Candy Jo Webb

Summary

Snapped: Women Who Murder – Episode Summary: "Candy Jo Webb"

Release Date: July 20, 2025

---

Introduction

In the gripping episode titled "Candy Jo Webb" from the podcast Snapped: Women Who Murder, listeners are taken through the harrowing journey of Candy Jo Webb, whose actions led to the tragic death of her grandfather, AJ Hardin. Hosted by Oxygen, this episode delves deep into the complexities of family relationships, hidden motives, and the intricate investigation that ultimately unravels the truth.

---

Family Background

AJ Hardin was an 83-year-old man with deep roots in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. Born on April 2, 1938, AJ grew up in a small, tight-knit community and served in the Navy before settling into a life centered around his family and local businesses.

• AJ's Family Life:
  • Married to Virginia, AJ had three children: Shane, Tommy, and Candy Jo.
  • Tragically, Shane died in childhood, adding emotional strain to the family.
  • In the early 2000s, the family moved back to Fort Sumner, where they started a hamburger stand that became a family endeavor.

Candy Jo Webb, AJ's youngest daughter, faced numerous personal struggles:

• Early Life and Challenges:
  • Candy battled addiction in the 1990s, which strained her relationship with her family.
  • Despite these challenges, Candy was considered the "shining star" of the family, excelling academically and athletically.
  • Graduated high school in 2012 with aspirations to play college volleyball, supported by her family.

Notable Quote:

Reporter (02:52): "Candy Jo struggled with motherhood and maintaining relationships due to her battles with addiction."

---

The Discovery

On October 15, 2020, a gruesome discovery shook the small town of Fort Sumner. Chad Abeda, his father Louis, and Chad's son Aaron were exploring a makeshift dump site behind their rental property when they stumbled upon what appeared to be human remains in a toolbox.

• Initial Findings:
  • The skeleton had duct tape around its mouth and wrists, indicating restraint (04:09).
  • A business card was found inside the victim's shirt pocket, bearing the name AJ Hardin.

Notable Quote:

Medical Examiner (04:33): "As soon as I saw the tape, I knew at that point in time, we're dealing with a homicide."

---

Investigation Unfolds

The discovery prompted an immediate investigation by the Dbacca County Sheriff's Department and the New Mexico State Police. Initial inquiries pointed towards someone with family ties and a history of legal troubles.

• Focus on Aaron Hardin:
  • Aaron Hardin, AJ's grandson, became a person of interest due to his frequent visits to the dump site.
  • Despite his troubled past and strained relationship with Candy Jo, evidence began to suggest otherwise.

Notable Quote:

Detective (14:14): "After learning about Aaron Hardin, Michael talked to one of the deputies who was still on scene and asked him, who is Aaron Hardin? Turns out that Aaron Hardin is... his grandfather."

---

Shift to Candy Jo Webb

As the investigation progressed, discrepancies arose in Candy Jo Webb's statements and actions:

• Inconsistent Alibis:

  • Candy claimed to have placed AJ in a retirement facility but struggled to provide specific details about its location (19:06).
  • Her inability to recall the facility's name raised suspicions among investigators.

• Financial Motives:

  • It was uncovered that Candy had access to a joint bank account with AJ, using it to write unauthorized checks amounting to approximately $1,500 (32:22).

Notable Quote:

Family Member (32:54): "Candy Jo obtained the no trespass order so he couldn't tell A.J. but investigators now wonder if it was because A.J. was already dead."

---

Breakthrough and Arrest

Eight days into the investigation, a concerned source provided a pivotal lead:

• Garrett Bean's Testimony:

  • Garrett, Candy Jo's boyfriend, revealed that AJ had allegedly asked Candy Jo to help end his life. According to Garrett, Candy Jo administered muscle relaxers, leading to AJ's death, which she then disposed of in the tool chest (34:11).

• Candy Jo's Flight:

  • Upon this revelation, a search warrant was obtained, and authorities attempted to locate Candy Jo, who had fled to Jacksonville, Florida, using prepaid debit cards and purchasing a Greyhound ticket (37:39).

Notable Quote:

Detective (35:14): "She used that trailer to haul the tool chest with AJ's human remains in there to dump it out."

---

Trial and Conviction

During her interrogation, Candy Jo shifted her narrative from a supposed mercy killing to claiming AJ's death was accidental. However, investigators found her statements untrustworthy, citing numerous inconsistencies.

• Legal Proceedings:
  • Candy Jo pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, fraud, and tampering with evidence on July 27, 2022.
  • She received an 18-year sentence, with the possibility of being released in 12 years after accounting for time served and good behavior.

Notable Quote:

Detective (43:22): "We are now confident that Candy did murder AJ. Therefore, we set out an arrest warrant for her on October 28th."

---

Conclusion and Aftermath

The Fort Sumner community was left reeling from the betrayal and tragedy that unfolded within a familiar family. While Candy Jo Webb serves her sentence at the Western New Mexico Correctional Facility, the legacy of AJ Hardin remains a somber reminder of lost lives and fractured family bonds.

• Family Reflections:
  • Sean Perkins, Candy Jo's ex-partner, expressed disbelief and pain over the events, highlighting the deep emotional scars left by AJ's death and Candy's actions.

