The man accused of shooting Wal-Mart security guard Gilbert Padilla, 39, was sentenced Monday to 12-25 years in prison, officials said.
Raheym Williams, 28, was convicted of aggravated assault and a weapons violation in the Nov. 24, 2002 incident, said Assistant District Attorney Jan McDermott.
Williams received 10-20 years in prison for the aggravated assault charge and two-five consecutive years for the weapons offense. "It was a good sentence," the prosecutor said.
Padilla, who suffered permanent injuries as a result of the shooting, attended the sentencing with his family.
Son to stand trial for murder
The 30-year-old who allegedly killed his South Street jeweler parents six years ago to collect his inheritance was ordered to stand trial for murder at a preliminary hearing Dec. 3.
An arrest was made in the murder of Patricia, 47, and Richard Zimmerman, 53, in September. And the alleged killer was none other than the victims’ son, Matthew Zimmerman — already serving time on a federal drug charge, authorities said.
Third District police discovered the bodies of the couple inside their home above Zimmerman Jewelers at 112 South St. on Feb. 4, 1997.
Both had been shot once execution-style, in the head, while they sat at their dining-room table eating breakfast.
Investigators recovered evidence at the time of the incident, but the case remained unsolved until the Cold Case File unit picked it up.
At the suspect’s preliminary hearing, Carmen Monica — who is serving 10-20 years for attempted murder in an unrelated case, and is awaiting sentencing after having pleaded guilty to third-degree murder in another matter — testified against Zimmerman, a former friend.
According to Assistant District Attorney Richard Sax, Monica testified that Zimmerman hated his parents and wanted them dead so he could collect his inheritance. Monica also said Zimmerman originally approached him and asked if he would pull the trigger for half of the inheritance; Monica refused, telling his friend he couldn’t do it because they were his parents, Sax said.
Zimmerman is charged with two counts of murder, solicitation to commit murder and a weapons offense, the prosecutor said. A judge threw out a conspiracy charge, Sax added.
Zimmerman will be arraigned Dec. 23. But the investigation hasn’t ended quite yet, as prosecutors expect to charge another man they say was Zimmerman’s accomplice.
"It’s always been our belief that Matthew Zimmerman solicited the aid of at least one other individual to do this," Sax told the Review.
