Baltimore woman sentenced in relation to Waldorf murder

On April 12, 2017, Crandell pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary and conspiracy to commit armed robbery.

Investigators believe Crandell helped stage the attempted robbery which led to the murder of Beers.

On Jan. 12, 2016, Beers was targeted by two masked gunmen, who barged into the home, demanded money, and then shot the victim multiple times in the head, chest, hip and hand, according to charging documents.

Around 4:23 a.m., the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 11500 block of Terrace Drive for the report of a possible shooting. Upon arrival, deputies discovered the body of Beers in the house and began their investigation.

Based on initial findings, investigators believed there was another man, 32, and two women, one aged 52 and Crandell, in the house at the time of the shooting.

According to charging documents, in the summer of 2015, Beers met Crandell who worked as an exotic dancer at a gentleman’s club in Baltimore, and they dated a few times since then.

According to Assistant State’s Attorney Johnathan Stackhouse in court Tuesday, Crandell, who was also dating one of the gunmen, had a plan with three other men to rob Beers. Stackhouse said that Crandell sketched a map of Beers’ home.

He said that the plan was that Crandell would get Beers drunk and have sex with him, while the men robbed his home.

According to Stackhouse, around 2 a.m., Beers was awakened by Crandell knocking on his window. Beers let her in and it was “unclear if Beers had been drinking,” but he did have sex with Crandell, Stackhouse said in court.

Crandell then called and texted the men to come to the home, which they did, and Crandell let them inside.

A friend of Beers sleeping on the couch was awakened and then beaten by the men. Stackhouse said that Beers’ friend, the men, Crandell and Beers were all in Beers’ bedroom, where the men demanded money.

Stackhouse said that this is when Crandell acted like she was not involved and exited the home. The men then got into a physical altercation, which led to the fatal shooting of Beers.

The two men, the driver and Crandell then left the scene, leaving Crandell’s cell phone behind.

Later in the investigation, Reigel Paul Wamack, 25, of Fairfax, Va., who was identified as the gunman, Bryan Javier Aquice, 26, of Arlington, Va., who was identified as the second gunman and Christian Humberto Alvarez, 27, of Dale City, Va., who was identified as the driver, were arrested and charged with first-degree murder and other related charges.

Wamack and Alvarez took a plea deal; both of their sentencing hearings are scheduled for this summer. In April, Aquice was found guilty of all charges, including first-degree murder, in a trial; his sentencing has not yet been scheduled.

“There was an unbelievable amount of [investigative] work done in the case,” Stackhouse said.

He said that Crandell “deserves every minute” of the active time she was getting sentenced to Tuesday.

Beers’ “foster mother” who has known him for 15 years, also made a statement to the court Tuesday. She explained to the court that Beers lived in her home and she witnessed the men shoot and kill Beers that night.

“What she did to Micheal that night will stay with me forever,” she said.

She said that Beers was a father of three children, who are now ages 18, 15 and 3.

“I will never forget the image of what you did to Micheal,” she said.

Crandell’s defense attorney, Gerald Riviello, said that Crandell has been suffering from depression since she was incarcerated.

“I think she has a bad taste in men,” Riviello said.

Crandell also spoke to the court. She said that she was “truly sorry” and that she “wished that none of this took place.”

Before sentencing, Judge Jay West said that the violence was “senseless.”

“It wasn’t worth his life,” West said.

West also mentioned the fact that Beers was a father to three children.

He said that this was “easily” an above-the-guidelines case.

West sentenced Crandell to 25 years, suspended all but 15 years incarceration for the first-degree burglary charge and 20 years, all suspended, to be served consecutively for the conspiracy to commit armed robbery charge, as well as five years probation and restitution of $5,000.