Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 09/19/05

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards - (707) 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Assistant District Attorney Larry Scoufos Deputy District Attorney: Barry McBride

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

DEFENDANT FOUND GUILTY OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER

District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced today that a Sonoma County jury convicted Salvador Jimenez, Jr. of First Degree Murder in the April 16, 2004 murder of Graciela Rives in her Santa Rosa home. The jury also found that Mr. Jimenez committed the murder during the commission of a residential burglary and that he personally used a deadly weapon.

Ms. Rivas was stabbed multiple times in her kitchen while her three year old son was present. Neighbors heard the commotion and called the police. Mr. Jimenez was identified after newspaper articles reporting the death described a white car in the area at the time of the crime. Jimenez was arrested in Carpinteria, California six days after the crime.

The trial was heard before Superior Court Judge Lawrence G. Antolini, who set a sentencing date of November 17, 2005. The maximum sentence is Life Without the Possibility of Parole. However, because Jimenez was a minor at the time of the killing, the judge has the discretion to reduce the sentence to 26 years to life. The latter sentence would make Jimenez eligible for parole after serving 26 years.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Barry McBride. He was assisted by District Attorney Investigator Roz Eliaser, Santa Rosa Police Department Detective Mike Lazzarini, Legal Secretary Jennifer Zunino and Legal Assistant Patti Davis.