The woman worked at the pharmacy and was attacked outside its entrance, centrally located in the small town, on the morning of April 2 last year. It was said early on that the perpetrator likely chose his victim on completely random grounds.
During the trial, two experts have established that the man is seriously mentally ill due to long-term substance abuse. Therefore, he is deemed not to have been accountable at the time of the crime and is sentenced to care.
The knife used was found in a trash can near the pharmacy and the man's DNA was found on the knife. The deed was also captured by surveillance cameras. Two days later, the perpetrator was arrested.
The court writes in the verdict that the man, just a few months before the murder, threatened two boys with a knife, and that it was only a coincidence that no one was stabbed and injured then.
The 64-year-old, who initially pleaded not guilty at the start of the trial, has not provided any explanation for the incident.
The man is also to pay damages of 250,000 Norwegian kronor to the woman's relatives.
Arendal is located on Norway's south coast and has around 40,000 inhabitants.
