A teenager was sentenced to life in jail for the murder of a classmate in Hebei

Two teenagers were punished by a Chinese court in relation to the March killing of their classmate.

The 13-year-old Hebei province youngsters, who went by the last names Zhang and Li, plotted to kill their friend Wang and split his wealth between them.

The youngsters buried Wang in an abandoned vegetable greenhouse after attacking him with a shovel, the court said in a statement released Monday. The judge characterized the situation as “vile” and their acts as “especially cruel.”

Li was given a 12-year prison term, and Zhang was given a life sentence. The sentencing brings an end to a vicious case that, when it was first reported, caused significant public outcry.

Wang’s family and attorney disclosed in March that three students had been harassing him at school on a regular basis. The court also mentioned that Wang and Zhang and Li had previous disagreements.

According to the court, a third teenager who was at the scene and went by the last name Ma was not punished criminally.

Zhang used a scooter to entice Wang to the greenhouse on March 3rd, and Li and Ma followed on a different scooter. Li told Ma of Zhang’s plot to murder Wang during the trip. When they reached the greenhouse, Zhang threw a shovel at Wang, and Li helped him. Ma left the area after seeing the assault.

After burying Wang, Zhang and Li left together. Zhang then sent funds to himself and Li from Wang’s WeChat account using Wang’s phone. Additionally, he took Wang’s phone’s SIM card out and told Ma to throw it away.

After Zhang, Li, and Ma were approached by police, Ma finally escorted them to the location of the crime. According to the court, Zhang was the primary perpetrator since he planned the crime and encouraged others to join in, which ultimately led to Wang’s demise.

Li was considered an accomplice since he shared the funds with Zhang and took an active part in the crime. According to authorities, Ma would receive education and correction, which is a common practice for young people who commit crimes.