Notable Quote:

Family Member (45:19): "With good time, she may be out in 12 years. I don't feel that 12 years would be enough for someone that did something so atrocious."

---

Key Takeaways

• Complex Family Dynamics: The episode underscores how underlying family tensions and personal struggles can escalate into tragic outcomes.

• Investigation Nuances: The meticulous investigative work, including piecing together financial motives and personal relationships, was crucial in uncovering the truth.

• Impact on Community: AJ Hardin's death not only affected his immediate family but also sent ripples through the tight-knit Fort Sumner community, highlighting the far-reaching consequences of such crimes.

---

End of Summary

This detailed summary encapsulates the key elements of the "Candy Jo Webb" episode, providing a comprehensive overview for those unfamiliar with the podcast. Notable quotes with timestamps offer authenticity and depth, ensuring an engaging and informative recount of the events surrounding this true crime case.

Transcript

[Host]

Bravo is going from rodeo to rodeo.

[Reporter]

The McBee dynasty is coming.

[Host]

We've got to keep this family farm alive. And these cowboys mean business. I'm starting to question if left's parting ways may be the right decision.

[Detective]

Stakes are higher than they've ever been.

[Host]

We're at this different place in our life. You think you're the big boy now? You guys gotta work together.

[Detective]

Ain't nothing good can come out of this mess.

[Host]

We've been under FBI investigation and there may be prison time involved.

[Detective]

The McBee dynasty.

[Host]

New episodes Tuesdays watch Bravo on Peacock.

[Reporter]

There's one authority on this boat and it's me. Charter course for excellence.

[Detective]

The better we do, the bigger the tip. And everybody loves a good tip. New season. Here we go, boys and girls.

[Host]

Here we go.

[Detective]

New destination.

[Host]

Welcome to Sunnyside, Martin. This first class crew.

[Medical Examiner]

Love it. No, no, no, no.

[Host]

I'm shaking.

[Medical Examiner]

Serves five Star drama.

[Host]

I've got a guest that's very violent and I've got to get her off the boat. What?

[Detective]

Have I signed myself up too?

[Host]

All new below deck Tuesdays Bravo on Peacock.

[Reporter]

A gruesome discovery in a local junkyard upends a small New Mexico town.

[Host]

The face was all skeleton.

[Family Member]

The individual in the toolbox had been deceased for a while.

[Medical Examiner]

The pathologist was able to retrieve a small business card inside his shirt pocket. It was her name.

[Investigator]

He was described as a generous man who just kind of kept to himself.

[Reporter]

Investigators zero in on a well known troublemaker with family ties.

[Family Member]

He was a loose cannon.

[Medical Examiner]

The reason why we're here.

[Family Member]

Got a warrant for your arrest.

[Host]

Okay.

[Detective]

All right.

[Host]

He was always getting into trouble with the law. Police search. Warren.

[Detective]

Have you ever seen a big toolbox around the property?

[Host]

Yeah, there was six.

[Detective]

Mine.

[Reporter]

But the investigation will ultimately expose an unimaginable betrayal even closer to home.

[Host]

His health was declining.

[Family Member]

She would help him clean and cook.

[Investigator]

She was supposed to be taking care of him.

[Host]

I know. It looks so delicious and just horrible.

[Detective]

Do you think you kind of snapped that day a little bit?

[Host]

No, I snapped after I saw him do it.

[Reporter]

Fort Sumner, New Mexico is a high desert town with deep western roots.

[Medical Examiner]

It's where actually Billy the Kid supposedly is buried. It's a town for about maybe a thousand people. Small, tight knit community pretty much nothing to do over there unless it's family oriented.

[Reporter]

On the evening of October 15, 2020, Chad Abeda, his father Louis and Chad's young son are poking around a makeshift dump site behind their rental.

[Family Member]

Only a handful of individuals had access to that trash pit. This town's so little. We didn't have direct access to a dump all the time, so we kind of had to make do with what we had.

[Detective]

They observed a toolbox or tool chest that looked really nice. This type of tool chest normally goes behind a pickup truck.

[Medical Examiner]

They were like, oh, wow, it's a pretty nice toolbox. I mean, I could have use for this.

[Reporter]

When Chad moves to lift the toolbox, it won't budge.

[Detective]

It was so heavy that he couldn't pull it out himself. So they ended up getting some straps and they pulled it out together.

[Medical Examiner]

When they opened it up, there was blankets in there. When they were taking the blankets off, that's when they saw the skull. They're all like, man, back up. We're dealing with something else here. Let's call 911.

[Reporter]

The Dbacca County Sheriff's Department arrives, followed quickly by New Mexico State Police.

[Family Member]

Based off the decomposition of the body, it looks like the individual in the toolbox had been deceased for a while.

[Detective]

Based on the facial hair, the clothing, it appeared to be a male. The skeleton remains had duct tape wrapped around its mouth. It also had duct tape wrapped around its wrists.

[Medical Examiner]

As soon as I saw the tape, I knew at that point in time, we're dealing with a homicide.

[Reporter]

The medical examiner is called to the scene to collect the remains.

[Investigator]

There wasn't any identification on him except there was a medical card.

