19-year-old to serve life in prison for killing 15-year-old boy at Milwaukee bus stop
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — Emotions ran very high in court Thursday afternoon, Feb. 26, as a 19-year-old man was sentenced for shooting and killing 15-year-old Nelson Lopez-Correa. Christian Martin escaped to Iowa before being arrested there, and a Wisconsin jury convicted him in December.
During Thursday's sentencing hearing, Judge David Borowski described the Martin as a "coward," a "monster," and a "disgrace," before sentencing him to life in prison for killing Lopez-Correa.
Nelson Lopez-Correa
The courtroom gallery was filled with the victim's friends and family, and three family members gave impact statements to the judge.
"I will never forgive Christian for taking my son," said Lopez-Correa's mother, Ivelisse Correa. "Hopefully God does, but we will never forgive him."
She told the court that life without her son has been agony.
The teen's family celebrated his killer's life sentence, but their devastation remains.
"No amount of time will ever bring back our nephew, but him being there that extent of time is great," said Lopez-Correa's aunt, Jackie Correa.
Prosecutors played surveillance video from Oct. 28, 2024, when Christian Martin shot Lopez-Correa in the head while he was waiting at the bus stop near 16th and Forest Home on Milwaukee's southwest side.
Court records said the shooting was over a girl, and prosecutors claim Martin and Lopez-Correa did not know each other.
"He was a child standing at the bus stop to go to school, and he got killed for it," said Assistant District Attorney Ian Vance-Curzan.
Martin was given the chance to speak to the judge or the family twice and said nothing.
"Can't even offer up a feigned apology to the court. Not a letter to the court. Not a damn thing," Judge Borowski criticized.
"We don't want to hear from you," said Lopez-Correa's aunt. "Nothing that comes out of your mouth is going to be good for us."
Judge Borowski was infuriated by the defendant's lack of accountability.
"You're a disgrace to this community, you're a remorseless murderer," he said to Martin, referencing statements from the victim's family.
The judge said he and his colleagues are exhausted by cases like this.
"He committed an execution in broad daylight. That's what it comes to in this community," he said. "This is an example of how much we've devalued life."
Lopez-Correa's family hopes his case proves there are real consequences.
"Violence is not the answer. What's it going to get you? Jail cell. That's it," Jackie Correa said. "You lost your life."
Martin will have the possibility of extended supervision in 45 years.
Judge Borowski was clear that he only allowed the possibility due to Martin's age, citing Wisconsin Supreme Court and SCOTUS guidelines.
Martin will be 64 years old by the time his release could even be considered.