Michael Craig Maxwell was born on November 26, 1971, in Alabama.

On July 20, 1997, Michael Craig Maxwell was involved in the murders of Harold and Joey Pugh during a robbery in Alabama. Maxwell, along with four other men, intended to commit a bank robbery and needed a getaway vehicle. When they spotted the Pugh's truck by the creek where the father and son were fishing, they decided to attack.

Maxwell approached Harold and Joey while they were returning to their truck. He held them at gunpoint and forced them back onto their fishing boat. Along with another accomplice, they took the Pughs down the creek. There, both Maxwell and another man shot the Pughs. Maxwell shot Joey, killing him, and shot Harold as well. After the murders, the group left with the Pughs' truck.

Days later, the bodies of Harold and Joey were found floating in the creek. They had been shot twice in the head. The authorities later discovered the Pughs' fishing boat with evidence, including spent cartridges.

The five men were arrested about a month later on August 21, 1997. Maxwell, along with Thomas Ferguson, was indicted for capital murder. In 1998, Maxwell's trial concluded with a guilty verdict, and he was sentenced to death. His appeals were denied over the years. As of 2025, Maxwell remains on death row at the Holman Correctional Facility in Alabama.