A 17-year-old teenager was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Tuesday, September 29, by the juvenile court of appeal in Strasbourg for the "murder" of a 59-year-old man in a shelter in Mulhouse in 2022, according to his lawyer, Sendegul Aras, who shared the information with AFP. The court followed the recommendations of the public prosecutor, Elise Wolton, and confirmed the original sentence handed down in 2025. The accused was found guilty of "murder" and "willful destruction of another person's property by a method dangerous to persons." This is the first time the teenager has been convicted of such serious crimes, despite having received at least three previous sentences while under the supervision of the juvenile judicial protection system. The incident occurred on November 3, 2022, in the late afternoon, when the teenager, who had recently arrived at a shelter in Mulhouse, stabbed another resident, Thierry Develle, 59 years old, multiple times with a knife. Later that night, the accused set fire to the victim's room in an attempt to destroy evidence. The motive behind the attack remains unclear, and the teenager exercised his right to remain silent during the appeal trial. The juvenile judicial protection system is designed to handle cases involving minors who have committed offenses, often focusing on rehabilitation rather than punishment. However, in this case, the court deemed the severity of the crime—resulting in the death of a 59-year-old man and an attempt to destroy evidence—warranted a long prison sentence. The teenager had previously been sentenced for other offenses, but those had not involved violence or criminal acts of this nature. The case has raised questions about the effectiveness of the juvenile justice system in preventing serious crimes by individuals under its supervision. While the system aims to provide support and guidance to minors, this case highlights the challenges faced by authorities in managing high-risk individuals. The teenager's actions have sparked discussions about the balance between rehabilitation and accountability in juvenile justice.