Kumari Shreya
In season 27, episode 46 of ‘Dateline,’ the viewers get an in-depth analysis of the murder of Crystal McDowell. Titled ‘Dateline: Before the Storm,’ the episode delves into how her suspicious disappearance while the residents of Baytown, Texas, awaited Hurricane Harvey raised many questions. As the investigation continued, the victim’s former husband, Steven “Steve” McDowell, became one of the most prominent names connected to the case, especially when the extent of his actions was finally discovered.
Steve McDowell’s Fatal Actions Against His Ex-Wife
The relationship between Steve McDowell and Crystal McDowell started when the latter was still working as a flight attendant. “I remember the day that she had met him and she was very smitten,” Crystal’s aunt Cindy Seratte recalled. “I really thought she had met the man of her dreams.” Unfortunately, this was not enough for the couple to be able to maintain a stage relationship, with Crystal apparently cheating on her husband, often with both men and women.
It was after a decade that Steve and Crystal decided that their marriage needed to come to an end. The couple ended up getting divorced, but Crystal continued to stay with her former husband, though she was just waiting for her own home to be finished before moving out. Not only did Crystal start working in the real estate industry, but she also started to explore new romantic connections, which is how she met Paul Hargrave.
In the early hours of August 25, 2017, Crystal was seen leaving Paul’s house, but her whereabouts after that became unknown. Paul claimed that she had gone to pick up her kids from Steve’s home. Contrary to this, Steve claimed that he had received a text from Crystal that stated, “On my way. Do you have water? Looks like I may stay here with the kids. It seems just like rain.” This claim was then expanded on by Crystal’s uncle, Jeff Walters, who shared that Steve had told him that Crystal had messaged Steve later that she was going to pick up the kids and take them to Dallas, Texas.
Before the authorities could explore the information more, Baytown was hit with Hurricane Harvey, and everything had to be put on hold for a bit. During this time, Crystal’s cousin Jade got a tip that Crystal’s car was at a local motel, with a picture as proof. When the investigators checked the camera, they saw that someone had parked the car in the sparkling lot in the early hours of August 26, 2017. Someone similar in appearance to Stev was then seen buying a bike and riding it off. Five hours later, Steve apparently drove to a nearby gas station and then got out and walked towards the parking lot where Crystal’s car was parked.
Given the evidence, the investigators decided to bring Steve in for questioning. However, he continued to deny that he was involved in this case and just wanted to go home. Though the officers let him go that time, they decided to take his children into protective custody, and Steve was told that he would not be able to see the children again unless he revealed the location of his former wife, who was now presumed to have been murdered by him.
Steve stated that he was going to go home but would come back the next day to reveal everything. He kept his word by coming back and confessing that he had choked Crystal to death after an argument. He added how he had then wrapped her body in a blanket, put it in the trunk of his wife’s car, and drove off. Before he took the investigators to Crystal’s body, though, he insisted that the death penalty should be removed as a punishment for him. The officers agreed to the deal, and Steve led them to the woods, allowing them to find Crystal’s remains.
Steve McDowell is Now in Prison
When Steve McDowell’s trial began, his defense team tried to state that his actions had been a result of the heat of the moment, something that would allow him to have a reduced sentence in the state of Texas. This attempt did not succeed due to the testimony of Steve and Crystal’s young daughter, Maui McDowell, who had been five at the time. She stated that she had seen her parents argue about Crystal seeing Paul. The young girl added that her father had pushed her mother down and choked her to death.
As per Maui’s statement, Steve had told her not to share anything regarding this with anyone, including her brother Madden McDowell. The young girl added how she had been unable to hear her mother but did see her looking at her “sadly.” Ultimately, on June 12, 2019, Steve McDowell was sentenced to 50 years in prison. As of writing, Steve is serving his sentence at the H. H. Coffield Unit in Tennessee Colony, Texas. Should he serve his full sentence, Steve would leave prison on September 10, 2067, though he would become eligible for parole on September 10, 2047.
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