A 37-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison for the 2024 murder of Nigerian boxer Isaiah Olugbemi, 27, in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States.
The convict, Nicholas Francis Giroux of Odenton, received a sentence of life plus 20 years for first-degree murder on August 26, 2025. He had earlier pleaded guilty on February 28, 2025.
“Mr. Olugbemi was a father and a rising star in amateur boxing,” said Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney, Anne Colt Leitess, after the sentencing. “This was a cruel and senseless murder that took the life of someone with great promise. The callousness and lack of remorse shown by this defendant is deeply disturbing. He deserves this sentence. To the family and friends of Mr. Olugbemi, I hope today brings some sense of justice for this terrible ordeal.”
The Murder Incident
On June 17, 2024, police responded to reports of gunfire at the 500 block of Meadowmist Way in Odenton, where Olugbemi had been shot multiple times. He was rushed to the hospital but later pronounced dead.
Investigators said surveillance footage showed Giroux firing repeatedly at Olugbemi until he collapsed, then shooting him three more times.
Just two weeks before the murder, Giroux had reportedly confronted Olugbemi and a neighbor during a backyard cookout, brandishing a gun but not pointing it directly at anyone. Police said he confessed to the killing during questioning on June 18, 2024.
Olugbemi’s Legacy
Olugbemi was regarded as one of the brightest prospects in amateur boxing. He won the National Golden Gloves Championship in Washington, D.C., just a month before his death and had also secured victory in another bout the week prior.
“He was planning to go professional by the end of 2024,” said Jim Hook, owner of the Anne Arundel County gym where Olugbemi trained. “The last text I sent him was right after he won that fight. I told him, ‘I’m so proud of you, you accomplished your dreams
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