In a disturbing case that shocked the community, Candace Craig, 45, has been found guilty of murdering her mother, Margaret Craig, aged 71. The conviction followed an intense eight-day trial, where the jury found Candace guilty of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, tampering with evidence, and improperly disposing of a body.

The crime occurred in June 2023 when Margaret confronted Candace about credit card fraud. During this confrontation, Margaret threatened to report her daughter to the police, leading Candace to choke her mother to death in a fit of rage.

After the murder, Candace enlisted the help of her 19-year-old daughter, Salia Hardy, to dispose of the body. Salia later testified against her mother after pleading guilty to her involvement in the crime. She discovered her grandmother’s remains stuffed in a blue plastic container in their home and assisted Candace in dismembering the body using a chainsaw. They even attempted to burn parts of Margaret’s body on a grill in their backyard.

Margaret’s remains were found more than a week later when police performed a welfare check after neighbors reported not seeing her. When officers entered the home, Candace led them to the basement, where they were hit with the smell of decomposition. There, they found bloodstains and plastic trash bags containing body parts and evidence of the crime, including tools used for cutting.

Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy expressed her outrage over the case, highlighting Margaret as a loving and caring person who was tragically killed by her own daughter. She remarked on the gruesome nature of the crime, stating that it left a profound impact on the entire region. Salia Hardy has already pleaded guilty to being an accessory to murder for her part in disposing of her grandmother’s body.

This tragic incident serves as a reminder of the severe consequences of family conflict and the extreme measures some may take in desperate situations.