LIVE IN ORLANDO. I’M JUSTIN SCHECKER, WESH TWO NEWS. AN ORANGE COUNTY MAN IS ACCUSED OF SHOOTING AND KILLING HIS NEIGHBOR FOR PLAYING HIS MUSIC TOO LOUD. MICHAEL THRASHER APPEARED BEFORE A JUDGE FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY. WESH TWO LUANA MUNOZ IS LIVE FROM THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE RIGHT NOW. WITH WHAT HAPPENED IN COURT AND WHAT NEIGHBORS ARE NOW SAYING, LUANA. YEAH, THAT’S RIGHT. MICHAEL THRASHER DID APPEAR BEFORE A JUDGE FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY. VERY BRIEFLY, THE JUDGE GAVE HIM NO BOND, AND RESIDENTS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THE SHOOTING HAPPENED ARE HOPING THAT THIS SHOOTING WILL LEAD TO BETTER SECURITY IN THE AREA. MR. THRASHER, ARE YOU HERE TODAY? 32 YEAR OLD MICHAEL THRASHER APPEARED BEFORE AN ORANGE COUNTY JUDGE THURSDAY AFTERNOON FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE HIS ARREST. COURT DOCUMENTS SHOW ON JANUARY 21ST, ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES WERE CALLED TO THESE APARTMENTS ON MOSELLE AVENUE OFF OLD CHENEY HIGHWAY. DEPUTIES SAY THRASHER WALKED OUT OF HIS APARTMENT ARMED WITH A HANDGUN AND WENT TO HIS NEIGHBOR, ARNOLD PARTLOW’S APARTMENT TO CONFRONT. DUE TO EXCESSIVE VOLUME OF MUSIC OR NOISE. SURVEILLANCE VIDEO SHOWS THRASHER BANGING, KICKING, AND ATTEMPTING TO FORCE ENTRY BY TRYING THE DOOR HANDLE. WHEN OPENED THE DOOR, DEPUTIES SAY THRASHER STUCK HIS FOOT IN TO KEEP IT OPEN. DEPUTIES SAY AN ARGUMENT TURNED INTO A PHYSICAL FIGHT, WITH THRASHER HITTING PATILLO. THAT FIGHT CONTINUED OUTSIDE, WHERE THRASHER DREW HIS FIREARM FROM HIS WAISTBAND AND FIRED ONE ROUND INTO HIS CHEST, ULTIMATELY KILLING HIM. ONE NEIGHBOR WE TALKED WITH MOVED INTO THE COMPLEX THE DAY AFTER THE SHOOTING. WERE WE WORRIED A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THAT THIS AREA WAS CHANGING. IT’S ACTUALLY CHANGING FOR THE BETTER. I SPOKE WITH SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS AND IT SEEMS TO BE DOING BETTER, BUT IT DOES MAKE ME A LITTLE NERVOUS. WHILE DEPUTIES HAVE INCREASED PATROLS SINCE THE SHOOTING, NEIGHBORS WHO’VE LIVED THERE LONGER SAY THE AREA ISN’T ALWAYS SAFE. A LOT OF TRAFFIC GOES THROUGH HERE ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT, ANYWHERE FROM 11:00 AT NIGHT TILL SOMETIMES O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING. GET A LOT OF OVERFLOW, BECAUSE ON THE BACKSIDE OF BP, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THERE’S THE METHADONE CLINIC. THRASHER FACES CHARGES OF FIRST DEGREE FELONY MURDER WHILE ENGAGING IN A BURGLARY AND ARMED BURGLARY OF AN OCCUPIED DWELLING WITH BATTERY. AND THRASHER IS DUE BACK IN COURT ON FEBRUARY 3RD FOR A
Man shoots, kills neighbor during loud music dispute in Orange County, deputies say
Updated: 5:04 PM EST Jan 29, 2026
A man was arrested after he was accused of killing his neighbor during a confrontation over loud music in their apartment complex, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. On Jan. 21, the suspect, Michael Thrasher, allegedly walked out of his apartment armed with a handgun and went to his neighbor, Arnold Rapatalo’s apartment to confront Rapatalo due to excessive volume of music. Video surveillance shows Thrasher banging, kicking, and attempting to force entry by turning the doorknob, according to OCSO. When Rapatalo opened the door, Thrasher pushed it further open, sticking his foot inside.According to deputies, the verbal dispute turned physical when Thrasher allegedly struck Rapatalo. The altercation continued outside the apartment, where Thrasher allegedly backed away from Rapatalo, pulled a gun from his waistband and shot him in the chest.Rapatalo collapsed and later died from the gunshot, according to deputies. Thrasher appeared in court Thursday afternoon, where he was not granted bond. Deputies have increased patrols in the area, but neighbors tell WESH 2 they are still worried and that the area hasn’t always been safe. Thrasher is charged with first-degree felony murder while engaging in a burglary.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —
A man was arrested after he was accused of killing his neighbor during a confrontation over loud music in their apartment complex, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
On Jan. 21, the suspect, Michael Thrasher, allegedly walked out of his apartment armed with a handgun and went to his neighbor, Arnold Rapatalo’s apartment to confront Rapatalo due to excessive volume of music.
Video surveillance shows Thrasher banging, kicking, and attempting to force entry by turning the doorknob, according to OCSO.
When Rapatalo opened the door, Thrasher pushed it further open, sticking his foot inside.
According to deputies, the verbal dispute turned physical when Thrasher allegedly struck Rapatalo.
The altercation continued outside the apartment, where Thrasher allegedly backed away from Rapatalo, pulled a gun from his waistband and shot him in the chest.
Rapatalo collapsed and later died from the gunshot, according to deputies.
Thrasher appeared in court Thursday afternoon, where he was not granted bond.
Deputies have increased patrols in the area, but neighbors tell WESH 2 they are still worried and that the area hasn’t always been safe.
Thrasher is charged with first-degree felony murder while engaging in a burglary.