Former Laurel police chief who set revenge fires handed multiple life sentences

BALTIMORE -- Former Laurel Police Chief David Crawford was sentenced Tuesday to eight life sentences plus 75 years for setting a series of 12 fires in six counties in Maryland over the course of a decade.  

Because some of Crawford's sentences are concurrent, his actual executable prison sentence is two life sentences, plus 75 years. 

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 was motivated by the slightest of grudges, using gasoline to burn people's cars, garages, and homes.

In what prosecutors called "very strong circumstantial case," detectives used cellphone data, relationships, computer searches and a target list on Crawford's phone.

Officials say the case started with a fire in Prince George's County in 2011. Crawford was also linked with a series of fires in Howard County between 2017-18. They were all deemed "incendiary" in nature, meaning there were no accidental sources found in the area of the fire.

Through the course of the investigation, it was determined that the structures and vehicles that Crawford intentionally set on fire were connected to victims with whom he or his wife, Mary, had previous disagreements.

All of the fires were set outside of the homes sometime around 3 a.m. when occupants would be sleeping inside.

The victims include a former City of Laurel official, three former law enforcement officials, two relatives, two of Crawford's former physicians and a resident in his neighborhood. One of the victims was his stepson.

Crawford is a former local law enforcement official who last served in 2010 when he resigned as Chief of the City of Laurel Police Department. He also served as police chief for District Heights and previously worked for the Prince George's County Police Department as a major in 2000.

Police also discovered a coded "target list" on Crawford's phone, according to charging documents.

Here's a chronological list of the Howard County fires: 

March 5, 2017 – 2900 block of Country Lane, Ellicott City, MD At approximately 3:05am, fire and police responded to a report of a vehicle fire. Fire was contained to the vehicle itself. Vehicle was unoccupied. 

June 23, 2017 – 6000 block of Avalon Drive, Elkridge, MD At approximately 4:19am, units responded for a reported house fire. On scene, units located a single-family dwelling with a fire located in the attached garage. The family, three adults and two juveniles, were inside the home sleeping at the time of the fire and escaped. Fire was determined to be arson. 

December 9, 2017 – 4000 block of Spring Meadow Drive, Ellicott City, MD At approximately 3:17 am, units responded for a reported house fire. Once on scene, crews found a single-family home with fire showing. The family, two adults and one juvenile, were home at the time of the fire and escaped. Fire was determined to be arson. 

September 22, 2018 – 4000 block of Spring Meadow Drive, Ellicott City, MD (same address as previous two fires on the same block) At approximately 3:45am, units responded for a reported house fire. The home was unoccupied as renovations had just been completed from the previous fire. Investigators determined the fire originated along the front of the house to include the garage and spread to most of the rest of the house.