Death Penalty On The Table For Killer Of Israeli Embassy Staffers

U.S. Attorney General for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced on Thursday that the government is weighing seeking the death penalty for Elias Rodriguez, the man accused of killing Israeli Embassy staffers Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim earlier this year.

“This begins the statutory process of whether to seek the death penalty,” Pirro said. “This is a weighty decision. It takes time.”

Pirro said Attorney General Pam Bondi will decide whether to seek the death penalty after getting advice from a special unit that reviews such cases.

???? U.S. Attorney @JudgeJeanine Pirro unseals a 9-count indictment against Elias Rodriguez for the heinous murders of two Israeli Embassy staff outside D.C.’s Capital Jewish Museum. pic.twitter.com/YQSMoVzJdr

— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) August 7, 2025

Lischinsky, 30, and Milgrim, 28, were allegedly shot and killed by Elias outside of an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in May. Lischinsky was a German-Israeli dual citizen and devout evangelical Christian. He immigrated to Israel at 16, served in the Israel Defense Forces, and began working as a political analyst at the embassy in 2022.

He was planning to propose to Milgrim, who grew up in the Kansas City suburbs and was a full-time employee at the embassy’s Department of Public Diplomacy.

Rodriguez, 31, from Chicago, was detained by police and shouted “Free Palestine,” according to law enforcement and a viral video of him in custody. He allegedly told a police officer near the scene that he “did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.” He also pre-scheduled his “explication” to be published on his X account, where he advocated for violence against Israelis.

“This Justice Department will not tolerate violence motivated by hatred of faith or national origin, and we will enforce our federal civil rights laws accordingly,” said Harmeet K. Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice.

According to the DOJ, Rodriguez fired approximately 20 shots at Lischinsky and Milgrim.

Pirro unsealed a nine-count indictment against Rodriguez, including two new counts of committing a hate crime and two counts of assault with intent to kill. Rodriguez was previously charged on May 22 with the murder of a foreign official, firearm offenses, and first-degree murder.

“This office will leave no stone unturned in its effort to bring justice to the innocent victims of Elias Rodriguez,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia. “The hate charges shed further light on his evil intent in the killing of innocent victims.”