AUGUSTA, Maine — A man who pleaded guilty to killing his longtime girlfriend last year faces 42 years in prison.
Justice William Stokes sentenced Nicholas Lovejoy for charges related to the death of Melissa Sousa, who was killed in the Waterville home where she and Lovejoy lived in 2019.
Lovejoy arrived in the courtroom Monday in a wheelchair, which he didn't have for any other court appearances. His defense team said he had fallen in jail while experiencing seizures, and he recently broke his hip.
The state and defense presented their cases, but because of Lovejoy's guilty plea, he could only be sentenced to a maximum of 45 years. The defense also called a Florida-based neurologist to discuss a traumatic brain injury from a car crash Lovejoy was in more than a decade ago.
The defense argued this brain injury caused Lovejoy to be more irritable and impulsive.
"The brain injury that Mr. Lovejoy suffered was catastrophic and no doubt permeated all areas of his life, and we were hopeful that there would be significant consideration that was given to that brain injury as well as his acceptance of responsibility," Scott Haus said after the sentencing.
Lovejoy's attorney also said he is reportedly struggling with the fact that he won't see his 13-year-old twin daughters the couple had together for the foreseeable future.
Some of them were in the courtroom today, along with Sousa's mother. They said they were satisfied with the sentencing.
"I'm very relieved that it's finally, over because it's been a long three years," Sousa's mom, Theresa Martin, said.
"He took someone that was so good. Like she didn't have an evil bone in her body, and he took her just because," Tami Tims, a coworker, and friend of Melissa said.
During the court proceedings, Haus asked the judge for a 30-year sentence, and he said that he expects to appeal for a shorter sentence.