A Somers Point man convicted of murdering his former girlfriend’s new love was sentenced to life in prison Friday.
Luis Maisonet, 56, would have to live 56 more years to be eligible for parole.
He was convicted in December in the fatal Sept. 1, 2016, shooting of 26-year-old Christopher Romero, inside the Zumiez store on Atlantic City’s Walk, where the younger man worked as a manager.
Maisonet then walked across the road to the White House|Black Market, where his former girlfriend was worked.
Jennifer Villanueva testified at Maisonet’s trial that she was pregnant with Romero’s son at the time. The two had just started a romantic relationship.
She and Maisonet have a daughter who is now 11.
Villanueva was folding clothes when Maisonet walked in.
“Oh God, what do you want?” she recalled asking him before Maisonet reached into a bag, pulled out a gun and shot at her.
She wasn’t struck. Maisonet then turned the gun on himself and fired. An off-duty police officer was able to get the gun away from Maisonet.
A jury convicted him of murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, aggravated assault by pointing a firearm at a person, unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted person.
“I am hopeful that Christopher Romero’s family can take solace in knowing that the person responsible for taking their loved one away from them will never get out of prison alive,” Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon Tyner said.
Maisonet was well-known in Atlantic City as Tito, and once owned a sneaker store on Atlantic Avenue.
