See also: Shapiro/Gaudet Murders: Slightly Less Redacted Police Reports Released
See also: Michael Crane "Refused" to Go to Court Today
See also: See also: Michael Crane Indicted in Murders of P.V. Couple and Bruce Gaudet
See also: P.V. Murders: Heavily Redacted Arrest Report Released
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office announced that it will seek the death penalty for Michael Crane, who's facing first-degree murder charges in the deaths of Paradise Valley couple Glenna and Lawrence Shapiro, as well as Phoenix businessman Bruce Gaudet.
The MCAO notes the "especially cruel manner" in which Crane's accused of killing the victims, as well as his prior convictions.
According to court documents previously obtained by New Times, police believe Lawrence and Glenna Shapiro were robbed, bound, then shot and killed in their home by Michael Crane on January 30.
Crane then set the house on fire and drove the Shapiros' car away from the scene, according to the documents.
The county medical
examiner's office declared Glenna Shapiro's cause of death as two bullets
being fired into the back of her head, and although Lawrence Shapiro was shot in the face, the medical examiner said he actually died from smoke inhalation.
Four days prior to the Shapiros' death, police say Crane broke into Gaudet's condo, shot him, lit his place on fire, and took his car too.
Since February, Crane has been acting like a weirdo in court, and is trying to represent himself in the trial.
Crane's facing three counts of first-degree murder, three counts of kidnapping, six
counts related to arson, two counts of burglary, one count of armed
robbery, and one count of theft of a means of transportation -- in addition to his new indictment on unrelated charges, which pegs him with nine more felonies from a previous theft and burglary.
Crane's still locked up on $3 million bond.
