Twenty-nine-year-old Manuel Urango stood behind a glass partition in a Hayward courtroom showing little interest in the proceedings. He has the words "no remorse" tattooed above both eyebrows, and at times, the tattoos on his hands and fingers showed as he clutched the rail in his holding cell. His expression didn't change when judge Reginald Saunders read his sentence.
"He is sentenced to two consecutive 25 years to life, for a total on an indeterminate sentence of 50 years to life," said Judge Reginald Saunders.
His attorney says Urango maintains his innocence. He was convicted of killing 38-year-old Alia Ansari in October of 2006.
Ansari was shot in the head as she was picking up three of her children from school. She was the mother of six.
On Monday, Erin Ossana with the Alameda County District Attorneys Office read the judge a letter Ansari's husband sent from Afghanistan where the family relocated.
"He was relieved that the defendant will likely spend the rest of his life in prison. But he is sad that won't bring his wife back and nothing will change that," said Ossana.
What escapes the Ansari family is, since it was not a hate crime, why did Urango kill Alia?
"More than anything, he wants to know why the defendant killed her. He asked me for a reason and I couldn't give him one," said Ossana.
Manuel Urango has a long history of violence. According to police, he shot Ansari eight weeks after being paroled for a hit and run.
Alameda County prosecutor Jerry Herman could never come up with a gun or a motive for the crime, but he said he did get a sense of Urango's character.
"Here's somebody that's upset and he's angry and feeling he's been treated unfairly and unjustly and not handling his anger, not seeking any treatment for his anger and ultimately, I believe that's what resulted in this terrible crime," says Herman.
Members of the Muslim community who attended the sentencing, while pleased with the sentence, wish Alia were still alive.
"You can't bring Alia Ansari back. You just cant," says Muslim community member Reshma Yunus.
