A man has been sentenced to consecutive life terms in prison for a 2018 double homicide and armed robbery in Estero.
United States District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell handed down the sentence to Craig Austin Lang, 35, following his conviction on several charges, including robbery and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
Lang was also ordered to pay $10,886 in restitution to the victims’ families. He was extradited from Ukraine in 2024 and found guilty by a jury on Sept. 15.
Craig Lang. CREDIT: LCSO
By Matias Abril
On April 10, 2018, two individuals, identified as S.L., Jr. and D.L., were found dead in Estero from multiple gunshot wounds. They had traveled from Brooksville to purchase firearms, but the deal turned deadly when Lang and another individual robbed them of $3,000.
Lang had fought in Ukraine and planned to fight the Venezuelan government, using the robbery to fund his travel. His co-defendant, Alex Jared Zwiefelhofer, was previously convicted and also received two consecutive life sentences.
The case was investigated by the FBI and Lee County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.Â