LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Heather Mammen had a sense of relief and gratitude after her daughter's killers plead guilty in court on Wednesday.
“I am grateful that they will be held accountable for what they did to my daughter. Pleased is a stretch because she’s never coming back, but the fact that they admitted to killing my girl and plead guilty, I am very relieved about that,” Mammen said moments after Fayette Circuit Court Judge, Julie Goodman accepted both guilty pleas.
Hubert and Alexander Riley are set to be sentenced on May 1. The commonwealth is recommending that Hubert serve 30 years for the 2022 murder of Elaina Mammen, while Alexander’s charge was amended to manslaughter, for which a 17-year sentence was recommended.
Both were given a chance to tell the court what occurred the night Elaina was shot to death, and both claimed they were shooting at a car because they thought someone was following them.
Mammen said she will not pass up the opportunity to deliver a victim impact statement during next month’s sentencing hearing.
“No, I won't let it go. Number 1, I want Elaina’s light to shine on, and number 2 I want to encourage them to be better people in hopes that they’ll make better decisions. Even though they’ll be behind bars they can help our youth make better decisions,” she said.
Mammen has her GLOW Project, which is a philanthropic organization in Elaina’s honor. On Thursday, she’ll be collected supplies, money and registering volunteers to help with flood relief in Frankfort. Her own home was destroyed by water, and it’s still inaccessible due to the road conditions. Her family helps with GLOW, as they have since the time this happened to her daughter three years ago.
“Elaina has a very large tribe, but her close tribe, (without them) I never would’ve been able to make it. I’d have been either six feet under, literally or locked up in some hospital somewhere,” Mammen stated, before saying Elaina will always be in their hearts.
