Man Gets Life Sentence in Fatal Stabbing

A La Habra man was sentenced Thursday to life in prison without possibility of parole for stabbing Los Angeles County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn’s niece to death in May, 1987.

Jose Ulivarri, 24, was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Ramona Godoy Perez, who sentenced his accomplice, Michele Molina, 22, to 25 years to life.

Hahn’s niece, Ramona Gayton, 40, was stabbed to death during a daytime robbery at her La Habra Heights home. Ulivarri and Molina also tried to strangle Juliette Percorano, 19, a neighbor who was at Gayton’s home during the robbery. But Percorano, who was adept at holding her breath for long periods of time, survived.

Percorano told officials she remembers hearing Gayton screaming, “Run, Juliette, run for your life,” before Ulivarri and Molina tried to strangle her.

In a plea bargain that spared him a possible death sentence, Ulivarri pleaded guilty Sept. 15 in Superior Court in Norwalk to one count of first-degree murder with a special circumstance allegation, one count of attempted first-degree murder and one count of robbery.

Molina pleaded guilty in January to first-degree murder and first-degree attempted murder.

In May, 1987, Ulivarri and Molina knocked on Gayton’s door and offered to work as gardeners. When she opened the door, the two forced their way in and stabbed her 18 times.