Shadeed Abdulmateen, a United States citizen charged with intentional homicide, was sentenced to death in a first-instance trial on Thursday, according to a judgment statement from the Ningbo Intermediate People's Court in Zhejiang province.

According to the court, in early 2019, the defendant Abdulmateen, who worked as a teacher at a college in Ningbo, met the victim, a woman surnamed Chen. He falsely claimed that he was divorced and single and gradually established a relationship with Chen.

During mid-to-late May 2021, Chen attempted to break up with Abdulmateen several times but he refused and threatened her verbally.

At around 8 pm on June 14, 2021, having arranged to meet and talk with Chen, Abdulmateen arrived at the meeting place near a bus stop in Ningbo, carrying a flip knife with him.

At around 9:48 pm, he stabbed Chen in the neck with the flip knife several times. After Chen lost the ability to defend herself, Abdulmateen continued to stab her, resulting in her death.

According to the Ningbo Intermediate People's Court, the defendant killed Chen deliberately, which constitutes an intentional homicide.

The court held that it was a premeditated killing.

The Ningbo court said it has fully protected the defendant's litigation rights, including obtaining interpretation and visits by US consular officers in China.

According to Chinese laws, the defendant can appeal the ruling of a first-instance trial.

In addition, the Supreme People's Court, China's top court, will review every death sentence ruling by lower-level courts before the sentence is carried out.

Yu Yinin Ningbo contributed to this story.