KY teen shot, killed after intervening in sexual assault of his mother, police say
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- Luis Lopez, 15, was fatally shot while intervening in a sexual assault case.
- Gildardo Martinez faces charges including murder and attempted rape.
- Police say alcohol played a role in the 2:30 a.m. domestic shooting incident.
An Eastern Kentucky teen was shot and killed early Sunday after he intervened when his mother was being sexually assaulted by her boyfriend, according to court documents.
The boy, 15-year-old Luis Jocsan Nanez Lopez, would have been a sophomore at Rowan County High School this year, said county coroner John Northcutt.
“This 15-year-old boy was taking up for his mother. Everybody should look up to him for that,” said Rowan County Attorney Cecil Watkins.
Luis’ juvenile sister was also shot and injured. Her age was not available.
Gildardo Martinez, 36, was charged with murder, first-degree assault and attempted rape. Court documents say after returning from a bar, he attempted to have sex with his girlfriend without her consent, and she screamed while trying to stop him.
Luis then came into the room and asked his mother if he should call the police.
Martinez told Luis to leave, and Luis’ mother said they would talk about it in the morning, according to court documents. The situation seemed to deescalate, and Martinez grabbed a suitcase to leave the apartment in the 400 block of West Sun Street.
But then, court documents say, Martinez grabbed a pistol and fired through a door three times, hitting Luis and his sister.
Luis was shot in the face and declared dead at the scene.
The shooting happened around 2:30 a.m.
The mother fled the apartment with her three other children, including a 1-year-old and a 3-year-old. She told police she heard several more gunshots while running away.
The daughter was taken to the University of Kentucky Hospital, according to a police citation. Her condition was not available Monday afternoon.
Martinez ran from the home and was arrested about 12 hours later in Morehead.
In the apartment, investigators found bullet fragments in the walls and ceiling. Watkins said police have conducted search warrants on the home and a vehicle, a Chevrolet Cruz, and a search warrant for gunshot residue.
Martinez has minimal previous criminal history in Kentucky, court records show.
He was driving a Chevrolet Cruz in April 2023 when University of Louisville police pulled him over for an expired temporary tag. Martinez told the officer he did not have a driver’s license or an insurance card, and he was ultimately found guilty only of an amended charge of driving without a license.
Martinez is being held at the Rowan County Detention Center on a $1 million bond, according to court records.
This story was originally published July 21, 2025 at 1:05 PM.
