American sentenced to death by Ningbo court for murdering girlfriend
American citizen Shadeed Abdulmateen hears the sentence handed out on Thursday, following the first trial of a murder case in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, in 2021.
Shadeed Abdulmateen, a United States citizen, was sentenced to death on Thursday following the first trial of a murder case in Ningbo City, east China's Zhejiang Province, in 2021.
Abdulmateen allegedly murdered his 21-year-old Chinese girlfriend, surnamed Chen, on June 14 last year.
The pair met at the start of 2019 and gradually began a relationship, but Abdulmateen lied about his marital status by claiming to be divorced, the Intermediate People's Court of Ningbo said on Thursday.
Chen wanted to terminate their relationship in late May of 2021, but Abdulmateen refused and threatened her verbally, the court revealed.
On June 14, the fatal night, the American made an appointment with Chen near a bus stop. There, after about two hours, Abdulmateen slashed Chen's neck with a knife he was carrying, and even after Chen had lost her strength, he continued to stab her face, the court said.
Chen died on the scene due to hemorrhage, according to the court.
It was the court's opinion that the defendant should be given a severe punishment for decisively and brutally killing Chen with base intention.
All legal rights of Abdulmateen were protected during the trial, and the US diplomatic mission in China was kept informed, the court noted.
