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A 20-year-old German man has been convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison for killing a child and a 22-year-old acquaintance.

News agency dpa reported Wednesday that the Bochum state court chose to sentence the defendant as an adult, though it could have judged him under milder juvenile law.

Marcel Hesse, through his lawyer, admitted during his trial to the two killings. In March, he allegedly lured a 9-year-old neighbor out of his home in the western city of Herne and then stabbed him. The discovery of the body prompted a three-day manhunt before Hesse turned himself in.

Police later found the body of a former school friend of Hesse's at a nearby apartment, while pictures of the crimes, allegedly posted by Hesse, surfaced online.

The motive remains unclear.