The trial of a Maryland woman charged in the gruesome killing and dismemberment of her mother has begun inside a Prince George’s County courtroom.
Prosecutors say 46-year-old Candace Craig brutally killed her 71-year-old mother, Margaret Craig, in May 2023. They said she dismembered her mother’s body with a chain saw and tried to burn body parts on a grill and in a bonfire in the backyard of the home on Hill Road in the Landover area. At the time of her arrest, authorities said Margaret Craig had recently asked her daughter about fraudulent credit card purchases.
During opening statements, Assistant State’s attorney Julia Hall said Candace Craig was supposed to be the caregiver, but that she wasn’t taking care of her mother, she was taking advantage of her. Hall added that Candace Craig seemed indifferent that her mother seemingly disappeared.
Two relatives of Margaret Craig took the stand on Thursday.
Her nephew testified that he spoke to his aunt on a regular basis but started to grow worried when a few days passed without hearing from her. Then he had a dream that something had happened, and he headed right over there. While Margaret Craig’s car was there, no one was answering the door.
Eventually, he did get inside, and peeked around the house a little bit, but said he left because he felt Candace Craig was lying.
Then the daughter of Margaret Craig’s cousin, a woman named Jillian Philbert, testified that she had gone into the basement of the home, knowing Margaret Craig had fallen down the steps in recent weeks. She said she smelled a terrible odor and noticed several trash bags strewn around.
“Really trashy” is how she described it. She said she left the basement when she noticed Candace Craig and her daughter Salia Hardy closely watching her in the basement. Hardy is also facing charges and is accused of helping cover up Margaret Craig’s killing.
Questions about Candace Craig’s honesty came up repeatedly during the trial’s first morning, with prosecutors saying she continued to point the finger at anyone she could, including her own daughters, two of whom deal with either physical or mental challenges. One of Candace Craig’s defense lawyers told the jury during his opening statement that while his client had indeed liked to police, she did not kill her mother.
During his statement, Yahshuah Ford also told the jury that tampering with evidence and improperly disposing of a body isn’t the same as murder. But he admitted the facts of the case will be tough for anyone to listen to.
Candace Craig is charged with murder, evidence tampering and improperly disposing of a body. The trial is expected to run through the end of next week.
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