Credit : Alexis Maki/Instagram-Illinois Department of Corrections
A Southern Illinois man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for the 2023 murder of his ex-girlfriend, prosecutors announced this week.
Emmet Metzger, 27, was sentenced to natural life in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in the death of Alexis Maki, Clinton County State’s Attorney J.D. Brandmeyer confirmed Monday. The sentencing comes nearly two months after Metzger admitted to shooting Maki multiple times inside her apartment on November 4, 2023.
A Fatal 911 Confession
Shortly after the killing, Metzger called 911 and confessed, begging to be arrested. “I f**ked up,” he told dispatchers, according to First Alert 4. “I did something so bad. I shot my girlfriend. I need to be arrested, please?”
Maki, a college student on the verge of graduation, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the People.
Prosecutors Reject Defense’s Mental Health Argument
During sentencing, Metzger’s defense attorneys argued for leniency, claiming he needed psychiatric treatment. But Brandmeyer dismissed the claim, stating Metzger had no history of prescribed mental health medications and showed no interest in them now.
Instead, prosecutors revealed Metzger had been using cocaine, THC, and alcohol before the shooting and was distraught over the couple’s breakup.
“There is no excuse for killing someone in cold blood after a breakup,” Brandmeyer told the court. “Certainly, hurting someone’s feelings cannot be the slightest… justification for ending the life of a young woman that had her entire life ahead of her.” He added, “Metzger still has his life. It’s a tragedy that Ms. Maki doesn’t.”
No Leniency from the Judge
Associate Circuit Judge Douglas C. Gruenke delivered the life sentence without parole, denying Metzger credit for the 18 months he had already spent in jail. The case drew widespread attention, with local outlets including The Belleville News-Democrat, KSDK, and First Alert 4 covering the tragic details.
Friends and family remembered Maki as a bright student with a promising future, cut short by an act of brutal violence. Metzger will now serve his sentence in an Illinois state prison, with no possibility of release.
