UPPER MARLBORO, MD – A Maryland woman faced a life sentence without parole on Wednesday after being convicted of the gruesome murder and dismemberment of her 71-year-old mother. Candace Craig, 46, killed her mother, Margaret Craig, over a credit card dispute on May 23, 2023, and subsequently attempted to incinerate the evidence with assistance from her daughter, Salia Hardy, authorities stated.
Prosecutors were dumbfounded during the sentencing hearing, describing the incident as something out of fiction. “This happens in movies and books, not in real life,” remarked the assistant state attorney, emphasizing the unimaginable nature of Craig’s actions against her family.
Salia Hardy, 21, who has learning disabilities that made her vulnerable to coercion, pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to murder. Her attorney highlighted her susceptibility during the trial to explain her involvement in the crime.
Judge Karen Mason of Prince George’s County Circuit Court voiced her disbelief, deeming the crime “so unimaginable” as she delivered the sentence. Assistant State’s Attorney Shauna Coleman refrained from divulging the gruesome specifics to honor the memory of the victim, Margaret Craig.
During trial proceedings last October, Hardy testified against her mother following a plea agreement. She recounted hearing her grandmother scream the night of the murder. Though her mother assured her something had simply fallen in the basement, Hardy later discovered her grandmother’s deceased state in a storage bin.
Hardy further revealed her mother’s plans to eliminate evidence, which included using acid, burning the body, or dismemberment. The two allegedly purchased materials for disposing of the remains, but the ensuing fire from the attempted incineration drew neighbors’ attention and led to intervention before the body could be entirely destroyed.
Police were notified on June 2 about a welfare concern for Margaret Craig and arrived to find a house permeated with the scent of decomposition. Upon investigation, they discovered remains in trash bags and evidence of a mechanical saw’s use in dismemberment.
The investigation revealed 67 segments of remains, albeit not a complete set, as described by Assistant Medical Examiner Dr. Pamela Ferreira. Evidence showed signs of burning and mechanical dismemberment, with the death officially categorized as a homicide by undetermined means.
Judge Mason’s final comments reflected on the tragic transformation from a life well-lived to such a disturbing end, acknowledging that only Candace Craig truly knows the full details of the horror that transpired.
