Monday evening, Anne Arundel County police launched a manhunt for a shooting suspect after a local boxing champ was found shot to death in his home. In under 24 hours, they caught their suspect: the next door neighbor who allegedly had a history of threatening the boxer.
Nicholas Francis Xavier Giroux was arrested Tuesday afternoon in connection to the death of 27-year-old Isaiah Olugbemi. The locally recognized boxer had hopes of making it big time, projecting his career to go professional by the end of the year, per CBS. He’d previously won the National Golden Gloves Championship in Washington D.C. and repeatedly racked up victories in local amateur fights. He was also a father t a 2-year-old boy. However, his victory lap came to a shocking halt Monday evening.
Police say based on surveillance footage, Giroux walked right up to Olugbemi with a handgun, fired at him 14 times, paused and fired another three shots before fleeing the scene on foot. Prosecutors described the killing to be the likes of an execution, the report says.
“The last text I sent to him was right after he won the fight, and I was like, ‘I’m so proud of you, you accomplished your dreams man, congratulations,” said Jim Hook, Olugbemi’s friend, via CBS News.
Giroux’s defense attorney claimed the alleged shooter was a victim of harassment by individuals in the neighborhood leading up to the incident. However, Olugbemi’s brother told WJZ Giroux was the problem - allegedly threatening the boxer with a gun twice this year.
Regardless of who bothered who, police allege the suspect confessed to slaying Olugbemi and led investigators to the 9-mm handgun used in the killing, per WBAL. He faces charges of first-degree murder and second-degree murder. His preliminary hearing is set for July 17.
He’s being held in county jail without bond.