[Medical Examiner]

The pathologist was able to retrieve a small business card for a doctor's office with an appointment inside his shirt pocket with the name AJ Harding. The toe box with the body inside was then transported to the office of medical examiner. We did not have 100% confirmation, but we had our name. So we're trying to find out who's A.J. harding.

[Reporter]

Born April 2, 1938. A.J. hardin grew up in Fort Sumner. After a stint in the Navy, he married the love of his life, Virginia.

[Family Member]

It was your classic 1960s American marriage. They would take good care of each other. It was very loving. AJ Worked in the lumber industry cutting branches, and after that, he was a truck driver and he worked across the country. They moved back to Wellington, Texas, where Virginia's family's from. They had three children, Shane, Tommy, and Candy. Tragically, Shane passed away in his childhood. In the early 2000s, they moved back to Fort Sumner, New Mexico. Once they lived in Fort Sumner, they started a hamburger stand. AJ Virginia and Kennedy Sr. All helped with the hamburger stand.

[Reporter]

Eventually, their children grew up and started families of their own. In 1982, their youngest daughter, Candy, welcomed a son, Aaron, and followed by a Daughter Candy Jo.

[Family Member]

Virginia and AJ Were thrilled to be grandparents. They loved having their family around them and Virginia loved having everybody there in her home for every holiday.

[Reporter]

But Candy struggled with motherhood.

[Family Member]

Candy Sr. Tried to maintain the relationship with Aaron, Candy Jo's father. That didn't work out. He was not involved whatsoever. In the 90s, Candy started to also struggle with addiction. Candy Sr. Had some demons and she really truly didn't know what a healthy relationship was. Erin was eight years older than Candy Joe. He pretty much grew up with his grandparents, A.J. and Virginia. Candy lived with her mother off and on throughout her younger years. And when she wasn't living with her mother, A.J. and Virginia provided a roof over their head.

[Reporter]

Candy Jo flourished under the care of her grandparents.

[Family Member]

She was the shining star of the family. Candy Jo, she wanted to play volleyball in college. She wanted to get a degree.

[Reporter]

Aaron on the other hand, battled his own demons and he soon left his grandparents home.

[Family Member]

Aaron always kind of been the wild one.

[Host]

Aaron was always getting into trouble with the law. He had been caught breaking and entering and it was always a worry to Candy. She never fully trusted him.

[Reporter]

As Erin slipped away, Candy Jo's mother entered recovery and came back into her life.

[Family Member]

Candy Sr. Was very proud of Kenny Jo. She was that bull for eye. She could do no wrong. In those preteen and teen years, Candy Jo and Candy Sr. Started developing a relationship, a better relationship than they had when she was a child.

[Reporter]

In 2012, Candy Jo graduated from high school. With her family's support behind her, she was poised for success.

[Family Member]

She had a full ride to the University of Southwest to play volleyball. She was probably the first family member to go to college.

[Reporter]

But in the middle of her freshman year, Candi Jo's world came crashing down. When her mother passed away from a sudden illness, she took a break from school and returned to her grandparents home on Lake Fort Sumner.

[Family Member]

Despite her doing all these correct, life kept taking things away from her.

[Reporter]

Back in Fort Sumner, Candy Jo caught the eye of 27 year old Sean Perkins.

[Family Member]

We met at a rodeo there in Fort Sumner, but we kind of developed a relationship through our life goals. We didn't know our place in life quite yet and we kind of strived to figure that out with each other. AJ and Virginia are very kind and generous. They welcomed me like family. Once me and Kenny Jo started dating, it wasn't too long before we moved in with each other and Kenny and I learned that we were having a child kind of unexpectedly and we let family know and AJ and Virginia were very excited. So were My parents.

[Reporter]

But what should have been a joyous time soon turned tragic. In the spring of 2016, age started.

[Family Member]

Creeping up on AJ and Virginia had Crohn's disease, and she was a little iller after Candy got pregnant shortly after Ginger passed. Her grandmother was the sole person in the family. AJ was heartbroken, but he was very spiritual in that he knew this wasn't going to be the last that he's going to see her.

[Reporter]

Another blow came following the birth of Candy Jo's daughter in 2016, when AJ was diagnosed with cancer.

[Family Member]

Candy Jo would spend the majority of her time taking care of our daughter and her grandfather.

[Reporter]

Eventually, the pressure proved to be too much for the couple.

[Family Member]

Candy started pushing us away. She shifted into the party crowd. It felt like her interest wasn't being a mom anymore at the time. And the void between us just grew and grew.

[Reporter]

By 2019, the relationship was beyond repair.

[Family Member]

I packed up both me and my daughter. I thought it would be in the best interest for me to get custody due to me being the stable one. She agreed.

[Reporter]

Sean and his mother moved in together a couple of towns over from Fort Sumner, while Candy Jo returned to the home of her grandfather.

[Host]

She did mention his health and how it was declining. And Candy didn't know how much longer she was going to have with him.

[Family Member]

She would help him clean, cook. AJ was very, very happy that she was there.

[Reporter]

But on October 15, 2020, it appears AJ's end has come sooner when his potential remains are found in a trash pit. Given that the body had likely been there for weeks, the chances of finding anything useful are slim.

[Investigator]

When you're doing a crime scene, you never really know what is exactly important. So you're taking pictures of everything and you're looking at everything.

