GILBERT, Ariz. - A man has been sentenced after the brutal murder of his stepfather, and trying to kill his mom in Gilbert back in November.
What we know:
On Nov. 22, Gilbert Police responded to a welfare check at a home near McQueen and Elliot roads after a caller said she was supposed to grab dinner with her 91-year-old dad, but he wasn't answering the door. Inside, officers said they found Oscar Casdorph 'bludgeoned to death with a hammer." His 81-year-old wife was found to have been repeatedly struck with a hammer, but had survived the attack.
The wife's son, Gary Crawford, who was Casdorph's stepson, had then stolen their cellphones and his stepdad's bank card, withdrawing $1,500, according to detectives.
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The suspect, identified by Gilbert Police as Gary Crawford, is accused of murder and other offenses in connection with the weekend incident.
When officers arrived at the home, they found that Crawford, who had recently moved into their Gilbert home a few weeks before, was missing, along with one of the couple's vehicles. Police later tracked the stolen car the following morning in Glendale, and arrested him.
"This defendant’s family took him in, and he betrayed them in the worst way imaginable," said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. "This sentence ensures he spends the rest of his life in prison, exactly where he belongs. My thoughts are with the victims' families as they continue to grieve and try to heal."
Dig deeper:
Crawford pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and attempt to commit first-degree murder. On Sept. 23, the attorney's office announced that he was sentenced to natural life in prison, along with another 21 years for murder and attempted murder.
Map of the nearby area of the incident.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from the Gilbert Police Department; Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell; the Maricopa County Attorney's Office; and previous reporting by FOX 10.