Gunman who murdered Trenton teen Shamere Melvin now expresses remorse, gets 42 years in prison

Convicted murderer Alberto “Choppy” Lopez has finally been punished for his deadly crimes. A Superior Court judge on Friday sentenced Lopez to 42 years of incarceration for executing 17-year-old Shamere Melvin during a planned robbery in the streets of Trenton. “He is greatly missed; he was the glue of my family,” the victim’s mother Natasha … Read more →

Trenton murderer Alberto “Choppy” Lopez gets convicted on all counts

Alberto “Choppy” Lopez has been found guilty on all counts in the murder of 17-year-old Shamere Melvin. A jury on Thursday handed down the sweeping verdict, convicting Lopez of being the armed robber who shot and killed Melvin in the streets of Trenton nearly five years ago. Lopez, 21, of Trenton, pointed a handgun at … Read more →

Public defender attacks eyewitness credibility in Alberto ‘Choppy’ Lopez murder trial

Two eyewitnesses watched as Alberto “Choppy” Lopez murdered 17-year-old Shamere Melvin with a single gunshot to the head, the prosecution alleged Tuesday in closing arguments. But Nicole Carlo, a defense attorney representing Lopez, said the eyewitnesses are “not credible,” suggesting the witnesses either had “distorted memories” or were intentionally lying under oath to avoid implicating … Read more →

3 murder trials heating up in Mercer County

Three murder trials are heating up in the Mercer County Criminal Courthouse. Alberto Lopez, 21, of Trenton, is finally having his day in court after being arrested nearly five years ago and held on $750,000 cash bail on murder charges. Lopez was 16 when he shot 17-year-old Shamere Melvin in the head during a botched … Read more →

New attorney subs in for Trenton teen charged with murder

A Trenton teenager accused of fatally shooting another teen during a botched drug deal has a new attorney. Alberto Lopez, 18, is now represented by defense attorney Mark Fury. He was being represented by public defender Jason Charles Matey. Lopez was 16 when he allegedly shot 17-year-old Shamere Melvin in the head during a botched … Read more →

Teen charged in 2013 murder, moved to adult jail after turning 18

A Trenton teenager accused of fatally shooting another teen during a botched drug deal has been ordered transferred to the Mercer County jail after he recently turned 18. Alberto Lopez was 16 when he allegedly shot 17-year-old Shamere Melvin in the head during a botched robbery in December 2013 on the 300 block of North … Read more →

Trenton teen indicted in connection with Shamere Melvin murder

A grand jury returned a five-count indictment Wednesday charging a city teen with the murder of Shamere Melvin, who was gunned down in December 2013. Melvin, 17, was shot and killed in the 300 block of North Clinton Avenue around 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 18, 2013. When police arrived on-scene, they found him lying on … Read more →

Bail held at $750K for 17-year-old accused of killing other teen

Teenager Alberto Lopez stared at a county prosecutor befuddled by the accusation that he staged a fake drug deal on the night of Dec. 18, 2013 in order to rob another teenager. Prosecutors said Lopez, who was 16 at the time, ended up shooting 17-year-old Shamere Melvin in the head during the botched robbery shortly … Read more →

Alberto Lopez

  • Arrested: Dec. 21, 2013
  • Age: 17
  • Gender: Male
  • Race: Unknown

Suspected in the Dec. 18, 2013, death of Shamere Melvin.