[Medical Examiner]

We did see a trailer there, and on that trailer, it had a flat tire. We didn't know whether it has something to do with the investigation or it doesn't, we thought.

[Detective]

Was this the trailer that was used to haul out the tool chest? From the minute that we saw the trailer, it just looked like anything else. But at the same time, it was still out of place for us.

[Reporter]

Investigators turn to the family of Chad Abeydah, the man who found the body and lives on the property. While Chad did not witness the trailer's arrival, he says his son did.

[Detective]

Weeks ago, he had observed a white pickup truck hauling a trailer, and they left the trailer there. He was unsure of whoever was driving the white pickup truck.

[Family Member]

The trash bin was accessible to anyone that knew it was back there, but it was not Visible from the road.

[Detective]

One of the questions that I asked the beta is did everybody have access to this mini landfill pit? And their answer was, if they do have access, they have to get permission from the homeowner.

[Reporter]

The boy's mother chimes in. She tells investigators there is one name that comes to mind. Erin Hardin.

[Medical Examiner]

She told us that the owner of the residence would allow Aaron Hardin to go there and be a handyman per se, clean the property up and allowing them access to the pit at any time.

[Detective]

After learning about Aaron Hardin, Michael talked to one of the deputies who was still on scene and asked him, who is Aaron Hardin? Turns out that Aaron Hardin is. He's a local. He does have his run in with law enforcement every now and then. And that's when he told me A.J. harding was Aaron's grandpa.

[Reporter]

Coming up, the search for Aaron Hardin proves difficult.

[Detective]

Decided to take off. Was he fleeing from us?

[Reporter]

And in an unexpected twist, is AJ Hardin actually alive?

[Detective]

We were completely shocked. Was that AJ inside the tool chest or was he in a retirement home?

[Reporter]

After finding a toolbox containing human remains in a makeshift dump site, New Mexico authorities, authorities believe they may belong to 83 year old AJ Hardin.

[Detective]

In the front pocket of the shirt was a doctor's card. Said next day appointment with the name of AJ Hardin.

[Reporter]

Investigators learn that AJ's 38 year old grandson Aaron Hardin is known to use the trash pit.

[Investigator]

Aaron Hardin had dumped trash there previously. He did chores there.

[Detective]

Is he the one that placed the trailer out there? Is he the one that took the tool chest out there? That was a lead.

[Reporter]

After locating Aaron's last known address, investigators head to his home.

[Medical Examiner]

We met with a man who was the owner of the residence who lived with Aaron. We were told that we were looking for Aaron and he told us that he wasn't there, that he was currently in Arizona.

[Detective]

Did he decide to take off? Was he fleeing from us?

[Reporter]

In the midst of trying to track Erin down, they get an update from the autopsy.

[Investigator]

They could not determine the cause of death due to the fact that the body was so deteriorated.

[Reporter]

However, the ME is closer to confirming the victim's identity.

[Detective]

The doctor did observe a hip replacement. His hip replacement had a serial number on it.

[Reporter]

While awaiting confirmation from medical records, investigators work off the assumption that A.J. hardin is the victim.

[Detective]

We decided just to hold that information so we don't jeopardize the integrity of the investigation.

[Reporter]

The day after the autopsy, they reach out to the owner of the rental property where the body was found.

[Investigator]

The residence was actually owned by a lady named Brenda Moyer, but she was renting it out to the Abeytas, and so investigators went to speak with her.

[Detective]

I asked Brenda, who's A.J. hardin? And she said that A.J. hardin was a very nice man. He's an older man. He's the grandpa to Candy Jo Webb and Erin Hardin. Brenda Moyer described Erin to be a very nice guy. He helps her out around the house. He helps her throw out trash into that pit.

[Reporter]

And that's not the only connection she makes for detectives.

[Investigator]

Her son, Sean Perkins had a daughter with Candy Jo Webb.

[Reporter]

Investigators ask to speak with Shawn. Shawn tells detectives that he and Candy Jo used to live in the home where the body was found and that Aaron often used the dump.

[Family Member]

We all kind of viewed Aaron. He was a loose cannon, if you will. It wasn't unusual for him to be gone for a period of time.

[Reporter]

When they ask Shawn about AJ he says that he and Candy Jo had a very special relationship.

[Family Member]

AJ Unconditionally loved her, and he was very happy that he was around his great granddaughter.

[Reporter]

Shawn reveals that a couple of months prior, in late August, Candy Jo made a difficult decision regarding her grandfather's care.

[Family Member]

Candy texted me, asking me, would it be a bad idea for my papa or AJ to go to a home? I told her that it's between you and him. So I texted her one day, asked her, did you send AJ To a home? And she told me, yes, I did.

[Detective]

We were completely shocked. Was that AJ Inside the tool chest, or was he in a retirement home? Where is he? At that point, we wanted to interview Candy.

[Reporter]

Investigators place a call to Candy Jo on the spot. She agrees to meet them at Brenda's and arrives shortly after.

[Detective]

Okay, so do you kind of know why we're here today or.

[Host]

What they told me was that a body was found.

[Medical Examiner]

We asked her if she knew who the person that was found inside that toolbox was. She told us she did not.

[Detective]

Do you have any idea who would want to drop the body off out there or anything like that?

