Lemoore woman in critical condition after brutal domestic violence attack calls for help

LEMOORE, Kings County. — A Lemoore woman is now surrounded by loved ones after family members say she survived a brutal domestic violence attack that nearly killed her.

Abusive? They say he’s her boyfriend.

FOX26 was told he was put in a medically induced coma because he was beaten so badly.

Fortunately, they say he was able to escape and got help from neighbors who called 9-1-1.

(RELATING TO) Previously convicted drunk driver sentenced to 15 years in prison for DUI homicide

“It was a crime scene. It was reported that way… and if you ever watched a mob-style movie, that’s exactly what it looked like. I mean, there was literally blood everywhere. I mean, it was splattered on the curtains. It was splattered on the floor,” said Amanda Krick, one of the victim’s cousins.

They described what happened to him as if he were in a torture chamber.

They share with FOX26 the traumatic moments that occurred at 40-year-old Desiree Johnson’s home in Lemoore.

They say it’s where Desiree’s ex-boyfriend nearly beat her to death on Nov. 13.

“She said it took about an hour,” Desiree’s mother, Teresa Diaz, said.

He ran away until they told him to, called for help and was taken to hospital.

“They had to fly him to Fresno by helicopter because he wasn’t stable,” Teresa said.

Teresa says she’s barely conscious.

She says Desiree’s head was cracked from being beaten with a frying pan, and seeing what her attacker did to her daughter was almost too much for her to bear.

According to Teresa, there was damage to her body and face and there were bite marks.

There was also internal damage that he couldn’t see.

He was coughing up blood, had trauma to his liver, and had fluid between his brain and skull.

Teresa said they weren’t sure if she would make it.

But he did.

Torture, pain and suffering caused by someone he loved and thought loved him.

The family identified the ex-boyfriend as 41-year-old Octavio Amador Tavira.

“They were so in love in the beginning. I’m glad he was that way. He seemed so happy and they were together all the time,” Kirk said.

“They were together for a little over a year and we all loved him. We thought he was a really sweet, really nice guy. Like, we thought he was really nice to her,” Teresa said.

Tavira was arrested on November 15 and now faces charges of torture, spousal injury, threats of violence and attempted murder.

The family now hopes the community can help Desiree make a fresh start and wash away the memories and stains of what happened to her that day.

The family also told FOX26 he will not be returning to his previous job.

(RELATING TO) 23-year-old man sentenced to life in prison for 2022 gang murders in Tulare

This is where he and Tavira meet.

Moreover, one of the family members is one of the bosses there.

They say he wouldn’t feel comfortable going back to that environment after what happened.

A. GoFundMe A fundraiser was held to help Desiree get by.

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, help is available 24/7 in Fresno County, you can call the Marjaree Mason Center at 559-233-help.

In Kings County, you can call the Kings Community Action Organization at 1-877-727-3225.