Chinese scholar's killer sentenced to life in prison

A federal judge on Thursday sentenced Brendt Christensen, a former University of Illinois doctoral student, to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the kidnapping and killing of Chinese scholar Zhang Yingying after a jury said it was unable to reach a unanimous decision on the death penalty.

"The jury has spoken, and the trial is over, but Yingying is not home," said Zhang's father, Zhang Ronggao, at a brief news conference following the sentence.

"We ask the defendant to unconditionally tell us what he knows about Yingying's location," the father said. "If you have any humanity left in your soul, please help end our torment. Please let us bring Yingying home."