A former U.S. soldier, Craig Austin Lang, has been sentenced to two life terms for the murder of a Florida couple, a crime he committed during a robbery intended to finance his travel to Venezuela. The Justice Department announced the sentencing on Tuesday, highlighting the gravity of Lang’s actions, which were aimed at supporting his plans to join the fight against Nicolás Maduro’s government.

In September, Lang, 35, faced conviction on several federal charges, including robbery and conspiracy to commit murder abroad. Prior to his extradition to the United States, he had been in Ukraine, where he volunteered to combat Russian separatists. His actions have drawn sharp criticism from authorities. “Lang’s alleged conduct is shocking in its scope and its callous disregard for human life,” stated Nicole Argentieri, the principal deputy assistant attorney general of the Department of Justice’s criminal division.

The path to justice began with Lang’s extradition from Ukraine to the U.S., where he had to answer for multiple federal indictments dating back to 2019, including murder charges. Lang, alongside another former soldier, Alex Jared Zwiefelhofer, was implicated in the deaths of Serafin “Danny” Lorenzo Jr. and Deana Lorenzo. The couple, who traveled from Brooksville to Estero, became victims in April 2018 during what they believed was a legitimate gun purchase arranged through “Armslist,” an online marketplace.

This tragic incident unfolded in 2019 when Lang allegedly fled to engage in mercenary activities abroad. His actions, leaving behind a trail of violence and broken lives, underscore the complexities of international crime and justice.

Lang and another former soldier, Alex Jared Zwiefelhofer, killed Serafin “Danny” Lorenzo Jr. and Deana Lorenzo – who traveled from Brooksville to Estero – in April 2018 during what the couple believed was a meeting to buy guns advertised on “Armslist,” an online marketplace, federal prosecutors said.

Craig Austin Lang (left), an ex-US soldier, is accused of killing Deana Lorenzo (right) and her husband in a double homicide in 2019 before he allegedly fled the country to fight as a mercenary in foreign countries.  (Special to The News-Press)

The pair had brought $3,000 and were ambushed in a parking lot and shot multiple times, authorities said. The robbery was intended to fund travel plans for Lang and Zwiefelhofer to Venezuela, where they hoped to join a paramilitary group.

Lang was dishonorably discharged from the U.S. Army in 2014 before joining the far-right Ukrainian nationalist military group known as Right Sector two years later, according to The Washington Post.

Craig Austin Lang, an ex-US soldier, faces three federal indictments in three states going back to 2019 after fighting extradition from Ukraine for years, the Department of Justice said.  (East2West)

Lang and Zwiefelhofer had previously fought in Ukraine and intended to travel to fight in other conflicts.

Zwiefelhofer was convicted in 2024 and sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison.