Found Deceased TX - Crystal Seratte McDowell, 38, Baytown, 25 Aug 2017 #1 *Arrest*

[FlossyMay]

In my non-expert opinion, the answer would seem to be yes. I can't imagine any security company wouldn't allow direct access to log-in and check your cameras, history, etc, whenever you wanted. I would think that would be downloadable as well to your personal computer, for example, while the security company would maintain the original digital file.

The only limitation I could see would be if you're using a phone to check. I think he would have been able to screenshot on his phone while watching the video, but that would probably be as much as he could do on a phone. So maybe he screenshotted the video while viewing on his phone and gave those to police.

I could be wrong, but I can't for the life of me think that a security company would prevent a client from downloading footage. So I'd have to think that is possible.

This makes a lot of sense to me. That could be what he did. Maybe that's why some of the stills were such bad quality.

 

[monkeypants]

In my non-expert opinion, the answer would seem to be yes. I can't imagine any security company wouldn't allow direct access to log-in and check your cameras, history, etc, whenever you wanted. I would think that would be downloadable as well to your personal computer, for example, while the security company would maintain the original digital file.

The only limitation I could see would be if you're using a phone to check. I think he would have been able to screenshot on his phone while watching the video, but that would probably be as much as he could do on a phone. So maybe he screenshotted the video while viewing on his phone and gave those to police.

I could be wrong, but I can't for the life of me think that a security company would prevent a client from downloading footage. So I'd have to think that is possible.

We have security cameras and when we play back the video we have an option to take still shots etc. it doesn't time or date stamp it on the still. We have the info saved on a server in our home but I would have zero idea how to download the video and give it to anyone. Maybe he didn't either. Maybe he never had to before. I only know how to do the screenshot on hers because I needed to send our HOA a screen shot to deal with a teenager that had been a troublemaker for my neighbors....just a thought

 

[FlossyMay]

Is there a way to contact a mod without reporting a post?

 

[monkeypants]

Is there a way to contact a mod without reporting a post?

I think you can just pm them. If you need a quicker answer I'd report your own post with your issue?

 

[Sillybilly]

Is there a way to contact a mod without reporting a post?

Just click on any Mods avatar and you should see the option to send them a Private Message.

 

[FlossyMay]

I think you can just pm them. If you need a quicker answer I'd report your own post with your issue?

Thank you.

 

[Msl1966]

I have seen missing posts floating around SM and some say "pink to purple" dress while others say "black". I think lighting is to blame for the 2 different colors, but I am certainly no expert on security cameras.

I watch security cameras and the lighting makes all the difference. Lighting from actual light and lighting coming in the window. The darker or lower the lighting is, the less color you see. Dark colors can look gray or almost white. I wouldn't put too much on the dress color discrepancies. I also think the strong light coming through the window might actually be outdoor landscape lighting that looks brighter in the camera.

 

[kirkassoc]

Why is LE being so tight lipped about all of this? I get that it still being investigated, but a lot of the time LE will at least have a presser to say what's going on. At the very least, say they are working hard on it. Especially with a case that has become this high profile. Is it odd that there are not more organized searches? That they have not told us about getting camera footage from places between the BFs house and the EXs house? BF has cameras at the jewelry store - they would be able to see if she drove by and took a photo of the sign, and if so - what time.

It's all very strange.


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I've wondered about this too. Her EX being so quiet, LE silent, etc. I wonder if....POSSIBLY her EX could have been dealing with an extortion attempt right from the very beginning. Not something you EVER want to put out in the media if that is what is going on. It would explain the silence of LE and her EX. We can't know what is going on behind closed doors. If they are dealing with an extortionist, at least there is hope she could still be alive. JMO, MOO.

 

[Starkville]

Anybody in RE know what an opening is? I've never heard of it.

Me neither, and a close family member has been a realtor for decades.

There's usually a "walk-through" before the closing, just to make sure the buyer is satisfied with any changes they requested as a condition of sale.

Or maybe it's another term for "open house"?

 

[tarabull]

Did anyone listen in on Trisha's Radio Show last night...??? Crystal's case was covered at the tippy top of the show..................................

You can listen to it here

The discussion starts around the 2:00 min mark FWIW

:silenced:

 

[mrsNKY]

It was discussed earlier that he's a jeweler and since he at times works from home/brings work home they said the insurance company requires it.

And my thoughts are she was probably in various states of undress on those videos as she got ready and he may have thought he shouldn't just hand that over.

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Agreed but.. if I were missing, turn over everything. Police have seen people in some pretty "natural" activities and more than their share of scantily clad or nude people and photos. If I had a missing loved one, as embarrassing as it could be, modesty is going out the window. Its not as if those would be released to public. KWIM. I'm usually the odd duck on these posts. Lol

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[gregjrichards]

The longer time goes on with no news the less and less hope I have. It's Crystal's poor children I feel for most just 5 and 8.

