Anthony Crater shot and killed a man after he and three others lured the victim to the hotel to rob him.
RICHMOND, Texas — A Michigan man who shot and killed a robbery victim at a hotel south of Houston three years ago will spend the rest of his life in a Texas prison.
A Fort Bend County jury convicted Anthony Crater of capital murder on Wednesday for his role in the shooting. Prosecutors didn’t seek the death penalty, so Crater was automatically sentenced to life without parole.
Crater and three others lured two men to the Stafford hotel on April 30, 2022, to rob them.
One of the victims tried to escape, so Crater shot and killed him.
“Mr. Crater made a conscious decision that night that his victim would not escape him. In the end, the defendant senselessly took the life of a young man over a few material possessions,” lead prosecutor Milo Fragoso said. “His actions and blatant disregard for human life not only merited the capital murder charge, but the ultimate consequence of a life sentence without parole that comes with that conviction.”
A second defendant, Jessie Cook, was handed a 50-year sentence after pleading guilty to murder in May.
Charges against defendants Kaylin Johnson and Syandra Patterson are still pending.
“I am so proud of my prosecutors and the police, who dedicated so much time to get justice for the victim’s family,” Fort Bend County District Attorney Brian M. Middleton said. “I cannot imagine their pain, and pray the result helps close this difficult chapter in their lives.”