Getaway driver gets consecutive prison sentences in salon owner's death

A man convicted of taking part in the shooting death of a Glendale hairdresser during a robbery was sentenced to consecutive prison terms on Thursday.

A jury in June found Jesus Alarcon Jiminez, 23, guilty of murder and aggravated robbery, both first-degree felonies. On Thursday, 3rd District Judge Deno Himonas gave Jiminez a term of 15 years to life on the murder charge and six to life on the robbery charge. He ordered those sentences to be served consecutively, citing Jiminez' lack of remorse and unwillingness to cooperate with investigators.

Police believe that Jiminez drove the getaway car while a co-defendant, Miguel Mateos-Martinez, 20, fired the gun that killed Faviola Hernandez, 24, on Aug. 15, 2007. Police said the pair wanted to rob the Bushwacker Salon at 1331 W. California Ave. (1330 South) because they thought Hernandez would be alone and it would be easy to steal from her.

However, she was busy cutting an adult customer's hair at the time, and there were two juveniles in the building as well.

Hernandez was shot once in the chest.

Jiminez was arrested a few days after the incident. However, Mateos-Martinez eluded police for a time, but eventually was found and arrested in Ensenada, Mexico. The extradition process could be complicated because Mateos-Martinez has been charged with aggravated murder, which could possibly carry the death penalty if he is convicted.

Mexico has a long-standing policy of denying extradition unless its government gets confirmation that an individual will not be put to death.

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