He will also have to pay $75,000 in reparations to the family of the woman he killed, Stephany Flores.
Five years earlier, Van der Sloot was the last person seen with Natalee Holloway, the Alabama teen who disappeared during a trip to Aruba. Holloway's family is still hoping to have him prosecuted in the United States.
Under the terms of today's sentence, Van der Sloot would remain jailed until 2038 -- but he could become eligible for parole after serving half the sentence.
His victim's father, Ricardo Flores, complained after today's verdict that Van der Sloot is enjoying favorable conditions in a Lima prison, where foreigners with money can buy better treatment.
He's been living apart from the general population. Unconfirmed news reports, denied by authorities, say he has had a TV and a video gaming console.
