Lookout in Fatal Robbery Sentenced

Alookout in a robbery that left a Canoga Park man dead after he withdrew money from an automated teller machine was sentenced Monday to the maximum term of 15 years to life in prison.

Marty Louis Mares, 22, of Granada Hills pleaded guilty Sept. 24 to second-degree murder and robbery in the March 21, 1989, killing of Aslam Hasham, 29. Mares was among three men and a youth who participated in the robbery outside the Coast Savings office at Tampa Avenue and Nordhoff Street in Northridge. The other three were sentenced last year for their roles.

Elisaia Reupena, 28, of Sherman Oaks and Steven B. Rice, 20, of Granada Hills were sentenced to life in prison after they pleaded guilty to Hasham’s slaying and to charges of robbery and kidnaping in two other ATM crimes. An 18-year-old youth, who was 17 at the time of the robbery, was sent to the California Youth Authority after he admitted his role in the slaying.

Reupena shot Hasham during a struggle after Hasham grabbed Reupena’s gun and shot him in the leg, police said. Reupena’s subsequent arrest at a Torrance hospital led to the arrests of the other suspects.

San Fernando Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Coen on Monday denied a request by Mares’ attorney, Wayne R. Brandow, to hand down a lesser sentence. Brandow said that Mares’ involvement in the robbery was minimal and that his client had no prior criminal record. Coen said he was required by law to give the maximum sentence.