The brutal murders of a 7-year-old girl and her uncle were apparently spurred by a tattoo-loving gunman and a plot to pay off his next bit of ink with game consoles, according to Indianapolis prosecutors.
Jeremy Crane, 21, and his niece Kyleigh Crane were shot as they lay on the ground during a robbery turned violent, according to the formal filing of murder charges, the Indianapolis Star reports.
Prosecutors say that Michael Bell Jr, 22, offered to give tattoo artist Jeremy Priel, 25, a Playstation 3 in exchange for tattoo work. Bell told police that he and Priel went to the home of Crane, a former co-worker, and asked to use the bathroom. As planned, Priel pulled a gun on Crane and his niece ordering them and Bell to the ground, according to his statement.
Bell told police that Priel then shot Crane twice, first wounding him and then killing him with a shot to the head. Bell said he then stepped over the bodies to grab a PlayStation 3 and an Xbox. He said he ran out of the house with the consoles before the girl was shot.
Priel says it was Bell who killed the two, later giving him the consoles, which he then sold for cash and drugs. Both men were arrested on Sunday after the person who bought the consoles become suspicious of the deal when they spotted blood on the PS3. The prosecutor says he is considering the death penalty in the case.
Slayings suspect told of ruse to steal video-game systems, court filings show [Indianapolis Star]