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Former Laurel Police Chief David Crawford, of Ellicott City, 71, will likely spend the rest of his days with some of the people he helped lock up after being sentenced to eight life sentences, plus 75 years in prison, for a serial arson case, the Howard County State's Attorney's Office announced on Tuesday, June 27.
The State's Attorney's Office noted that "Crawfords actual executable prison sentence is two years plus 75 years due to some of the sentences running concurrently."
Crawford has been linked to a dozen different arson cases that spanned the course of nine years until he was apprehended and convicted earlier this year of:
- Eight counts of first-degree attempted murder;
- Three counts of first-degree arson;
- Malicious burning.
He was arrested in March 2021 in connection to 12 arsons that happened in Howard, Frederick, Charles, Montgomery, Anne Arundel, and Prince George’s counties between 2011 and 2020.
Crawford has been in custody since.
According to prosecutors, investigators were able to track down surveillance video in many cases where Crawford displayed a similar pattern of starting the fires with gasoline.
Each of the cases had been investigated separately in different jurisdictions and when surveillance video was discovered, the arsonist’s identity was hidden, in many of the cases, by a sweatshirt with a hood drawn tightly around their face, Prince George's County officials said. "The arsonist exhibited a similar pattern of behavior using gallon jugs filled with gasoline and a stick wrapped in cloth to set the fires.
"Also there was a similar, but very generic vehicle description, a silver sedan, in several of the cases."
He was ultimately linked to multiple cases in 2020 after they learned that Crawford had previous disagreements with multiple victims. A search of his home in January 2021 uncovered additional evidence, including a list of possible targets that were known to him.
Fires highlighted by officials during the prosecution include:
- At approximately 3:05 a.m. on March 5, 2017, fire and police responded to a vehicle fire in the 2900 block of Country Lane in Ellicott City;
- Shortly before 4:20 a.m. on June 23, 2017, first responders investigated a reported arson in the 6000 block of Avalon Drive in Elkridge, where a family of five was sleeping inside;
- Early on Dec. 9, 2017, and Sept. 22, 2018, in the 4000 block of Spring Meadow Drive in Ellicott City, where Crawford set fire to a house twice, including once when it was undergoing renovations from the initial blaze that was set.
Victims include a former City of Laurel official, three former law enforcement officials, including a former police chief, two relatives, two of Crawford’s chiropractors, and a resident in his neighborhood.
State's Attorney Rich Gibson made note that Crawford is the former Police Chief for the City of Laurel, where he served from 2006 until his resignation in 2010 before his resignation. Prior to that, he was a Chief of the District Heights Police Department and served as a Major for the Prince George’s County Police Department.
“This was a very challenging case that spanned nearly 10 years and involved a dozen fires in multiple jurisdictions,” Gibson said when Crawford was convicted.
“We are incredibly grateful to the prosecutors who expertly tried this case and to the jury who carefully reviewed the evidence and the law enforcement officials and fire agencies that helped provide the crucial evidence needed to reach today’s result.”
Investigators say that none of the civilian victims of the fires were connected to Crawford through his law enforcement career.
"The horror and nature of arson is so deeply powerful in its impact and complete in its destruction in the victim's peace of mind that it is only fitting that (Crawford) spend the rest of his natural life behind bars," Gibson said. "These families have waited several years for justice, and we are grateful to play some part in delivering that for them.
The State's Attorney also made note that there is now justice served for Crawford's victims, some after years of waiting.
"These families have waited several years for justice and we are grateful to play some part in delivering that for them," Gibson continued.
"It is particularly egregious that someone who dedicated their life to law enforcement and was the chief of police at some point in their career would take it upon themselves to engage in conduct that was evil and terrifying in its nature."
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