Worcester man – A Worcester Superior Court judge sentenced Enrique Canales-Martinez, 27, to four to seven years in state prison after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the killing of his neighbor, Jason Mayhew, 36. Prosecutors sought 14 to 16 years while the defense asked
When Enrique Canales-Martinez was sentenced Tuesday in Worcester Superior Court, the case centered on a single, brutal chain of moments that began with loud music and ended with a neighbor dead outside the apartment building.
Canales-Martinez, 27, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of manslaughter. Court records show the state sentenced him to four to seven years in state prison.
The killing involved two men living on different floors of the same Southgate Street apartment building in Worcester: Canales-Martinez and his neighbor, Jason Mayhew, 36. Prosecutors said the dispute began June 21, 2025, when Mayhew came to Canales-Martinez’s apartment to complain about loud music.
During the argument, Canales-Martinez brandished a semiautomatic gun. After Mayhew saw the gun, he returned to his apartment, and both men called the police.
But the confrontation didn’t end there. Afterward, both men went outside and continued arguing, according to court accounts. Mayhew allegedly pushed Canales-Martinez, and Canales-Martinez then shot Mayhew once in the abdomen and once in the leg.
Worcester police responded to the scene and found Mayhew lying on the sidewalk suffering from his wounds. He was taken to a local hospital and was pronounced dead a short time later, the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office said in a press release.
Canales-Martinez admitted to shooting Mayhew shortly after his arrest, according to a statement of facts filed in Worcester District Court. He was initially charged with armed assault to murder. assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury. assault and battery by firearm. and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling.
In court Tuesday, the defense cast the case as self-defense. Defense attorney Elliot Levine told Boston.com that Mayhew “charged at [Canales-Martinez]” after he “told him to stop.” Levine also said Canales-Martinez regretted the “tragic situation” and pleaded guilty to avoid prolonging the court proceedings.
“We had a viable case of self-defense,” Levine said. “It was a sad set of circumstances that he regrets having happened.”
Prosecutors sought a much longer sentence. Worcester Assistant District Attorney Joseph Simmons recommended a sentence of 14 to 16 years, while Levine asked for a 3-year sentence, according to the DA’s office.
Before Tuesday’s sentencing, Mayhew’s family delivered victim impact statements. Mayhew is survived by his parents, aunt, and uncle, as well as a partner and two sons.
In an impact statement, Betsy Mayhew, Mayhew’s mom, wrote, “I feel like I have changed so much since Jason’s death that I don’t even recognize myself,” and added that she is “angry at times and devastated most often,” writing, “I can’t imagine living the rest of my life without him.”
After Canales-Martinez was sentenced, Mayhew’s family called the result a “slap in the face” that favored the defense, according to the Telegram.
Addressing Canales-Martinez in court Tuesday. Mayhew’s sister. Joanna Rodrigues. said. “On the day you chose to pull the trigger. you did not just take a life – you destroyed a family.” She added: “You took a loving father away from his children. a son from his parents. a brother from his siblings and a friend from countless people whose lives were made better by knowing him.”.
The indictment for Mayhew’s death was filed in September 2025, court records show.
Worcester Superior Court Enrique Canales-Martinez Jason Mayhew manslaughter sentencing loud music dispute semiautomatic gun self-defense claim Joseph Simmons Elliot Levine