PHOENIX, AZ (August 29, 2012) - Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery today filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Michael Lee Crane (D.O.B. 6/9/1980) if he is convicted for the murder of Bruce Gaudet or either of the murders of Lawrence and Glenna Shapiro, all three of which took place in January 2012.

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 26^th, 2012 homicide of Bruce Gaudet and the January 30^th 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 remains in custody on a $3 million bond. His next scheduled court appearance is a Complex/Capital Case Management Conference on September 18^th before the Honorable Warren Granville.

The death penalty notice is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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