Former Laurel, Maryland, Police Chief, David Crawford, has received multiple life sentences and 75 additional years for his serial arson attacks that spanned nearly a decade.

The backstory: Crawford was linked to a series of arsons across various Maryland counties from 2011-2020, causing damage to several vehicles and buildings.
* For years, investigators were unsure of the arsonist’s identity, until Crawford was arrested in 2021.
* Crawford was charged based on evidence such as a “target list” of victims and surveillance videos tracing his actions.
* Crawford, during his law enforcement career that spanned decades, had repeatedly made pledges to protect his community.

Developments in the courtroom: He has been sentenced to eight life terms and an additional 75 years.
* Due to some terms running concurrently, Crawford, at 71 years of age, is set for an “executable prison sentence” of two life terms.
* Criminal charges include eight counts of attempted first-degree murder, three counts of first-degree arson, and one count of first-degree malicious burning.

Motivations behind the crimes: Crawford targeted victims due to personal disputes, professional grudges, and even racial and social factors.
* He even directed his anger towards his chiropractors and incited fires after disagreements over concepts such as “white privilege.”
* Some of his victims included former colleagues, a woman who disagreed with him on a committee, his stepson’s family, and police and city officials he believed had worked against him.

Convicting evidence: Valuable evidence against Crawford included surveillance videos, a document titled “Target List” found in his home, and digital data proving his activity during the timeframes of several attacks.
* “The horror and nature of arson is so deeply powerful in its impact… that it is only fitting the defendant spend the rest of his natural life behind bars,” said prosecutor, Richard Gibson.
* Despite the horrifying impact of Crawford’s crimes, no one but Crawford was reported injured during the arsons.

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