A Milwaukee man convicted of shooting and killing a 15-year-old at a south-side bus stop is scheduled to learn his fate on Friday, Feb. 26, 2026. A jury found Christian Martin guilty in December 2025 of first-degree intentional homicide in the death of Nelson Manuel Lopez Correa, who was shot on Oct. 28, 2024, while waiting for a bus and died three days later. The looming sentencing has reopened raw grief for the boy’s family and reignited calls to tackle gun violence on Milwaukee’s south side.
Prosecutors say the shooting was personal
At trial, prosecutors told jurors that Martin shot the teen out of frustration following a breakup, according to FOX6. The outlet reports that Martin is set to be sentenced Friday in Milwaukee County Circuit Court, where family members are expected to pack the courtroom and press for the maximum penalty. The alleged breakup-fueled motive was a central point for prosecutors as they worked to convince jurors that Martin acted with intent.
How investigators say it unfolded
The criminal complaint lays out a stark timeline. Surveillance video from a nearby home shows a man approach a group gathered at the northwest corner of S. 16th St. and W. Forest Home Ave., point a firearm and fire a single shot, according to the complaint, as published by Scribd. Officers later found a brass 9mm casing near Lopez Correa. First responders rushed the teen to Children’s Wisconsin, where he died days after the shooting. Those details in the filings formed the backbone of the prosecution’s case against Martin.
Family reaction at the memorial
In the months since, the corner where Lopez Correa fell has turned into a makeshift memorial, and his family has been outspoken about both their loss and the verdict. One relative told TMJ4, "So we're happy we got justice, but there's still an empty space in our heart that we are never going to get back." The memorial at 16th and Forest Home has become a gathering point for the family’s grief and for wider community demands to curb gun violence.
Legal stakes and what sentencing could mean
The criminal complaint notes that first-degree intentional homicide is a Class A felony in Wisconsin and states that "upon conviction ... the defendant shall be sentenced to imprisonment for life," underscoring just how serious the charge is. The filings also say the maximum term could be increased because a dangerous weapon was used, an enhancement prosecutors argued applies in this case. At Friday’s hearing, prosecutors and defense attorneys may present victim-impact statements and competing sentencing recommendations before the judge ultimately decides how long Martin will spend behind bars.
Community context
Local outlets have underscored how this killing, along with a series of other shootings that have injured or killed young people, has left neighbors demanding change and urging officials to address gun violence on the south side, as reported by WTMJ. Lopez Correa’s family and nearby residents say they will be watching the sentencing closely, arguing that what happens in court will send a message about how seriously the system treats violence against kids waiting for a bus on their block.
