain dead in an out-of-county hospital. Elston was subsequently taken off life support. Johnson is now facing charges of murder, violating a protective order and probation, and of great bodily injury and corporal injury against his spouse.
Johnson was initially identified as a suspect by Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office deputies, who were familiar with the man, after being called to investigate what appeared to be suspicious injuries of Elston’s in a local emergency room, according to the MCSO press release on the incident. Her death has resulted in widespread outrage, in part due to the fact that Johnson has been arrested at least three prior within Mendocino County, in the last six months, on domestic violence related charges. Many community members have written to Mendocino County’s District Attorney David Eyster, asking for maximum charges or to increase penalties for domestic violence violations. Assemblyman Jim Wood also issued a statement on April 3 highlighting the need for awareness of domestic violence, and cited Elston’s death as a tragic example.
Elston is not the first person to have lost their life due to domestic violence in Mendocino County in recent years. In Feb. 2018 Andrew Crowningshield, 27, murdered Autumn Renee Smith, 22, with whom he shared a child; in Jan. 2019 Krissy Orbon, 32, and her son Damian Michael Wilkins, 8, were killed by Damian’s father, Michael Wilkins; Khadijah Britton went missing in Feb. of 2018 in a disappearance that is widely believed to be a likely murder at the hands of an ex-boyfriend; in June 2019 Yareli Diaz is alleged to have killed her infant daughter, Mia Cielo Diaz, by leaving her in a car, unattended for many hours; in July 2018 father and son Calixto and Miguel Ramierz, of Covelo, were shot and killed by Ubaldo Ramierz, their son and brother respectively, on the Ridgewood Grade. This is a partial list of the people killed by intimate partners and family in the past couple years, here in Mendocino County — the list of people gravely injured is of course much longer.
Tavion is a innocent man
How do you know or determine he’s Innocent? Just wondering.
He is most definitely guilty.
The police logs can clarify that fact for anyone who might think otherwise. It’s not hard to determine this was a common occurrence and you can just search domestic disturbances and or hospitalization transport on goose rd.
Innocent man.. eww
Try very VERY GUUUUIIIILLLLTTTYYY LITTLE BOY
A SICK AND DISGUSTING LITTLE CREEP they need to keep him where he is and society here will be all the better. Little lazy incompetent mooch.
You know what you did was wrong, fess up and give yourself to Jesus! May you fined mercy in his arms, for there is no mercy for you here on earth.
He is far from innocent. He beat her to death. He was at least a foot taller and 100 more. He has been arrested for beating on her at least three times. He should be charged with murder 1
Absolutely! Premeditated in the 1st degree.
It is often the case that domestic violence incidents only escalate in nature between parties; they don’t tend to diminish in severity over time. Hence the attempt to separate the “fuel from the fire” by the restraining/protective order process. Even then, the potential consequences have little bearing on the irrational loss of control over someone’s conduct who possesses a propensity for deadly violence with no respect/regard for other’s right to life. I tend to think of repeat offenses of this kind as premeditated and therefore not worthy of justification for lenience.
He caused her death after several prior beatings. There’s just no way to stretch any justification hard enough to call him “innocent”. The only thing left to determine is the degree of guilt.
Who ever dares to show up as a supporter of That sniveling child is a TRUE COWARD. No one needs to be nursing the likes of You either. She was a friend of mine. I met her when she was 5 ! She was the only one who was trying to help YOU WAKE UP so YOU can save your own SOUL. We don’t want you here Tavion. You have poisoned us on You. I am sure you’ve gotten a lot of that in your short, violated/violating little life. For that I am sorry.
Taking zero responsibility for hunting down OUR girl like YOU DID and punishing Her for YOUR OWN KARMA isn’t gaining you ANY points here. Go be with God NOW. Things are NOT going Your way. You STOLE a very amazing gift. Now IT IS TIME TO BE A REAL HUSBAND AND MAN BY ADMITTING TO ALL THAT ONLY YOU HAVE DONE. There is no rest for the Wicked Tavion.
I hope this POS feeels the fullest extent of the law He took a beautiful soul from us and he will pay one way or another.