Rena Cassandra Crandell, 23, of Halethorpe, MD
UPDATE 5/9/2018: 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.
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.
4/15/2016: Charles County Sheriff’s detectives assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division have arrested Rena Cassandra Crandell, 23, of Halethorpe, MD, and Reigel Paul Wamack, 23, of Fairfax, VA, in connection with a homicide that occurred in January. On Jan. 12, two men entered a house in the 11500 block of Terrace Drive in Waldorf. They displayed guns, demanded money and then shot and killed a resident, Michael Keith Beers, 34; his acquaintance, a 32-year-old male, was able to escape by jumping out a window. A female, who was inside the house during the home invasion, fled. Detectives pursued leads and subsequently identified the female as Crandell and later determined she conspired with the suspects to rob the victims. She was arrested on April 10 in Baltimore. Detectives also identified one of the gunmen as Wamack. He was arrested on April 14 at 7 a.m. at his residence in Fairfax, VA.
Both Crandell and Wamack were charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, and robbery. Crandell is being held at the Charles County Detention Center with no bond, and Wamack is being held in Fairfax pending extradition to Charles County. Detectives are pursuing leads to identify the third suspect. Anyone with additional information is asked to call Det. C. Shankster at (301) 609-6513. Tipsters wishing to remain anonymous may contact Crime Solvers by calling 1-866-411-TIPS, texting CHARLES + the tip to CRIMES (274637) or submitting tips online at tipsubmit.com.
At this time a booking photo of Reigel Paul Wamack is not available, we will update this article when it becomes available.
Rena Cassandra Crandell, 23, of Halethorpe, MD