[Host]

I remember the renter saying that my brother had went out there, like, two or three weeks ago and threw stuff in the pit and didn't tell Brendan.

[Investigator]

When asked about her brother Aaron, she talks about how he is always in trouble. She doesn't directly say that he's involved with it, but she definitely insinuates that.

[Reporter]

Candy Jo says that she tried to keep her distance from Erin, but he continued to come around the lake house.

[Host]

It used to be my grandpa's house. The deed is in my name now. It has been for years, I had a no trespass order against him.

[Investigator]

The reason that she said she did the no trespass order is they just weren't getting along, and she didn't want him around the property or her daughter.

[Host]

She was worried about him taking advantage of aj and maybe even her detectives.

[Reporter]

Ask Candy Jo about her grandfather.

[Detective]

Where's AJ At?

[Host]

Impostice care. I haven't talked to him in about a month.

[Detective]

She stated that she had placed AJ Harden in a retirement facility just outside Wellington, Texas.

[Reporter]

Candy Jo says the facility is about six hours away, but she can't recall the name.

[Detective]

You can always get it for us, right?

[Medical Examiner]

So the fact that she doesn't remember where she dropped them off, Big red flag. Big red flag.

[Reporter]

As they wait for Candy Jo to find the name of the nursing home, investigators look into the no trespass order she took out on Aaron.

[Host]

She was very protective of aj. He was that parental figure that she never really got.

[Reporter]

They find body cam footage from multiple visits to the lake house in the months prior, including an arrest over the summer for an unrelated charge.

[Medical Examiner]

He was there to serve a simple misdemeanor arrest warrant. He knocked on the door, someone opened the door and ended up being Mr. Agent Harden. We learned that Aaron was still living there at that time.

[Reporter]

Your dogs don't bite me.

[Medical Examiner]

Are you sure?

[Family Member]

Is Aaron in here?

[Host]

Come on, I gotta talk to you right quick.

[Detective]

Aaron came to the door.

[Family Member]

How you doing, man?

[Host]

What's up?

[Detective]

He was extremely cooperative.

[Medical Examiner]

So the reason why we're here.

[Family Member]

We've got a warrant for your arrest.

[Host]

Okay.

[Family Member]

All right, we're gonna have to take you in.

[Detective]

During the course of arresting Aaron, Lt. Ghana asked AJ how he was doing, and AJ disclosed that he was doing good.

[Investigator]

We know for a fact in the summer of 2020, that AJ was alive, and so that was extremely important.

[Reporter]

The footage also provides proof that Aaron and AJ appear to get along.

[Detective]

20 bucks when he was picked up on the arrest warrant. His grandpa even gave him some money before he left.

[Reporter]

On August 21, Candy Joe took out the no trespass order. But records show that in the following weeks, Aaron continued to show up at AJ's Lake House, where he was met by police.

[Family Member]

I'll follow you there, Mr. Harden.

[Medical Examiner]

He was trying to make contact with his grandfather.

[Detective]

Well, me and my sister don't. I'm not allowed out here no more. I haven't been able to get a hold of my granddad, and that's what I'm after.

[Reporter]

In an attempt to mediate, the officer places a call to Candy Jo. But she doesn't back down. Don't get pissed off.

[Host]

She goes, well, he has his telephone number.

[Family Member]

He can call him when he's getting ready to call him.

[Medical Examiner]

That's all she would tell me.

[Host]

She was a bit drunk.

[Family Member]

When AJ kind of got diagnosed with cancer and it was apparent that the end is coming. He treated his house over to Candy Joe because she was kind of the one family member that was probably the most stable.

[Medical Examiner]

We were still trying to make contact with Aaron. We know that Candy doesn't want nobody to have access to Agent Harden, and we're still trying to find out the reason why. At this point, both of them are person of interest.

[Reporter]

Coming up, an unexpected twist.

[Detective]

I could not find a retirement home in Texas called Trady Oaks anywhere. Her story's all over the place.

[Reporter]

A potential suspect hands over a lead.

[Detective]

The toolbox was at your grandpa's house. The last time I seen it, it was in there.

[Host]

Juggling credit card due dates versus paydays and all the bills in between can be a headache for anyone. Chime understands that every dollar and day counts. That's why when you set up direct deposit through Chime, you get access to fee free features like overdraft coverage, getting paid up to two days earlier with direct deposit and more. Getting your financial health in tip top shape means giving yourself the freedom to live your life by your terms. Chime is banking done right. Open a checking account with no monthly fees and no maintenance fees. Not to mention you get access to over 50,000 fee free ATMs, more than the top three national banks combined. Work on your financial goals through Chime today. Open an account in 2 minutes at chime.com snapd that's chime.com snapt. Chime feels like progress.

[Reporter]

Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services and debit card provided by the Bancorp Bank, NA or Stride Bankna members.

[Host]

FDIC Spot Me eligibility requirements and overdraft limits apply.

[Reporter]

Timing depends on submission, payment file fees.

[Host]

Supply at out of network ATM, bank.

[Reporter]

Ranking and number of ATMs according to US News and World Report 2023 time.

