Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of murder and assault. Reader discretion is advised.
Crystal McDowell was a Texas realtor and mother-of-two who disappeared on August 25, 2017, on the eve of Hurricane Harvey. She was last seen leaving her boyfriend, Paul Hargrave’s residence in Baytown at 7:35 a.m. in her black Mercedez. The missing case, despite prompt reportage, became difficult to investigate as the hurricane hit the area the next day and caused homes and businesses to be flooded. As a result, the focus of the authorities was shifted elsewhere.
According to Oxygen, Crystal McDowell lost both of her allegedly drug-addicted parents when she was 11 years old. When she was 13, she was reportedly abducted and held hostage in a chicken coop. She was sexually assaulted before she escaped and moved in with her relatives. After she became an adult and started working as a flight attendant, Crystal married Steven McDowell. They were married for 10 years, after which they decided to separate.
In June 2017, after their divorce, Crystal McDowell and the kids continued living with Steven McDowell while she awaited the renovation of her new residence. During this time, Crystal began dating Paul Hargrave, a local jeweler, and her friends told CBS News that it was the happiest they had ever seen her. She stayed over at Paul’s place the night before she disappeared.
On August 25, 2017, she left Paul’s house early and reportedly claimed that she was going to pick her kids up from Steven’s place before her ex-husband went to work. However, Steven told all relatives that Crystal never showed up to his place, CBS News reported. Paul informed Jeff Walters, Crystal McDowell’s uncle, that she hadn’t been responding to him. After checking with other relatives, Jeff reported Crystal’s disappearance.
Who was convicted of Crystal McDowell’s murder?
Steven McDowell was found guilty of the strangulation murder of Crystal McDowell. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison, as per ABC 13. He confessed to authorities that he choked and killed Crystal after a heated argument between the two. Steven promised the police that he would lead them to the location of Crystal’s remains if the possibility of a death sentence would be struck off after his conviction.
He then led the Texas police to a wooded area on September 9, 2017, where Crystal McDowell’s remains were found. This was also confirmed by the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office in their Facebook post. Steven allegedly wrapped her body in a blanket after he choked her to death. He moved the body into the trunk of her car, Oxygen reported.
Crystal’s black Mercedez was spotted on surveillance footage on August 29, 2017. The car was reportedly parked in a motel parking lot on August 26, and Steven McDowell’s car appeared at a nearby gas station only a few hours later. Steven walked from the gas station to the motel’s parking. This was done to allegedly check if Crystal’s car was still there.
After the death penalty was removed, Steven McDowell’s defense team attempted to reduce his sentence by classifying his act as a crime committed in the heat of the moment. The plea was rejected by the court. Steven was 44 years old at the time of the sentencing.
Titled “Before the Storm,” episode 27 of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered season 10 will explore the details of Crystal McDowell’s disappearance. It follows the investigation that led to Steve’s conviction and sentencing. The episode will be aired on Oxygen on January 30, 2024, at 10 p.m. ET.
