SUN CITY, AZ — One Sun City home is at the center of two separate homicide investigations.
The trial for a landlord accused of first-degree murder after beating his tenant for being behind on rent is scheduled for late September.
October 27, 2024
Court documents allege that in October 2024, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office received multiple reports of an assault on 70-year-old Thomas Galatola.
Galatola had been renting a home near 99th Avenue and Bell Road from 63-year-old George Crater, who lived in Washington state.
The documents said that Galatola fell behind on payments, so Crater flew down to “confront the renter about not paying rent.”
Crater reportedly sent photos after the assault to family members and to his boss, who reported the crime.
A day later, Galatola told police that Crater had tied him up, beat him, cut his palm open and even allegedly said, “You'll be dead this afternoon."
Shortly after making a statement to investigators, Galatola had trouble walking and was in pain. He was taken to a hospital and died of a cerebral hematoma.
Crater now faces first-degree murder, kidnapping and burglary charges.
Galatola’s son, James Galatola, described his father as a “wonderful person who we were all lucky to know.”
He said his father was a role model of kindness.
“My dad is the absolute last person that I would have ever imagined being the victim of a violent crime,” James Galatola said. “The senselessness and brutality of the attack, coupled with the planning that went into it, shocked everyone involved and it's been impossible for any of us to truly wrap our heads around what happened.
Crater’s trial has been moved from the end of July to the end of September.
Crater has declined to respond to ABC15's request for an interview.
June 19, 2025
Fast forward eight months, another tragedy struck the Crater home, this time involving neighbors.
Search warrants detail what deputies in Maricopa County were allegedly told on scene the night of June 19.
The warrants say neighbor Gary Mertz was watching over the crater's home when George Crater’s brother and mother returned to the property.
Mertz's wife told deputies that her husband thought the two people inside were breaking in.
He allegedly went next door and shot both of them multiple times before going outside and taking his own life.
The mother, Mickey Crater, died while the brother, Dwyane Crater, survived.
People who live nearby told ABC15 crews on scene that the entire situation is “bizarre.”
MCSO is still investigating the case as a murder-suicide.