[Host]

Checking account required My favorite summer memories are all tied to fourth of July weekend spent on the Jersey shore. The beach, the weather and the people all make the perfect recipe for a great outing. No matter how hot your summer gets. Liquid IV can keep you hydrated for the adventures ahead. You can keep a stick of Liquid IV in your beach bag and be ready on the spot. It's so easy and convenient. All you need to do is Tear, pour, shake it up in your water and enjoy. Nothing beats in ice cold water with Firecracker Liquid iv. After some time on the beach, it's great for next day recovery too. If you like longer runs in the summer, you can explore Liquid IV's amazing sugar free flavors including delicious white peach or lemon lime. Just one stick and 16 ounces of water hydrates better than water alone. Powered by Liv Hydroscience. An optimized ratio of electrolytes, essential vitamins and clinically tested nutrients that turn ordinary water into into extraordinary hydration. Squeeze the most out of your summer with Liquid IV. Tear pour live more go to LiquidIV.com and get 20% off your first order with code snapped at checkout. That's 20% off your first order with Code [e-mail].

[Reporter]

New Mexico authorities have located human remains in a remote trash pit. While they suspect they belong to 83 year old AJ Hardin, his granddaughter claimed that AJ was safe and sound.

[Family Member]

Candy Jo explained to detectives that she had taken her grandfather to a facility in Texas.

[Reporter]

As authorities anticipate a call from Candy Jo with the name of the facility, they also await word from the medical examiner for the body's official id. Meanwhile, Erin Hardin is unaccounted for.

[Family Member]

Investigators know that there's one person they still need to talk to and that's Aaron. But first they still needed to confirm whose body was in the toolbox.

[Reporter]

Eager for answers, investigators reach back out to Candy Jo on October 20th.

[Detective]

Hey, I was just calling about that information that we were requesting.

[Host]

Yes, apparently one of my grandmother's sisters, his sister in law, took it upon himself to check him out of the retirement facility and now I'm not able to locate my grandpa.

[Detective]

Do you recall what the name was?

[Host]

Hold on. It was called. I have it written down right here. Shady Oaks Retirement Estate.

[Detective]

Immediately after hanging out with Candy, I looked up Shady Oaks. Could not find the Shady Oaks anywhere. So again, that was another red flag for us. At this point, Kandi Webb's looking like our our suspect.

[Reporter]

With this new discovery, suspicions around Candy Jo are mounting by the second. Then on October 21, six days into the investigation, officials receive much awaited news regarding the remains.

[Medical Examiner]

We received a call from the office of Medical examiner in Albuquerque.

[Investigator]

They were able to identify him through a serial number from a hip replacement and they 100% confirmed it was AJ Hardin.

[Medical Examiner]

Her story just completely deteriorated and fell apart.

[Reporter]

Investigators keep the identification to themselves, but use it to obtain a search warrant for the lake house where AJ Was last known to live with Candy Jo, they. Please.

[Host]

Search warrant.

[Detective]

They're clear.

[Reporter]

The search turns up no new evidence, but does inspire another phone call from Candi Jo.

[Medical Examiner]

Agent Villarreal received a telephone call from Candi Webb. She was inquiring why there was a search warrant.

[Detective]

Do you think you can meet us up at the State Police building so we could talk about it?

[Host]

Is it okay if I get in contact with my lawyer and just to have them there with me?

[Detective]

That's fine.

[Reporter]

With Candy Jo lawyered up, investigators begin reaching out to those close to her.

[Medical Examiner]

Sean told us that Candy Jo Webb had a new relationship, a new boyfriend by the name of Garrett Bean.

[Detective]

She didn't want to come in without an attorney to speak, so on the same day, we decided that we were going to locate Garrett BE.

[Reporter]

On October 22, detectives arrive at the Bean residence.

[Medical Examiner]

How you doing, brother? What's your name again?

[Detective]

Garrett Bean. So you kind of say you know why we're here.

[Host]

Well, that's what I was hoping you guys would tell me more about it, because I'm kind of in the gray on this.

[Reporter]

They ask him about aj, but his response is unexpected.

[Host]

Where's your grandpa?

[Family Member]

Her grandpa?

[Host]

Yeah.

[Family Member]

He passed.

[Detective]

How do you know he passed? She had told me.

[Medical Examiner]

Candy Whip had told him that Agent Harden had died in his sleep a couple months back. Okay. Apparently, she has been lying to you.

[Detective]

We disclosed AJ Harding did pass away, but it's not the way Kandi Webb told him. He passed away. A.J. harding's dead in that tool chest.

[Host]

I realized this was a lot more serious than I could have imagined, and.

[Detective]

I felt dumb at that point.

[Host]

I was just very blindsided.

[Medical Examiner]

Thank you.

[Reporter]

Following the interview, investigators release confirmation of AJ's death to the public, and the news reverberates through the small town.

[Family Member]

Both me and my mother were in disbelief of it all. We didn't understand what was going on.

[Reporter]

The news does prompt an unexpected phone call.

[Detective]

Aaron Hardin finally contacts me. Aaron said he was currently in Arizona, so I'm pretty sure you know what's going on.

[Host]

No, I don't. I don't know.

[Detective]

This is what I know. Okay.

[Host]

That my granddad is in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He passed away.

[Detective]

He learned that it was possibly his grandfather. I did tell him, yes. It's true. Did you have any issues with your granddad?

