Justice For A Rising Star: U.S. Court Jails Killer Of Nigerian-Born Boxer

The promise of a bright boxing career was cut short on a quiet Maryland street last summer. Now, more than a year later, justice has been served.

A county court in Maryland has sentenced Nicholas Giroux, 37, to life imprisonment plus 20 years for the killing of Isaiah Olugbemi, a Nigerian-born amateur boxer whose life and career were just beginning to flourish.

Olugbemi, 27, was discovered in June 2024 lying fatally wounded along Meadowmist Way in Odenton. Surveillance footage later revealed a chilling scene: a white male confronting him with a handgun, firing multiple rounds, and then fleeing on foot. Within a day, police arrested Giroux, who confessed during questioning. He was subsequently charged with first and second-degree murder.

On August 26, 2025, Judge Richard Trunnell handed down the sentence—life plus two decades to be served consecutively in state prison. The conviction covered both the murder charge and the use of a firearm in a violent crime.

For prosecutors, the judgment closed a painful chapter. Anne Colt Leitess, the state’s attorney for Anne Arundel County, did not mince words: “This was a cruel and senseless murder. Mr. Olugbemi was a father and a rising star in amateur boxing. The callousness and lack of remorse on the part of this defendant is really disturbing. He deserves this sentence.”

Olugbemi’s short but remarkable career had already marked him out as one to watch. A Junior Olympics gold medalist, three-time Golden Gloves state champion, and two-time Open Regional champion, he was a symbol of grit, talent, and determination. To those who loved him, he was more than an athlete—he was a father, a friend, and a source of pride.

For many, the sentence cannot undo the heartbreak of a promising life stolen. Yet, as Leitess noted, it may at least bring “a sense of justice” to a grieving family and community, both in the U.S. and across the Atlantic in Nigeria.

Olugbemi’s story is now a tragic reminder of how quickly brilliance can be extinguished—and how the fight for justice, though long, can still prevail.