Elias Rodriguez, the man accused of fatally shooting two Israeli Embassy employees outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night, could face the death penalty if convicted, according to a newly unsealed FBI affidavit. 

Rodriguez, 31, has been charged with the murder of foreign officials, a federal capital offense, along with multiple firearm-related counts and two counts of first-degree murder.

If convicted of either of the first two counts, he could face the death penalty. Under D.C. law, a conviction for first-degree murder carries a minimum sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life behind bars.

Rodriguez waived his right to a detention hearing and will be held without bond while he awaits trial. He was ordered back to court on June 18 for a preliminary hearing.

Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Washington Jeanine Pirro speaks during a press update on the fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy staffers at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., on May 22, 2025. (Drew Angerer/AFP via Getty Images)

Speaking at a press update on Thursday, interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Washington Jeanine Pirro said the community “is reeling as a result of one person’s actions.”

“Two families are now left to grieve for dreams that will never be realized,” she said. 

“And as I speak right now, there is an individual who is being presented in court and charged with various crimes. Thirty-one-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, Illinois, is now charged by complaint after his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharp.”

Rodriguez is charged with murder of foreign officials because one of the victims was an Israeli citizen and classified as an “official guest” of the United States by the State Department.

He is also charged with causing the death of a person through the use of a firearm, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of first-degree murder.