Man Gets 25 Years for Killing an Actor

LOS ANGELES (CN) - A man who shot a Mexican actor to death during a burglary has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.

The late Hermilio Franco, who died at 53, was a successful actor, singer and nightclub owner who starred in several Mexican films.

Larry Paul Trujillo, 34, who was paralyzed in the fouled-up home invasion and subsequent shootout, was sentenced on July 2 after pleading no-contest to first-degree murder.

Franco and his wife woke up in their Downey home during the early hours of Nov. 3, 2010 after Trujillo and an unknown accomplice entered the actor's residence. Trujillo shot Franco in the chest. Franco grabbed a gun and shot Trujillo in the neck, and the second suspect fled. Franco was pronounced dead at the scene.

The actor owned El Farallon nightclub and rodeo nightclub in El Monte, and another venue in Riverside.

The day after the 2010 shooting, the actor's Downey neighbor Yazmin Renteria told the Long Beach Press-Telegram that Franco was "funny" and "down to earth."

"My mom use to be the secretary down in Lynwood at El Farallon night club for about 14 years," she said. "He was a very funny man, a very helping person and even though he had money he was just a down-to-earth person. He was really nice.

"I remember on Tuesdays he would do a barbecue for all of his workers on his ranch. It was fun. He would let us borrow his horses," Renteria said. "He would always give people whatever he could."

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