Prosecutors have accused a Maryland woman, Candace Craig, of murdering her mother, Margaret Craig, dismembering her with a chainsaw, and allegedly attempting to burn the remains in a backyard fire.
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Details On Maryland Woman Accused Of Allegedly Dismembering Her Mother
PEOPLE reports that Candace Craig is now on trial facing murder charges related to her mother’s death. Per WUSA9, police found Maragaret Craig’s remains in trash bags in the basement of her Hyattsville home in May 2023.
Beginning Oct. 30, Candace’s daughter, Salia Hardy, testified over two days, admitting to being an accessory after the fact. According to ABC7, Hardy said the incident began when her grandmother accused her mother of stealing money from her bank account. Before Hardy’s statement, ABC7 noted that the court listened to calls where Margaret Craig expressed frustration to her bank over missing funds. Authorities believe Candace murdered her mother after Margaret threatened to report her for allegedly taking money. “I don’t have money to pay my bills,” Margaret said on call recordings. Prosecutors also played audio in which Candace purportedly pretended to be Margaret to authorize a money transfer.
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Salia Hardy testified that she found her grandmother’s body in a blue bin with a trash bag over her head and blood on the carpet. When she confronted her mother, Candace allegedly suggested burning, using acid, or dismembering the body. Hardy also said Candace brought gasoline and grilling supplies to burn the body, but the fire spread, attracting attention from neighbors and the fire department, per Fox5. The next morning, Salia Hardy and Candace Craig reportedly moved Margaret’s remains inside after they had “cooled off.” Salia testified that Candace then brought a chainsaw on Amazon to dismember her mother’s body in the basement.
What’s Next For Candace Craig?
WUSA9 reports that if convicted, the most serious charge, Candace Craig, could face first-degree murder. The outlet states that this conviction might lead to a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
PEOPLE shared more information about the welfare check officers conducted at Margaret’s home. Officers performed a wellness check at Margaret’s residence on June 2, 2023, after a neighbor reported her missing. According to charging documents cited by WUSA9, authorities immediately detected the smell of decomposition and noticed blood near three white plastic garbage bags.
ABC7 News states that investigators found a small knife, cutting utensils, cleansing materials, and a foul odor in the basement. Additionally, they discovered a chainsaw with human remains on it, along with blood spatter and cleaning supplies.
