Trial Begins For Woman Accused Of Gruesome Murder Of 71-Year-Old Mother

Candace Craig allegedly killed her mother, dismembered and burned the body on the backyard grill.

Candace Craig, a 46-year-old woman from Maryland, is standing accused of brutally murdering her mother, dismembering her body with a chainsaw, and then attempting to burn her remains on a grill behind their house. Margaret Craig’s remains were found by police in trash bags in the basement of the home in May of 2023.

Candace went on trial on Oct. 30 for the allegations lodged by prosecutors against her for her alleged role in the murder of her 71-year-old mother. As People reported, the testimony for the trial began and notably included Candace’s 21-year-old daughter, Salia Hardy, pleading guilty to accessory after the fact. She testified that her mother killed her grandmother after Margaret accused her mother of stealing money from her bank account.

Hardy recalled that on May 23, 2023, she heard a scream from inside the Maryland home and that her mother ordered her to stay out of Margaret’s bedroom. The following day though, Hardy testified that she entered her grandmother’s room and discovered Margaret’s body inside of a bin covered in trash bags.

Hardy described that after confronting her mother. Candace told her that they would need to dispose of the body — through means of burning it, dissolving it, or cutting it up.

Hardy admitted to some involvement through purchasing home grilling supplies and gasoline at Home Depot. The next day Candace attempted to burn Margaret’s body on the grill behind the home, but it reportedly failed since vigilant neighbors noticed the fire and called the authorities. Hardy assisted Craig in bringing the burned and cooled remains of Margaret back inside the home after Craig purchased a chainsaw from Amazon. Hardy alleged during her testimony that Candace dismembered her grandmother’s body in the basement of the home and placed the pieces inside trash bags.

Margaret’s remains were discovered later in June when police officers arrived at the home for a welfare check. Officers found three bloody white plastic garbage bags, a chainsaw with human remains on the blade, blood splatter in the basement, and cleaning supplies on the scene.