Prosecutor eyes death penalty in soldier militia killings, government overthrow plot

Published November 23, 2015

FILE 2011: U.S. Army Sgt. Anthony Peden, 25, left, and Pvt. Isaac Aguigui, 19, are led away in handcuffs after appearing before a magistrate judge at the Long County Sheriffs Office in Ludowici, Ga. (AP)

Prosecutors say Michael Roark, 19, right, and Tiffany York, his 17-year-old girlfriend, were gunned down because an anarchist militia group wanted to keep its plans secret. (WSAV.com)

A prosecutor says he will seek the death penalty against one of three Georgia-based soldiers accused of killing two people to protect an anti-government militia.

District Attorney Tom Durden said in Long County Superior Court on Thursday that he will seek the death penalty for Army Pvt. Isaac Aguigui.

Aguigui, Sgt. Anthony Peden and Pvt. Christopher Salmon of Fort Stewart are scheduled to be arraigned Thursday on charges of malice murder, felony murder and criminal gang activity in the Dec. 4 slayings of former soldier Michael Roark and his girlfriend, 17-year-old Tiffany York.

Prosecutors say the soldiers were part of a secret militia operating within the U.S. Army that was stockpiling weapons and wanted to overthrow the federal government.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/us/prosecutor-eyes-death-penalty-in-soldier-militia-killings-government-overthrow-plot