HAZELTON — The government will seek the death penalty against two federal inmates who allegedly murdered two inmates, according to The United States Attorney’s Officer in the Northern District of West Virginia.
Michael Owle, 29, of Cherokee, North Carolina, and Ruben Laurel, 39, of San Antonio, Texas, are charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, a press release stated.
The two are prisoners at USP Hazelton, in Hazelton. They are accused of repeatedly stabbing two other inmates on Aug. 29, 2012, which resulted in the death of Anthony M. Dallas, 31.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions made the decision and issued the directive to seek the death penalty in both murder cases and the pair face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the assault charge.
Contributing to the decision to seek the death penalty are the intent Owle and Laurel had and the intentional acts of violence that resulted in the victim’s death. The press release claims the two committed the crime after a “substantial” amount of planning and premeditation.
Both men have been convicted of two or more felonies.
Owle is being held at USP Florence ADMAX, Colorado and Laurel is being held at USP Coleman II, Florida, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons website.
