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Judge: Maximum Sentence Given To Killer

DENVER (CBS4)- Juan Carlos Lopez received the maximum sentence for stabbing a man to death and then trying to have the witness killed.

Lopez, 28, killed Stephen Ramirez during a fight in Denver in July 2009. He also tried to hire someone to kill the victim's mother, who had witnessed the brutal crime.

"I walked down the steps and caught him on my son," said Valerie Ramirez, the victim's mother.

A judge sentenced Lopez to 72 years in prison for second degree murder and solicitation to commit murder.

"He's getting what he deserves, he's getting what he deserves. He should have thought about it before he did anything," said Ramirez.

"My kids went to school with him and his brothers and sisters," said Ramirez.

Lopez is also facing murder charges in Adams County for a shooting that happened just a week before he killed Stephen Ramirez.

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