A woman from Maryland, United States, will soon be released from jail after assisting her mother in dismembering her grandmother’s body with a chainsaw and attempting to burn the remains.
Attorneys successfully argued that Salia Margaret Hardy, 21, acted under her mother’s coercion due to her learning disabilities, which made her vulnerable to manipulation.
Judge Karen Mason of Prince George’s County Circuit Court accepted this argument and ruled in Hardy’s favour, as reported by The Washington Post.
On Wednesday, Hardy pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact and gave key testimony against her mother, Candace Craig, 46. The judge determined that the 550 days Hardy spent in jail were sufficient punishment for her involvement and imposed probation conditions focused on rehabilitation.
Under the terms of her release, Hardy will undergo psychiatric and psychological evaluations and be subjected to drug and alcohol testing. Additionally, she must secure employment, engage in vocational training, and work with a mentor or life coach. Her probation will last for five years.
Assistant State’s Attorney Shauna Coleman voiced no opposition to Hardy’s release, praising her testimony during Craig’s trial in October.
“I have never seen such bravery on the part of a cooperator,” Coleman said, emphasizing that Hardy’s testimony was pivotal in securing justice for her grandmother.
Hardy recounted in court that on May 23, 2023, she heard her grandmother, 71-year-old Margaret Craig, scream from inside their home. Her mother instructed her not to enter the room afterward.
The next day, Hardy noticed her mother had scratches on her chest and arms, prompting her to defy orders and check her grandmother’s room. Inside, she discovered Margaret’s body in a bin, a trash bag covering her face, and bloodstains on the carpet.
Hardy testified that her mother became angry when she found out she had entered the room but still refused to explain what had happened. Days later, the two went shopping for items like charcoal, gasoline, and a lighter, which Hardy claimed were part of her mother’s plan to burn the body in their backyard.
However, when neighbors noticed the flames and the fire department was called, they had to abandon the attempt.
Her mother subsequently ordered a chainsaw online and dismembered the body. Police later discovered bags containing body parts in the basement after concerned relatives requested a welfare check on Margaret, for whom Candace was supposed to be the primary caregiver. Margaret’s death was ultimately classified as a homicide, although the exact cause remained unclear.
During Candace Craig’s October trial, prosecutors presented graphic evidence of the dismembered and burned remains. They argued that financial disputes fueled the crime, as Margaret had confronted Candace about fraudulent use of her credit cards.
The jury needed little more than an hour to return a guilty verdict on charges of first- and second-degree murder, tampering with evidence, and improper disposal of a body.
Following the verdict, State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy expressed deep frustration and commitment to justice.
“Words cannot express how devastated I was when I heard about this case, how angry I was, how committed my office was to getting justice,” she said, highlighting the extensive effort involved in building the case.
Braveboy also expressed concern for Candace’s children, acknowledging the lasting trauma they would endure. “You have to live with this. You have three young girls who knew—who now know—that their mother killed their grandmother, dismembered her body, tried to set her on fire, and then tried to blame them,” she stated. “I can’t even imagine the therapy, the support, everything the going to need to grow into strong young women. This-it’s almost unbelievable it happened. It happened.”
Judge Mason encouraged Hardy to honour his grandfather’s memory by building a positive future. “Make your life her legacy,” she urged, “something that she can be proud of.”
