Wisconsin Woman Sentenced to Life for Executing Boyfriend With Single Gunshot to Head in Beavercreek Home
BEAVERCREEK, OHIO — A Wisconsin woman has been sentenced to life in prison after pleading no contest to the murder of her on-and-off boyfriend, who was found shot in the back of the head inside his Beavercreek home last year.
Janel Marie Nelson, 53, of Thorp, Wisconsin, received a life sentence with the possibility of parole after 18 years, issued by Greene County Common Pleas Judge Adolfo Tornichio, officials confirmed Friday. The conviction includes a three-year firearm specification tied to the killing of 55-year-old Michael Corrigan.
Murder Discovery and Investigation
The fatal shooting occurred on August 21, 2024, at Corrigan’s home on the 1800 block of Maple Lane in Beavercreek. Police launched an investigation after Corrigan’s family members called 911 the following night, saying he hadn’t shown up for work and failed to answer calls.
“It’s my fiancé’s brother,” one woman told dispatchers. “He didn’t call into work so we came by to make sure he was OK.”
When Corrigan’s relatives arrived, they found the garage door open and his body inside the living room, according to the Greene County Prosecutor’s Office.
Investigators determined Corrigan had been shot once in the back of the head with a .380-caliber handgun from about 10 feet away while sitting in a chair. Police described the killing as an execution-style shooting.
Suspect’s History and Multi-State Manhunt
Detectives identified Nelson — Corrigan’s on-and-off partner of 15 years — as the suspect. She fled Ohio shortly after the murder, prompting a multi-state search involving Nebraska and Wisconsin authorities.
A Beavercreek detective eventually tracked her to Omaha, Nebraska, after discovering a Facebook post from Nelson’s estranged daughter that read, “Seeing my mother Jannelle for the first time in 16 years.”
Police later found Nelson living under the alias “Jannelle Rodriguez” at a women’s shelter in Omaha. A search of her vehicle, a 2002 Lincoln Town Car registered to her husband, revealed a .380-caliber handgun and ammunition matching the weapon used in Corrigan’s killing.
According to court documents, Nelson told detectives she had been with Corrigan before his death but denied shooting him. She claimed she woke up, grabbed her belongings, and drove away without recalling what happened.
Her husband told police that Nelson said she was visiting friends in Ohio and that he had given her $6,000 in cash before the trip. He also confirmed that two handguns — a .22 and a .380 — were missing from their Wisconsin home.
Nelson was arrested in Omaha and extradited to Ohio, where she later pleaded no contest to the murder charge.
Life Sentence and Aftermath
Prosecutors said Nelson showed no visible emotion when informed of Corrigan’s death during questioning.
After reviewing evidence, Judge Tornichio sentenced her to life in prison, allowing for parole eligibility after 18 years. She is currently held in the Ohio Reformatory for Women.
The Greene County Prosecutor’s Office said the outcome provides long-awaited justice for Corrigan’s family, who had described him as a “devoted brother and friend” in court statements.
As Ohio law enforcement continues to see rising domestic violence-related homicides, officials say Nelson’s case underscores the danger of long-term abusive relationships turning deadly. For continued coverage of crime, sentencing, and justice updates across the Midwest, visit ChicagoMusicGuide.com.