The federal jury today sentenced Gary Lee Sampson to death for the killing of 19-year-old college student Jonathan Rizzo but gave him a life sentence for the killing of 69-year-old retiree Philip McCloskey.
The judge must follow the jury's decision.
Sampson's lawyers said he was brain damaged when he carjacked Rizzo and McCloskey, stabbed them more than a dozen times, slit their throats and left them to die in the woods.
Sampson was condemned to die in 2003 but later granted a new sentencing trial.
Sampson received a separate life sentence for killing a New Hampshire man the same week.