Life of Don Juanito celebrated Sunday by friends, sympathizers

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Karma Meraz of Perry, right, a friend of Juan Jimenez, was assisted Sunday at the celebration of life by many people, including Miriam Cruz of Perry, left, and Jackelyn Silva of Perry.

Friends and sympathizers gathered Sunday morning to celebrate the life of Juan Jimenez, 78, of Perry, who died Saturday in a Des Moines hospital after clinging to life for two weeks following an Oct. 29 assault that left a Perry mother and her daughter dead and Jimenez in critical condition.

The friends of Don Juanito, as he was affectionately known around Perry, came together at the Perry Area Christian Events for a benefit fundraiser for Jimenez. The gathering was originally planned to help the victim with hospital expenses, but now the funds will go toward funeral expenses, according to Karma Meraz of Perry, a friend of Jimenez.

A rich variety of donated foods were available for visitors to the celebration of life, including tacos, pupusas and a Oaxacan dish with chocolate. A number of donated items were also raffled off, with bands providing live dance music.

“Everybody loved Don Juanito,” Meraz said Sunday. He said the plans at present call for Jimenez’s body to be brought to Perry following an autopsy, and a ceremony will be held at a local funeral home.

Meraz said Jimenez’s remains will then be cremated and taken by his family to California and eventually scattered in Mexico on the lands of his ancestors.

Jimenez was allegedly attacked two weeks ago by Carlos Marlo Hernandez-Ventura, 25, of Perry. Hernandez-Ventura already faces charges of two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Lourdes Leake, 34, and her daughter, Melany Barraza, 14, of Perry.

Jimenez reportedly lingered in a coma until his death Saturday. The original charge of attempted murder of Jimenez will presumably be changed to a third count of first-degree murder against Hernandez-Ventura.

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