Friends and family are mourning the loss of Eliana Bigoni, a 34-year-old Colombian mother of two from Plano, whose estranged husband has been charged with her murder following what investigators describe as a fatal domestic violence incident.
Andrea Peters, one of Bigoni’s closest friends, is speaking out about the woman she knew and loved, describing her as joyful, calm, and full of life. The two met years ago while watching a World Cup match and quickly discovered they had much in common, including Colombian heritage, American husbands, and life in North Texas.
The friendship blossomed into a tight-knit social circle built around family, food, and shared culture. Peters said Bigoni was a positive presence who brought warmth to everyone around her.
Just days before her death, on July 31, the group gathered to celebrate Bigoni’s birthday. Video from that evening shows her laughing and surrounded by friends, seemingly at ease. But the celebration was abruptly disrupted when her estranged husband, Jake Bigoni, arrived uninvited and demanded she leave with him.
Peters said the encounter left her deeply unsettled. She recalled feeling immediate fear upon seeing Jake Bigoni’s demeanor that night, sensing that something terrible could happen. Her instincts, she said, proved tragically correct.
Twelve days after that birthday celebration, Eliana Bigoni was found dead. Plano police officers discovered her body at the townhome she had previously shared with her estranged husband, a residence she had stopped living in after moving in with a friend.
Jake Bigoni now faces charges of murder and abuse of a corpse. He is currently being held in the Collin County Jail with no bond set.
Peters said she knew immediately upon receiving the news who was responsible. She described Jake Bigoni as deeply controlling, someone who sought to dominate Eliana’s life and movements. Eliana, she said, had been working to rebuild and move forward independently.
Peters is adamant that nothing could justify what happened to her friend. Whatever circumstances existed within the marriage, she said, they could never serve as a reason to take someone’s life.
The loss has left Peters and the rest of their friend group devastated. She said she chooses to hold onto the memory of Eliana from that final birthday night, surrounded by the people who loved her, smiling and celebrating another year.
Eliana Bigoni is survived by her two children.
Anyone experiencing domestic violence or who knows someone in danger can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline 24 hours a day at 1-800-799-7233 or by texting START to 88788.
