Found Deceased TX - Crystal Seratte McDowell, 38, Baytown, 25 Aug 2017 #3 *Arrest*

[cluciano63]

Wasn't it said that they were hiding the divorce from their families, etc? That might explain why she lived there but maybe did not always stay there.

 

[Gooddeeds]

I do not know that answer, Gooddeeds, as I'm behind on my goodreads. It is my own interpretation of the activities that morning as seen in the female Motel 6 guest's video. Crystal's family was standing on the motel balcony well away from the vehicle that was in standing and rising water. The female guest attempts to explain what was happening with Crystal's car and the two people who ran away once they exited her car; however, in her excitement of this police chase coupled with being isolated by flooding waters, it's difficult to piece her words together and required careful listening and viewing to form my conclusions.

One of Crystal's long-time friends is due to appear on Ashleigh Banfield's HLN program this evening, btw.

Thanks for heads up on Ashley B.

 

[Gooddeeds]

Wasn't it said that they were hiding the divorce from their families, etc? That might explain why she lived there but maybe did not always stay there.

he hid it from his family. She didn't.

 

[SuperTmo]

Is SM really only 44?? He looks significantly older than that. Do we know anything about his past besides he's a jerk and worked for PBP?

 

[lonetraveler]

Ashley Banfield is on right now on HLN, she says that she has all the details on what happened.

 

[Landchick]

he hid it from his family. She didn't.

Just wondering, why do you think he wanted to hide the divorce from his family?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Emma0883]

I can't rule out what Crystal did or said to Steve in any way. There is this huge assumption that this is all a one-sided situation with a helpless victim. That may not be the case at all. In most situations it takes two to tango. For all we know she may not have been the easiest person to live with.

She seemed to have no trouble with staying away from the house. It is known she spent the weekend before with the BF in Galveston. And she spent the two days prior to her disappearance at the BFs. So, I don't quite see what was really going on there yet and perhaps more information will come out and shed light on the real situation.

Where I get hung up on the whole idea of him being in control of her is that he didn't do much about the divorce. He just signed whatever Crystal's attorney came up with. That is my disconnect in what may have been going on. It may always have been the case that if she left he would kill her. But we don't know that. We may eventually find out.

And we can't forget that it is not uncommon in divorce situations where women abuse the system with bogus claims of abuse on them or the children involved. It happens. So, without seeing the report and investigation we can't know what transpired.

I will note that in the court docket that I posted where it said "after admonishment". That usually means someone was behaving badly during the course of the divorce proceedings or withheld information or lied. We don't know who was admonished but considering it was her filing and her attorney and he didn't contest and simply signed I would be thinking it related to something Crystal or her attorney had done. But without the document we can't know who did what.

Well, considering she is dead and he admitting to killing her, kinda does seem like it was a one sided situation with a helpless victim.....

 

[NC_Nurse]

Per Ashleigh Banfield, SM strangled CM when she arrived Friday morning and left her in house, while kids still there, all day until middle of night and dumped her body in woods. Body was in trunk of car.

 

[Gooddeeds]

Well, considering she is dead and he admitting to killing her, kinda does seem like it was a one sided situation with a helpless victim.....

Well said!

 

[Gardener1850]

Watching AB on HLN:

He confessed that he strangled her, waited until dark then dumped the body and car

 

[EmmieA]

Just wondering, why do you think he wanted to hide the divorce from his family?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I have no clue but I know someone who hid his divorce from his family (they live overseas so it was a bit easier to do) --but bottom line, he saw it as a HUGE failure on his part. It was all about shame. He is a very sensitive guy and comes from a very religious family.

 

[Gooddeeds]

Per Ashleigh Banfield, SM strangled CM when she arrived Friday morning and left her in house, while kids still there, all day until middle of night and dumped her body in woods. Body was in trunk of car.

Thanks! I don't have access to cable at this moment and i'm not downloading the app. Please send transcripts as they are available.

 

[bellesnwhistles]

Per Ashleigh Banfield, SM strangled CM when she arrived Friday morning and left her in house, while kids still there, all day until middle of night and dumped her body in woods. Body was in trunk of car.

Omg! Left her IN the house? I really hope those poor babies did not see anything

 

[Gardener1850]

Kids were in the house when she was killed

SM drove car to the motel

 

[Gardener1850]

still under investigation how SM got away from motel after dumping car, Sheriff declined to answer that

 

[bellesnwhistles]

For those watching- did they say where kids were when he dumped car/body?

 

[tsp663]

For those watching- did they say where kids were when he dumped car/body?

In the home.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Gooddeeds]

Watching AB on HLN:

He confessed that he strangled her, waited until dark then dumped the body and car

where was her body before he left the house to dump? did the kids know then that he killed her?

 

[bellesnwhistles]

In the home.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks. So he left them home alone sleeping?

 

[Landchick]

Kids were in the house when she was killed

SM drove car to the motel

So when he texted at approx. 8:00am asking where she was, he may have been done killing her.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro