WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – The man accused of killing a young couple at the Jewish Museum in the nation’s capital is now facing new federal charges and potentially the death penalty. It’s part of a Trump administration pledge to crack down on antisemitism.
U.S. Attorney for D.C., Jeanine Pirro, announced a grand jury indicted Elias Rodriguez on nine charges, including hate crime and first-degree murder charges.
Investigators accuse Rodriguez of shooting and killing Israeli embassy workers Yaron Lichinsky and Sarah Milgram as they left an event at the museum in May.
Pirro says the death penalty is still on the table.
“The Attorney General herself will make a decision whether or not this office will seek death against Elias Rodriguez,” said Pirro.
This comes amid a nationwide push from the Trump administration to fight antisemitism in the U.S. which Pirro says she plans to aggressively enforce in D.C.
“Violence against anyone in this district will not be tolerated especially violence which has hate at its core,” said Pirro.
Rodriguez has not yet entered a plea. His next court appearance is Friday.