Federal prosecutors announced on Wednesday that they had secured an indictment detailing nearly ten charges against Elias Rodriguez, in connection with the brutal murders of Israeli Embassy staff members Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim earlier this year, CNN reported.
The indictment includes charges of premeditated murder and hate crimes resulting in death. Additionally, the Justice Department has been authorized to pursue the death penalty, marking a significant step in this high-profile case. If pursued, this would be the first death penalty case out of Washington, D.C., in several years.
This move also reflects the Justice Department’s successful effort to convince a grand jury that Rodriguez’s actions were motivated by antisemitism. The legal step is a crucial one, as proving hate crime motivation will be pivotal in securing a conviction.
Rodriguez has yet to enter a formal plea and has remained in federal custody since the shooting on May 21.
Prosecutors presented surveillance footage that allegedly shows Rodriguez approaching Lischinsky and Milgrim as they were leaving the Capital Jewish Museum. The footage reportedly shows him firing at the victims multiple times, before leaning over them to fire several more rounds after they had fallen.
Milgrim, according to prosecutors, attempted to crawl away but was pursued by Rodriguez, who allegedly shot her again before reloading his firearm and shooting at her once more as she began to sit up.
Rodriguez expressed vitriol against Israel both online and at the scene of the murder, including his comment to police after his arrest: "I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza."
Rodriguez had posted online in May 2024, “please please please god please vaporize every Israeli 18 and above so these kids have some chance at being human.”
Additionally, prosecutors claim Rodriguez authored a document related to Israel’s war in Gaza, which he allegedly planned to upload online after the shooting. This document reportedly contained calls for violence against Israelis.
In their indictment, prosecutors stated that Rodriguez’s actions were premeditated and especially cruel. They argued that the manner in which he allegedly killed Milgrim, "was especially heinous, cruel, and depraved," justifying the potential for the death penalty.