A former nursing home employee was sentenced Wednesday to 12 years in prison for the murder of an 84-year-old female resident in February.

The Kanazawa District Court determined that Masaru Matsuda, 28, a part-time employee at Group Home Takamatsu in Kakoku, Ishikawa Prefecture, intended to kill Kimiko Takayama when he caused burns on her body by placing an oil heater close to her for an extended period.

"The accused recognized that the victim might die," presiding Judge Mitsuru Horiuchi said.

Prosecutors had demanded a 13-year sentence.