A North Carolina man accused of shooting to death three Muslim students in Chapel Hill may face the death penalty.
Craig Hicks, 46, was charged with three counts of murder for the deaths of Deah Barakat, 23, his wife, Yusor Abu-Salha, 21, and her sister, Razan Abu-Salha, 19, on Feb. 10.
Police said the incident may have been sparked by a parking dispute between Hicks and the three students, though the father of the two slain sisters says it was a hate crime motivated by a difference in religion. Hicks is an atheist.
Durham County District Attorney Roger Echols filed documents Feb. 25 indicating he intends to seek the death penalty for Hicks.
North Carolina currently has a moratorium on executions in place since 2007.
