A man has been sentenced to life in prison nearly two decades after the rape and murder of a Philadelphia teenager.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Rafael Crespo received a life-sentence without the possibility of parole Thursday in Philadelphia. The 49-year-old man also received 15 to 30 years for sexual-assault charges.
Crespo was charged in the strangulation murder of 17-year-old Anjeanette Maldonado, whose nude body was found in a vacant city house on the 1700 block of N Hope Street in October 1996.
DNA evidence connected Crespo to the crimes in 2012. He then confessed to accosting her.
Crespo's attorney has argued that his client left Maldonado alive. Crespo waived his right to a jury trial in exchange for prosecutors not seeking the death penalty.
The defense told the judge that Crespo plans to appeal.
