Christian Aguilar's murder: A complete timeline of events
Christian Aguilar's murder started as a missing person's report in 2012 and subsequently became a multifaceted criminal case that spanned over a decade.
Aguilar, a University of Florida freshman, went missing after meeting his high school friend, Pedro Bravo. Weeks later, his body was discovered buried in a shallow grave.
Pedro Bravo was arrested, charged, and convicted of murder in 2014. In 2025, the case was revived as detectives revealed a scheme by Bravo to have his conviction overturned.
The scheme entailed fabricated witness testimony and culminated in a taped confession of Bravo before committing suicide. The new episode of 20/20, which aired on June 20, 2025, titled They Know Everything, has a detailed overview of the entire timeline of Aguilar's case.
Major events in the Christian Aguilar case
September 2012: Christian Aguilar goes missing
On September 20, 2012, Christian Aguilar was reported missing by his girlfriend, Erika Friman. Aguilar, Friman, and Pedro Bravo were former classmates at Doral Academy in Miami. At the time of his disappearance, Aguilar had been dating Friman, who had previously dated Bravo.
According to 20/20, Bravo told police that he and Christian Aguilar had a fight, and Aguilar walked away. Police later questioned the details of this story.
October 2012: Aguilar's body is found
On October 12, 2012, hunters found a body buried in a shallow grave in Levy County, Florida. It was identified as Christian Aguilar. According to investigators, Bravo had cleaned his car late at night and purchased a shovel and Gatorade. These actions were supported by surveillance footage and receipts.
Authorities also found internet searches on Bravo's computer, including: "Where can I bury a body?” and "How many sleeping pills will it take to kill someone?”
2013–2014: Bravo is charged and convicted
Pedro Bravo was charged with first-degree murder and six additional counts. In 2014, he stood trial in Alachua County. Prosecutors used physical evidence and testimony from Michael Angelo, a fellow inmate, who said Bravo confessed to the killing.
According to 20/20, Bravo's journals also revealed anger over Aguilar's relationship with Friman. He was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison.
2025: Investigators uncover a prison scheme
More than a decade after the conviction, new developments came to light. In 2025, investigators discovered that Bravo had allegedly organized a plan from prison to reverse his conviction.
According to authorities, Bravo communicated with Kelcie Edwards, who later claimed she had seen Aguilar alive after the fight. Edwards was connected to Bravo through a fellow inmate, Brandon Campbell. Investigators reviewed phone calls, Cash App records, and text messages between Bravo and Edwards.
Campbell was not charged but cooperated with the investigation. During a recorded call, he told Edwards, "They know everything," which later became the title of the 20/20 episode.
May 2025: Guilty pleas in the scheme
Authorities reported that Michael Angelo, the original jailhouse witness, had recanted his trial testimony. He said that Bravo had never confessed to him. Prosecutors said this retraction, along with Edwards’ statement, was part of a larger effort to submit false evidence.
In May 2025, Edwards pleaded guilty to fraud for giving false testimony. Angelo pleaded guilty to perjury. Angelo received a seven-year prison sentence, while Edwards was given five years of probation.
March 2025: Bravo confesses, then dies
According to 20/20, in his conversations with Edwards, Bravo finally admitted to killing Christian Aguilar. He said they fought and that Aguilar died in his car. Bravo stated he panicked and buried the body. Prosecutor Tom Mullins told 20/20 this was the first time Bravo had come close to a direct confession, outside of Angelo's earlier testimony.
On March 12, 2025, Bravo died by suicide at the Okeechobee Correctional Institution. His death occurred shortly before the court sentenced Edwards and Angelo.
20/20 documented the entire case in its June 20, 2025 episode They Know Everything. The full story can be viewed on ABC and streamed on Hulu.