 

[mrsNKY]

To be fair we don't know what their texting habits were. If they normally texted all day every day, I would be concerned. But I don't text my boyfriend all day. Most people don't text their spouses all day. I don't think that is concerning on its own, but again, it depends on how frequently they normally were texting.

Thank you! I was starting to feel like I should be texting more! Sometimes my husband and I only text each other once or twice a week. Phone calls too. With his job sometimes things are unpredictable with his schedule. However; sometimes I leave a vm which I don't have to call him to do. I also contact him on messenger on FB if it is urgent. But, I must say it's hard to predict what their communication patterns are. We know where the ex works, but does anyone know what he does at that plant?

Also, I wonder if it is somewhat common, she may get caught up in something, work wise and this could have not been that strange to him? Apparently, planned and did go on to his work, as after she didn't come when he expected she was asked to pick them up from his work place. He may have contacted someone else to pick up the kids and he went on about his day at work not realizing that she never showed up for the kid?

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[whitelilac]

Maybe she was meeting someone at the Motel 6 and it went bad....

I wondered about this too.

I expect LE, however, would have the info if she was ever there, at least in the lobby, by looking at surveillance video and interviewing staff at the desk. Possible too that she never entered the motel, but I'd think in a professional capacity she would greet a person inside. I don't think she'd go directly into a stranger's room, if the rooms are only accessible from outside.

 

[FlossyMay]

When someone is kidnapped for ransom is the FBI automatically called in? I didn't really think much about that angle at first, but considering her family is in real estate and her bf deals with jewels, a ransom amount could be quite high.

 

[Remainanonymous]

I personally believe they have some major leads in this case and can't afford to be loose lipped about it. I would imagine anyone who is a potential suspect is being watched closely in case they decide to flee. I do have a question though? Is it unusual not to have had a press conference at this point? What could be the reason? Not enough evidence to bother or overwhelming amounts of evidence (even circumstantial) that doesn't need to leak??

 

[SuperTmo]

About the black dress and the pink/purple dress. They are two different dresses. Or a coat (the black) and a dress (the pink). One is long sleeve, the other (the pink) is sleeveless. Even though the photos of her in black are darker, you can still make out contrasts of color. Like her face is obviously lighter than the black dress. So her arms should be as well IF she is wearing the pink dress. But she's not. She's wearing a very dark long sleeve dress or coat. And then later she's wearing a sleeveless pink dress. There's no way (IMO) that they are the same dress in both stills.

They are absolutely different dresses and I hope LE got the video footage because that is shady as heck. I also think the bags she is carrying are different.

 

[Remainanonymous]

When someone is kidnapped for ransom is the FBI automatically called in? I didn't really think much about that angle at first, but considering her family is in real estate and her bf deals with jewels, a ransom amount could be quite high.

I believe so. Although they can be called in for a number of reasons.

 

[Remainanonymous]

They are absolutely different dresses and I hope LE got the video footage because that is shady as heck. I also think the bags she is carrying are different.

It does seem shady, but we are only getting clips of a whole video. The whole video may show her walking through, putting on a black coat (if it's a coat) over the pink dress and leaving. Or taking off the black coat before she walked out, revealing the pink dress. Not sure what order those stills/videos are suppose to be in.

 

[lonetraveler]

I honestly can't figure out why anyone thinks the BF is clingy. I don't see that evidence anywhere. Also, as to the statement of love I don't see that as odd either. Adults don't waste time as most don't have a lot of spare time between careers and children etc. if she was planning to take her uncle, kids and bf on a cruise a few days before her disappearance I have a feeling that they were most likely dating long before June, but out of respect to crystal he didn't want her to sound like it was when she was technically married. The uncle obviously knew and liked the bf or wouldn't vacation together and he was also with the uncle searching at the ping site. The ex was no where to be found. I don't buy the had the kids thing. There were plenty of people to occupy the kids so he could do everything possible, including trudging through dirty water in the dark to find the mother of his children , his wife according to him, if he was so inclined. He didn't. He didn't call LE even tho he was waiting for her since early AM to meet to give her the kids. His absolute silence is extremely concerning as well as lack of support from the uncle. The ex is a bullseye for me, and I don't exclude his not physically doing it but setting it up...just my opinion and speculation. He has the most to lose.
Her SM and public profile was all about the perfect family unit. In just a few days those pics of his kids were about to have vacation pics of the bf in them. She was obviously about to go public with her new life. Where did that leave him?

As I posted last night, I really would like to hear the Uncle's story concerning the cruise plans. All I've found so far is the BF's statments on the Banfield show about the cruise. Has anyone here seen any credible information to confirm the family cruise plans?