U.S. Justice Department and Death Penalty Policy

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has authorized federal prosecutors in California to seek the death penalty against three alleged MS-13 members accused of murdering a cooperating witness in South Los Angeles, according to an April 8 memo obtained by CBS News. Blanche directed First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bilal Essayli of the Central District of California to pursue capital punishment for Roberto Carlos Aguilar, Dennis Anaya Urias and Grevil Zelaya Santiago, who are charged with murder in aid of racketeering. Prosecutors say MS-13 leadership issued a "green light" order after learning the victim was helping federal authorities, and that Urias and Santiago allegedly carried out the February 18, 2025 shooting at a grocery store. About an hour before his death, the victim twice called authorities, reporting that gang members had just tried to shoot him but the gun misfired; during the second call, gunshots can be heard on the line, according to a Justice Department release. The charges carry a mandatory life sentence and make the defendants eligible for the federal death penalty if convicted, underscoring the Blanche‑led DOJ’s willingness to revive and aggressively use capital punishment in gang and witness‑intimidation cases.