Two men have been charged with murder in the killing of a 54-year-old music promoter who was shot in the parking lot of a Glendale strip mall last month, authorities said Wednesday.
Jerry Tolentino, 44, and Aram Martinyan, 43, were charged with one count each of murder in the death of Robert Dehnoushi, according the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
The charges also include the allegations that Tolentino personally used a handgun during the crime and that both Tolentino and Martinyan killed Dehnoushi while lying-in wait.
Dehnoushi was well-known in the local Iranian-American community as the promoter for singer Googoosh.
According to prosecutors, at about 8 a.m. on Aug. 15, Dehnoushi was followed by Martinyan and Tolentino to a restaurant in the city, where Tolentino allegedly shot and killed Dehnoushi outside of his vehicle.
Tolentino and Martinyan are scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 20 at the Criminal Courts Building.
If convicted as charged, Tolentino faces a maximum sentence of life without parole, plus 15 years in prison, and Martinyan a maximum sentence of life without parole.
The case is being prosecuted by the District Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime Division.