By Associated Press - Thursday, March 28, 2019

FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) - The Latest on the sentencing of man convicted in killing of Muslim teenager in Virginia (all times local):

10:45 a.m.

A man has been sentenced to life in prison for raping and killing a Muslim teenager as she walked back to a mosque with friends for pre-dawn religious services.



The life sentence without possibility of parole imposed Thursday on Darwin Martinez-Torres of Sterling was a formality after his guilty plea last year in the June 2017 slaying of 17-year-old Nabra Hassanen of Reston. That plea bargain required a life sentence but eliminated a potential death penalty.

Hassanen’s death received widespread attention amid concerns her slaying was motivated by anti-Muslim sentiment. But prosecutors say Martinez-Torres attacked her after he got out of his car to chase Nabra’s group of friends in a road-rage confrontation.

Martinez-Torres is an El Salvador native; immigration authorities say he was in the country illegally.

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A northern Virginia man is expected to receive a life sentence for raping and killing a Muslim teenager as she walked back to a mosque with friends for pre-dawn religious services.

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Darwin Martinez-Torres of Sterling struck a plea bargain last year in the June 2017 slaying of 17-year-old Nabra Hassanen of Reston. That plea bargain requires the judge to impose a sentence of life without parole, in exchange for eliminating a potential death sentence.

Hassanen’s death received widespread attention amid concerns her slaying was motivated by anti-Muslim sentiment. Prosecutors, though, say Martinez-Torres attacked her after he got out of his car to chase Nabra’s group of friends in a road-rage confrontation.

Martinez-Torres is a native of El Salvador; immigration authorities say he was in the country illegally.

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