US to seek death penalty for suspect in killing of Israeli embassy staff members
Key takeaways
- The US Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, on Friday filed a notice of intent to seek capital punishment for three out of 13 total charges against 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez.
- Prosecutors allege Rodriguez opened fire on the couple - Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, 26 - outside the Capital Jewish Museum before shouting "Free Palestine" during his arrest in May 2025.
- Pirro's office will seek death if Rodriguez is found guilty of the charges of murder of a foreign official, discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, and causing death through the use of a firearm.
Why this matters: a developing story that could shape the day's news cycle.
Grace Eliza Goodwin AFP via Getty Images People attend a candlelight vigil for Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim across from the White House in Washington, DC on 22 May 2025The US government is seeking the death penalty for the suspect charged with killing two Israeli embassy staff members in Washington DC last year.
The US Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, on Friday filed a notice of intent to seek capital punishment for three out of 13 total charges against 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez. President Donald Trump has embraced the federal death penalty after his predecessor Joe Biden limited its use.
Prosecutors allege Rodriguez opened fire on the couple - Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, 26 - outside the Capital Jewish Museum before shouting "Free Palestine" during his arrest in May 2025.