Syracuse, N.Y. - United States Attorney General William Barr has authorized the U.S. Attorney's Office in Syracuse to pursue the death penalty against William Wood who admitted to shooting and killing Stephen Gudknecht and Kristopher Hicks during the robbery of the Dewtitt Chili's.
Wood is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday to state charges he pleaded guilty to and faces life without parole.
The death penalty is not allowed in New York State and can not be set as a sentence by county or state judges, which is why federal prosecutors are involved.