WAUKESHA, WI – A Wisconsin man will likely spend decades behind bars after admitting to fatally shooting his grandmother, a crime that authorities say was committed to prevent her from contacting police about a gun she discovered in his possession.
Sean C. Couture, 25, was sentenced Tuesday in Waukesha County Circuit Court to 26 years to life in prison for the death of 74-year-old Nancy Lovejoy. The sentence follows Couture’s guilty plea to first-degree intentional homicide, including a domestic abuse modifier. Prosecutors dismissed additional charges related to noncompliance with police and firearms offenses as part of a plea agreement. Couture received credit for 388 days already spent in jail.
The case dates back to the evening of August 25, 2024, when law enforcement responded to reports of gunfire at a home on Douglass Avenue, approximately 20 miles west of Milwaukee. According to court filings, Couture’s parents, away on vacation, had alerted police after receiving a disturbing call from their son in which he stated he had shot Lovejoy and intended to harm himself.
Upon arrival, police found the residence locked, with Couture barricaded inside. Using aerial technology, officers observed an unresponsive individual on a staircase within the home. After Couture retreated to a bedroom, a tactical team entered and extracted Lovejoy, who was later pronounced dead at a local hospital due to multiple gunshot wounds.
Authorities employed a K-9 unit to secure Couture, who was found intoxicated with a blood alcohol level nearly five times the legal limit for driving. Investigators recovered a handgun and ammunition inside the house, along with a receipt showing Couture had acquired the weapon two months earlier.
During interrogation at the hospital, Couture inquired multiple times about his grandmother and made references to her being shot, even before officers disclosed specifics about her injuries. According to police, Couture then acknowledged his actions, telling investigators that an argument with Lovejoy erupted after she found a firearm in his room.
Couture told police he acted out of fear that Lovejoy would notify authorities about his possession of the gun. He said he shot her as she was attempting to leave through a side door, then moved her body indoors to the basement stairs, explaining that he “didn’t want to leave her body outside.”
The affidavit also states Couture admitted to consuming alcohol both before and after the fatal incident.
The outcome of the case marks the end of a legal process that spanned just over a year, drawing community attention both for the severity of the crime and the family dynamics involved. Under the sentencing handed down by Judge J. Arthur Melvin III, Couture will remain ineligible for release until at least 26 years have been served, although a life term is possible.
No additional charges are pending against Couture following the accepted plea agreement. The court proceedings included input from prosecutors, defense counsel, and members of the victim’s family, though no statements were made available to the public.
With the sentencing concluded, Couture will be transferred to a state correctional facility to begin serving his sentence.