Man sentenced to life for killing teen on the way to church

Antonio Cochran was sentenced to life for murdering Zoe Hastings on 2015. (DALLAS POLICE)

A man has been sentenced to life in prison for brutally raping and killing an 18-year-old girl who was returning a Redbox movie on her way to church.

A Dallas County jury took just six minutes to sentence 37-year-old Antonio Cochran to life for murdering Zoe Hastings in 2015.

Hastings' father, who testified in court on Monday, told Cochran, “I hope you remember my face,” according to the Dallas Morning News.

Zoe Hastings was killed in October 2015.(FACEBOOK)

While Hastings' parents called for Cochran to be sentenced to life, the convicted murderer will be eligible for parole after serving at least 30 years.

Prosecutors initially sought the death penalty, but reversed course after experts found he is intellectually disabled.

Cochran abducted the teenager when she stopped at a Walgreens to return a Redbox movie on Oct. 11, 2015.

He drove her to a nearby creek bed and sexually assaulted her before slashing her throat, authorities said.

Hastings’ parents went looking for her when she didn’t turn up for dinner and managed to track her down through her phone.

Major Max Geron of Dallas Police during a press conference after DNA linked Cochran to the crime scene where Zoe Hastings was found dead. (DALLAS POLICE)

Police were already at the scene when they arrived at the creek bed where Hastings’ body was found with a bloody pocket knife nearby.

Cochran has a lengthy criminal history, and was arrested in 2014 for raping his ex-girlfriend's 17-year-old daughter. Cochran was found not guilty in that case.

- ny news