Former Laurel police chief convicted of 'revenge fires' plans on appealing life sentences
BALTIMORE - David Crawford, the former Laurel Police Chief convicted for a series of "revenge" fires in six counties in Maryland over a decade, plans to appeal his life sentences.
He was sentenced on Tuesday to eight life sentences.
Crawford,71, has maintained his innocence throughout his trial, and his attorney said he plans to appeal the court's ruling.
Crawford, 71, was found guilty in March of eight counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of arson and a count of malicious burning. He was arrested in March 2021.
Prosecutors said Crawford, a convicted serial arsonist, was motivated by the slightest of grudges, using gasoline to burn people's cars, garages, and homes.
Howard County State's Attorney Rich Gibson told WJZ he is pleased with this sentence and hopes it brings peace to the victims of the fires.
"I think there is true evil in the world and I think this is an example of that," Gibson said.
Crawford will only serve two of his life sentences plus 75 years because some of those sentences will run concurrently.
"You'd expect someone like that, to have a sense of honor, a sense of fair play a sense of justice, empathy, and he had none of those things," Gibson said.
Crawford was convicted in March for intentionally setting fires at homes in Ellicott City and Elkridge between 2017 and 2018.
Prosecutors said Crawford was caught on camera in the act.
He's also accused of setting fires in Frederick, Montgomery and Prince George's counties.
Gibson said Crawford was linked to the crimes through several pieces of evidence, including surveillance video and a list of names prosecutors say Crawford kept of people he felt slighted him in personal or professional ways.
According to Gibson, some of Crawford's victims included a City of Laurel official, law enforcement officers, relatives, his chiropractors and one of his neighbors.
Some of the victims were inside their homes when Crawford set the fires.
"Those fires didn't just burn up their things, it burned up their sense of community, protect their sense of safety," Gibson said. "What home means to them is forever altered. It's terrible what they've suffered."