The doyen of English common-law, Lord Chief Justice Sir Edward Coke (and that's pronounced "cook" - usual English muddle about names), 1552-1634, gave this definition:
There must be, lst. Sound mind and memory in the agent. By this is understood there must be a will, and legal discretion. 2. An actual killing, but it is not necessary that it should be caused by direct violence; it is sufficient if the acts done apparently endanger life, and are eventually fatal. (Emphasis supplied.)
It's not an exaggeration to say that Coke's writings (which glossed and expanded on those of 15th c. judge Sir Thomas Littleton) were the foundation of English common law, which is of course the foundation of our system.
So except to the extent that judges in England were also "politicians" (and they always are, to some extent), it was the judges who made the English common law who came up with a definition of murder that includes felony-murder.
For murdering a thug maybe they should get some kind of penalty reduction for lowering community costs and strife.