MOREHEAD, Ky. (LEX 18) — Morehead Police say a 15-year-old boy was shot to death in Rowan County, after trying to stop his mother's boyfriend from sexually assaulting her.
It all happened early Sunday morning off West Sun Street, which is just off Highway 32, near the Morehead Fire Department.
"I would have never thought any of that would happen," says neighbor Don Williams.
Police say that 36-year-old Gildardo Martinez is now in jail because shot and killed 15-year-old Luis Nanez Lopez.
According to an arrest citation, Martinez tried to force himself on his girlfriend at their home. The citation goes on to say after she refused, he bit her and that's when her son, Lopez, tried to intervene, but Martinez grabbed a gun and shot and killed the teen.
"We actually didn't receive a 911 call on it. The guys were just out working, heard something that didn't sound right, so they went to that area," explains Chief Derrick Blevins.
The citation states the girlfriend then grabbed her two toddlers and told her teen daughter to run. That's when the mom heard more gunshots. The citation goes on to say the teen daughter was shot and take to UK for her injuries. Police say Martinez was found several houses down, hiding in some bushes.
"While they were there dealing with him, (Martinez) of course they were worried he might be armed after hearing the gun shots," says Blevins. "They were trying to take him into custody and that's when the juvenile female walked up to our officers and they figured out that she had been shot."
Martinez was eventually taken into custody and charged with murder, assault, and attempted rape. He is being held at the Rowan County Detention Center on a $1 million bond.
Lopez would have been a sophomore at Rowan County High school this year.
"Morehead is really a tight community and it's a tragedy for them you know? The kids are in the school system. They have friends here. It's going to be tough," said Blevins.
