State v. Rena Cassandra Crandell, K16-368
LA PLATA, MD—Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County announced that on Tuesday, May 8, 2018, Charles County Circuit Court Judge H. James West sentenced Rena Cassandra Crandell, 25, to 15 years in prison and an additional 20 years suspended time for the First Degree Burglary of Michael Beers and Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery.
On April 12, 2017, pursuant to a plea agreement, Crandell plead guilty to the charges for which she was sentenced. The agreement included that Crandell, if called as a witness, would testify truthfully in any of her co-defendants’ cases.
On January 12, 2016, officers responded to the 11500 block of Terrace Drive in Waldorf for the report of a shooting. While on the scene, officers found Michael Beers with multiple gunshot wounds to his body, as well as bruises and abrasions. Beers was pronounced dead on scene.
An investigation revealed that two masked men, one armed with a gun, arrived at the house earlier that evening in an attempt to rob Beers. Upon entrance to the residence, the masked men discovered victim Edward Glaze, Jr. asleep in the living room, then physically assaulted him and demanded him to enter a room occupied by Beers and Crandell. The owner of the residence was also forced to enter the room.
While in the room, a struggle ensued between Beers, Glaze, and both masked men. During the struggle, a ski-mask was removed from one of the men, revealing his face. Beers was shot multiple times at close range by the masked suspect during the struggle. Prior to the struggle, Crandell walked out of the room without incident. Edward Glaze escaped during the struggle by jumping through a closed window in the bedroom. The owner of the residence remained in the bedroom throughout the incident but was unharmed. After shooting Beers, the two suspects fled the scene.
The ski mask that fell off during the struggle was sent to the Maryland State Police laboratory. Results from a DNA analysis of the mask were consistent with co-defendant Reigel Paul Wamack being present during the attempted robbery and murder. Wamack also fit the homeowner’s description of the unmasked man.
The investigation also revealed that Crandell conspired with her co-defendants to rob Beers. In a statement to police that allowed the police solve the murder, Crandell admitted her role in the crime. Crandell indicated she was an acquaintance of the victim and that she was dropped off at the house by her co-defendants earlier that night. She had sex with Beers and waited for him to go to sleep. Once he did fall asleep, Crandell unlocked the front door for her co-defendants; that is how the co-defendants entered the residence. Crandell rode back to Baltimore with her co-defendants after the murder. At the trial of one of her co-defendants, Crandell did testify to her role in the crime.