[Host]

Me and him, we were on good terms.

[Detective]

That's the terms we've always been on.

[Host]

We've never had no problems.

[Reporter]

He tells investigators that the real reason Candy Jo had the no trespass order issued was because he'd confronted her about stealing from A.J.

[Family Member]

They learned that Erin and A.J. shared a bank account. The day that Aaron received a no trespass notice, he had discovered that Candy Jo Webb had been writing hot checks using the joint account that he shared with his grandfather.

[Host]

Costed me about fifteen hundred dollars or fourteen hundred dollars worth of hot checks.

[Reporter]

Aaron says Candy Jo obtained the no trespass order so he couldn't tell A.J. but investigators now wonder if it was because A.J. was already dead.

[Detective]

Have you ever seen a big toolbox around the property? Yeah, there was.

[Host]

It was in the shop.

[Medical Examiner]

It's mine.

[Detective]

Toolbox was at your grandpa's house?

[Host]

The last time I seen it, it.

[Detective]

Was in the metal shed in the backyard. Okay. When we executed the search on the residence, days prior to, we didn't see a tool chest there. So we were fairly confident that we at least established the origin of where the tool chest came from. We just felt like Aaron Harden was not involved. Just based on his interview, based on his. The way he was explaining the love for his grandpa, how detailed he was.

[Investigator]

There's just more evidence piling up that this was Candy Jo Webb who killed her grandfather.

[Reporter]

Coming up, a concerned source comes forward with a shocking new claim.

[Host]

She told me that he had asked.

[Reporter]

Her to do it with her back against a wall. Will Candy Jo tell the truth?

[Host]

Had a net and muscle relaxers, and I made the day, but it wasn't.

[Detective]

I didn't like.

[Reporter]

Eight days after discovering the remains of A.J. hardin, detectives have zeroed in on his granddaughter, Candy Jo Webb, as their main suspect. The day after his first interview, Candy Jo's boyfriend, Garrett Bean, contacts investigators again.

[Detective]

Garrett wanted to give another interview with us to establish that he wasn't involved.

[Reporter]

Garrett and his attorney meet with investigators on October 26th. Garrett says that following his first interview with police, he met with Candy Jo at a local hotel.

[Host]

You know, at that point, I didn't know what to believe, what was true or what wasn't. You know, now I'm hearing a whole nother thing.

[Reporter]

According to Garrett, Candy Jo said that AJ had requested her hand help in ending his life.

[Host]

She told me that he had asked her to do it. She'd given him Xanax and Ambien, and he had passed in his sleep.

[Detective]

At that point. She ended up putting them in a tool chest and getting rid of them.

[Reporter]

Not only did Candy Jo tell him that she drugged A.J. garrett now believes Candy Joe called him in late August as she was disposing of the body.

[Host]

While she was, you know, disposing of trash, she had FaceTimed me because the tire had blown out on the trailer. I had told her, wait for me and I'll help you. But she was very adamant about just getting it done right then.

[Detective]

Once Garrett told us that, now we knew that she used that trailer to haul the tool chest with aj's human remains in there to dump it out.

[Reporter]

Investigators believe Garrett coming forward with the.

[Detective]

Information that he had. At that point, we felt like he wasn't involved. He was part of Candy webb's lies like everybody else was, and we cleared him.

[Reporter]

With Garrett's statement, authorities have what they need.

[Detective]

We are now confident that candy did murder aj. Therefore, we set out an arrest warrant for her on October 28th.

[Reporter]

But when they attempt to serve it, Candy Jo is nowhere to be found.

[Detective]

Candy was no longer in the area at that time. Sergeant Hernandez reached out to the U.S. marshals for assistance.

[Reporter]

Investigators seize phone and financial records to reconstruct candy Jo's men movements.

[Medical Examiner]

I was able to get a search warrant for her cell phone and started pinging in different places in bronzeville, Texas. From then, she went to mcallen, Texas, where she sold her grandfather's truck. We saw she was using a prepaid debit card at the time, and she bought a greyhound ticket to go to Jacksonville, Florida.

[Reporter]

For 77 days. Authorities stay one step behind until she arrives in jacksonville. Through her credit card charges, U.S. marshals pinpoint the location where candy has decided to hole up.

[Medical Examiner]

That radius is around a local criminal element hotel. It's going to be somewhere in that hotel room.

[Reporter]

On November 5, 2020, less than a month after the discovery of her grandfather's body, u. S. Marshals make their move.

[Medical Examiner]

Kandy webb is coming out of one of those hotel rooms. So they follow her to a nearby convenience store, gas station, and they arrest her. Deputy marshal that arrested her told me that she didn't even ask a single question. She was already expecting it.

[Reporter]

On December 1, 2020, Officers Hernandez and Villarreal interview candy Jo in the dbacca county adult detention center.

[Host]

What did this happen?

[Detective]

What did it happen?

[Host]

It was an accident. Everything, everything out afterwards that's f ed up what I did, but it was an accident.

[Reporter]

Instead of passing aj's death off as a mercy killing, Candy Jo now says it was an accident.

