Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery has filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Michael Lee Crane, if he is convicted for the murder of Bruce Gaudet or either of the murders of Lawrence and Glenna Shapiro. The notice identifies aggravating factors of the especially cruel manner in which the defendant committed these murders and prior convictions for other serious offenses.
Last February, a Maricopa County Grand Jury indicted Crane on three counts of First Degree Murder for the January 26th, 2012 homicide of Bruce Gaudet and the January 30th homicides of Lawrence and Glenna Shapiro. He was also charged with kidnapping, burglary, arson, armed robbery and theft of means of transportation in connection with the murders. Crane was indicted on additional charges on August 10, 2012 for a motorcycle theft that took place in December 2011, and an attempted murder and burglary that took place two days after the Shapiro murders.
Crane searched the Internet to research for targets for burglary and theft.
The Shapiros, an elderly couple, were found in their burning home with their wrists and feet bound with television cables, speaker wire and a heating-pad cord.
Bruce Gaudet was also a random target for theft. He was tied up and shot before the condo was set ablaze and his car was stolen.