US won't seek death penalty in carjacking, killing of mother by man under federal monitoring
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Federal authorities have decided against seeking the death penalty for the upstate New York man who cut off his electronic monitoring bracelet, then raped a 10-year-old girl and killed her mother last year.
U.S. Attorney Richard Hartunian says the Justice Department has declined to authorize a death penalty prosecution on carjacking charges against David Renz.
He now faces life in prison at sentencing Friday in state court.
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Renz admitted he carjacked the two on March 14, 2013, in suburban Syracuse, stabbing and strangling the mother as she tried to stop him from raping her 10-year-old daughter. He had been under federal monitoring on child pornography charges.
Renz pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and sexual assault against a child, which could have been withdrawn if federal authorities sought the death penalty.