[Host]

Okay? He said his back was hurting me, had those mucio nets and muscle relaxers, and I gave them to him, but it wasn't. I didn't drug him and I didn't give him that ring. Skippy one too much maybe. I don't know. When I came back, he wasn't he wasn't ready.

[Reporter]

No.

[Detective]

When I asked Candy why did she tape AJ's mouth and wrist? She told me because she didn't want to look at his face when she was moving him. And taping his hands was the easiest way to move aj.

[Reporter]

But investigators aren't buying it.

[Detective]

In your mind that day, do you think you kind of snapped that day a little bit?

[Host]

No. I snapped after I saw him dead. That's what I snap.

[Detective]

It's just too many lies from the start of the investigation.

[Host]

Why? And I know it looks so malicious and just horrible.

[Family Member]

And my papa, I did not ask him to die.

[Detective]

Was I relieved?

[Host]

I won't lie. Yeah.

[Reporter]

Coming up, Candy Jo hasn't run out of tricks.

[Investigator]

They want to do an insanity defense.

[Reporter]

The callous truth comes out.

[Medical Examiner]

He might have still been breathing and she probably suffocated him at the time.

[Reporter]

The arrest of 27 year old candy Jo Webb for the murder of her grandfather, A.J. hardin sent a jolt through the tiny town of Fort Sumner, New Mexico.

[Family Member]

We didn't know where she was, what she was going to do, how was she going to act. So when she was caught, there was somewhat of a feeling of closure.

[Reporter]

Sean is in for another shock. Three days after the arrest, he gets a letter from Candy Jo.

[Family Member]

The letter stated that she didn't feel empathy for anyone, that she is just a psychopath, and that I need to protect my daughter from people like her.

[Reporter]

He turns the letter over to investigators. Prosecutors believe it's a ploy.

[Investigator]

Often you will see defendants do this because they're trying to set themselves up for the ability to have a defense of insanity.

[Reporter]

Confirming their suspicions. Candi Jo's attorneys request a psychological evaluation.

[Investigator]

They want to get her evaluated and we were too close to trial and they hadn't followed the rules, in my opinion, and I argued against it and the judge agreed with me and said, no, we are going to trial.

[Reporter]

As they prepare for trial, prosecutors work with investigators to formulate what they believe happened when AJ was murdered. They determine that no one had seen AJ since Candy filed the no trespass order against Aaron on August 21st.

[Detective]

The timeline that we built was more or less that that August 21st weekend is where she probably killed him. Ultimately, she did drug him to the point where he passed out.

[Medical Examiner]

She told us she was covering his mouth with duct tape. He might have still been breathing and she probably suffocated him at the time.

[Detective]

At that point, she needed to get the body out of the residence. So at that point she ended up taping up AJ's hands. And she put him inside the tool chest, placed it on the trailer, and days later drove him out there and threw him in that pit.

[Reporter]

Tired of caring for her ailing grandfather, Candy Jo was looking for a fresh start. She hoped to get that by selling the lake house.

[Host]

Candy was talking to realtors to try and put the house on the market.

[Medical Examiner]

I think it was purposely done for monetary gain because she has a new boyfriend. They're gonna have a bank full of money, Agent Hardin's money.

[Investigator]

I always thought that was a very sad deal. She was supposed to be taking care of him, yet she just got tired of him. I was planning on going to trial first degree murder. But about a week before, they approached me about taking a second degree plea. And when I talked to the family members that were left, they didn't want her to go to jail at all. My understanding was she convinced them that this was an accident and they really believed her. So after talking with the family and due to the fact that the body was so deteriorated, there was no way to determine whether it was an accident or whether it was intentional. So because of those facts, I decided to go ahead and accept the plea.

[Reporter]

On July 27, 2022, Candi Jo pleads guilty to second degree murder, fraud, and tampering with evidence.

[Investigator]

So out of the 21 years possible, she received 18 of those.

[Family Member]

With good time, she may be out in 12 years. I don't feel that 12 years would be enough for someone that did something so atrocious.

[Reporter]

While the small town of Fort Sumner still reels from Candy Jo's cold hearted actions, AJ's memory remains alive.

[Family Member]

AJ was a good, kind hearted man that experienced 10 lives in his one lifetime. He deserved more than what he got. He's lost children, he's lost his wife, he's lost friends. But he maintained a happy and spiritual demeanor as well as being a great, great grandfather to my daughter.

[Host]

Candy Jo Webb is currently imprisoned at the Western New Mexico Correctional Facility. Sean Perkins has full custody of their daughter. Hey.

[Reporter]

I'm Mike Corey, the host of Wondery's podcast, Against the Odds. In each episode, we take you to the edge of some of the most incredible adventure and survival stories in history. In our next season, it's 1912, the golden age of Antarctic exploration. With countries racing to claim land and glory. Australian geologist Douglas Mawson sets off with.

[Host]

Two fellow explorers and a team of huskies to venture deep into uncharted territory.

[Reporter]

They face a harsh landscape with hidden crevasses, glaciers, and gale force winds. And when the expedition takes a bad turn.

[Host]

A starving and depleted Maussen must find a way home completely on his own.

[Reporter]

Follow against the odds on the Wondery.

[Host]

App or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Reporter]

Binge the entire season ad free right now only on Wondery Plus. Start your free trial in the Wondery.

[Host]

App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify today.