Man from St. Louis County convicted of killing roommates

CLAYTON, Mo. (AP) – A man from St. Louis County has been convicted of stabbing and beating his two roommates to death in 2016.

The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said in a news release that 48-year-old John Hamm was convicted Friday of two counts each of first-degree murder and armed criminal action, and one count of theft of a motor vehicle.

Police say Hamm confessed to killing 46-year-old Robert Hall and 41-year-old Shannon Larock on July 12, 2016 after an argument over rent money.

The defense conceded that Hamm killed the victims but said the killings were not premeditated, which is required for a first-degree murder conviction.