Will Serve A Life Sentence In Federal Prison

Federal prosecutors said last week they will not seek the death penalty for Esteban Santiago, a military veteran who has confessed to killing five people and injuring six others at Fort Lauderdale International Airport last January.

Santiago's defense team said that he has agreed to plead guilty in exchange for the life sentence, according to a report from the Sun Sentinel newspaper.

His offer has been accepted by prosecutors, but the judge in the case has ordered a mental health evaluation for Santiago to assure he is legally competent to plead guilty.

Santiago, an Iraq veteran, has a documented history of severe mental illness. He went to the FBI to ask for help two months before the shooting occurred, according to the report.

On January 6, 2017, Santiago purchased a one-way ticket from Anchorage, AK to Fort Lauderdale and placed his gun in his checked luggage. When he arrived at the airport, he retrieved the firearm, took it into a restroom to load it, and then opened fire in the baggage claim area.

The defense team said Santiago is sorry for what he did, and wanted to change his plea to guilty. He was indicted on 22 counts, 10 of which carry a maximum penalty of death or life in federal prison.

FMI: Original report