Kentucky teen dies protecting mother from illegal immigrant's violent alleged assault in family apartment

Gildardo Amandor-Martinez, 36, a Mexican citizen, is accused of murdering his girlfriend's son, identified as Luis Jocsan Nanez Lopez, when the teen tried to intervene in a July 20 attack against his mother. The teen's younger sister was also assaulted and injured. 

"15-year-old Luis Lopez died trying to save his mother from this criminal illegal alien who was attempting to rape her. Gildardo Amandor-Martinez is a rapist and cold-blooded killer who should have never been in this country," Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. 

The teen came into his mother's room to ask her if he should call the police. Martinez allegedly told Lopez to leave, and his mother said they would talk about it in the morning. Martinez grabbed a suitcase to leave the apartment but then grabbed a pistol and fired through a door three times, Lopez and his sister, court documents state. 

The teen was shot in the face and pronounced dead at the scene. The mother fled the apartment with her three other children, including a 1-year-old and a 3-year-old, the newspaper reported. She told police she heard several more gunshots while running away.

Lopez would have been starting his sophomore year at Rowan County Senior High School, the Rowan County Coroner's Office said. 

Gildardo Martinez attempted to enter the United States via the southern border three times under the Biden administration in 2021, ICE said. He successfully entered illegally on his third attempt.