Emmet Metzger, a 27-year-old Illinois man, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Alexis Maki, 24. The sentencing was announced by the Clinton County State’s Attorney J.D. Brandmeyer, who criticized Metzger for the pain and suffering he had inflicted on Maki’s family and friends.
Metzger had confessed to the crime, admitting to shooting Maki in their shared apartment in New Baden in November 2023. The confession was made during a 911 call placed by Metzger himself after the incident. He had pleaded guilty to a charge of first-degree murder in April.
The prosecutor, Brandmeyer, highlighted the emotional toll of the crime on Maki’s loved ones during the sentencing. He pointed out that Metzger’s actions had caused immense pain and heartache to many people, simply because his feelings were hurt following their breakup.
The murder weapon was identified as a 9 mm Taurus G2C pistol, which Metzger used to shoot Maki multiple times in their living room. The couple had ended their relationship a month prior to the incident but continued to live together due to a shared lease agreement.
Maki’s mother, Lisa Brock, had previously spoken about the couple’s relationship, describing Metzger as possessive and jealous. She recounted how Metzger had made her daughter’s life miserable, and how she had felt uneasy about Maki visiting the shared apartment on the day of the shooting.
Metzger’s defense team attempted to argue for a lesser sentence, citing his mental health at the time of the murder. However, Brandmeyer countered this by stating that Metzger had not sought a diagnosis or treatment for any mental health disorder, nor had he shown interest in being prescribed medication for any potential mental health issues.
The prosecutor also noted that Metzger had claimed to have consumed cocaine, THC, and alcohol prior to the incident, but had never sought substance abuse treatment and denied having a substance abuse problem.
In a statement following the sentencing, Brandmeyer expressed hope that the verdict would allow Maki’s family and friends to begin a new chapter and work towards finding some semblance of closure.