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Suspect in murder of beloved Lakewood barbershop owner pleads not guilty

Angel Martinez appeared in court in a suicide-prevention smock to enter a not-guilty plea on a charge of aggravated first-degree murder in the death of Pyong Sun Ryan.

The beloved Lakewood barbershop owner known as Sunny was stabbed to death Thursday.

Steven Anthony said Ryan was his barber and he decided to come to court to see her accused killer for himself.

“I wanted to be here for the family,” Anthony said. “I wanted to offer my condolences.”

The 57-year-old Ryan was found stabbed to death with a pair of scissors inside her shop in the Lake City neighborhood. Charges state Martinez was on a crime spree, trying to steal cars and assaulting a 76-year-old man.

Police said he was found several blocks from Ryan’s shop with her car, cellphone and U.S. and Korean currency stained in blood.

“I don’t have any remorse for somebody that does like he did,” Anthony said after Martinez’s arraignment.

The 40-year-old had been jailed in late July on a no bail warrant issued by the state of Illinois, but was released Aug. 1, when the state declined to extradite him.

In addition to aggravated first-degree murder, Martinez is charged with robbery, burglary and assault. If convicted, he faces a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole or release. His bail was set at $5 million.

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