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

[Sillybilly]

Thread is open again.

Read The Rules and play by them or you’ll find yourself onthe outside looking in.

 

[Leila267]

No mention of steves family?

 

[bellesnwhistles]

Crystal's Aunt Cindy is on now:

They have the children. The kids are adapting. Family is loving them.
The children have been told their mom is deceased but they don't know how it happened
The kids were allowed to speak with SM with a sheriff and he told them
Kids asked why daddy was in jail. lots of tears. They may not understand. Kids asked when he was coming home and called him Steve? instead of Daddy (not sure I understood that part) SM just held the kids and cried but didn't say much
While CM was missing the kids saw her picture on TV as a missing person. Aunt Cindy took them to the park and told them their mother was with Jesus and she would always be watching over them and everyone loves them... (this is so hard to watch...I'm crying)
Kids asking Aunt what daddy did wrong a lot but Aunt Cindy not knowing how to explain it to them... they are too young
They will need therapy and love. Just going to the police station to see SM was traumatic for the kids.

At least this sounds like they did not witness it!

 

[NC_Nurse]

No mention of steves family?

NONE, whatsoever.

 

[5CentsWorth]

Is it unusual for kids to visit jail so soon in cases like this? Do you think it was SM's request to tell them about Crystal?


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[NC_Nurse]

Thank you everyone for the updates. I stepped out for a bit and couldn't watch AB with the rest of you.

Him strangling her and hiding her body later is what I figured happened. I couldn't imagine him dumping her so close to I-10 in the middle of the day. I really hope the kids didn't witness the strangling.

How the heck did he get her in the trunk with no one noticing? I guess he could have done it in the garage. Did his kids see him carrying her poor body through the house?

I wonder how he got back from the motel too. Idiot probably really did call Uber. I imagine he would have been gone a while. It may not have been fat from his house, but it isn't easy carrying a body.

So horrible just imagining him trying to go about his day with the kids. Was there any moment that he stopped blaming Crystal? Did he regret what he did after looking at his children's faces, or did he feel relieved? Considering he only confessed because he had to, I'll go with the latter.

I am NOT defending SM at all, but by the looks of his physical appearance, I would assume he is full of regret. He looks emaciated and like he hasn't slept or eaten in weeks. They do not believe it was pre-meditated.

 

[Leila267]

How dare a father put his children through so much pain. By all accounts, esp if you read her twitter she absolutely adored and worshipped those kids and they did to her ...makes my blood boil!

 

[audge86]

Just awful.

I don't think he planned it. I think he did it because he was overwhelmed by her spending nights with her boyfriend.

I also do think he feels bad. He deserves every bit of jail time that he gets though. I believe he would change it if he could but he should have gotten help years ago. What's done is done and he deserves to rot in jail.

I wonder if a friend picked him up from the motel and he won't say how he got home because he's covering. The friend may not know why he was there but Steve may be worried that the friend will go to jail too.

Hearing about the kids is too much. Those poor children deserved so much more than this. I hope they get lots of help and end up okay

 

[luckystar01]

Any other locals sort of weirded out that AB seemed to have exclusive access to this story? What's the deal with that? Why is my local news told nothing other than he confessed, and AB is the one finally telling everyone what happened. Doesn't sit well with me.

 

[audge86]

Is it unusual for kids to visit jail so soon in cases like this? Do you think it was SM's request to tell them about Crystal?


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I think Crystal' s family believed it was best or it wouldn't have happened.

Steve seemed to be a very involved and loving dad. Her family probably thought this was better than having both parents disappear. Give them some closure.

 

[Seajay]

I honestly cannot believe that he got away with this all in broad daylight. Is anyone familiar with the woods where she was found? Is there lane or something that he could have driven down to get her there? I just can't picture him being able to pull over and drag her into the wood during the light of day with no one noticing.

As far as split custody, I have a brother-in-law and ex-sister-in-law that did it that way. He got our nephew, she got our niece. Neither one had to pay child support and the children spent plenty of time together and with each parent. I know it is not ideal, but in their situation, it worked out. No matter what, it would have been a better situation for these beautiful children than what they face now. The whole situation is just heartbreaking...

My son and ex daughter in law have three children. They spend one week with her, one week with him. He pays her child support because their state feels the kids should have the same lifestyle no matter whose health use they are at and since my son is college educated and makes more money, he has to pay her a difference.

 

[bellesnwhistles]

Any other locals sort of weirded out that AB seemed to have exclusive access to this story? What's the deal with that? Why is my local news told nothing other than he confessed, and AB is the one finally telling everyone what happened. Doesn't sit well with me.

It seems like family has a good relationship with her and I think it might be because she seemed to give them lots of media coverage, which I'm sure they appreciated

 

[Mamamerced]

Frankly, I don't understand how LE doesn't believe Crystal's murder was pre-meditated. It takes more than a few seconds to strangle a person to death. Surely, he could have stopped before her final gasp for air. He had to have felt her spirit leaving her body. He squeezed and squeezed and squeezed........
until her life force was extinguished, as he planned on doing, IMO.

 

[audge86]

Any other locals sort of weirded out that AB seemed to have exclusive access to this story? What's the deal with that? Why is my local news told nothing other than he confessed, and AB is the one finally telling everyone what happened. Doesn't sit well with me.

She covered it from the beginning when Crystal's family was begging any and all media to show her story to try to find her. I believe they're giving exclusive access as a thank you.

 

[Tssiemer]

Am I wrong or doesn't it take a long time to strangle someone? Like minutes?


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[detectivehomemom]

It seems like family has a good relationship with her and I think it might be because she seemed to give them lots of media coverage, which I'm sure they appreciated

What did Ashley share? More info?

 

[Gardener1850]

Not much else to the rest of the show. A female friend of Crystal's was interviewed. She was supposed to have lunch with Crystal the day she was murdered. The friend canceled because of the hurricane. Texted Crystal and Crystal never responded, but the friend didn't think anything until the next day when she heard Crystal was missing. She said she never saw CM and SM argue. She never would have thought SM capable of something like this.

Paul was brought back briefly to respond to CM's text to a friend about how in love she was with Paul. AB asked Paul if he had felt the same and he said yes. AB offered condolences.

ETA: Oh yeah almost forgot the sheriff said SM failed the polygraph. He declined to comment on Paul's polygraph and said Paul had nothing to do with this crime.

 

[liltexans]

[video=twitter;907403150981718016]https://twitter.com/PTJusticeHLN/status/907403150981718016[/video]

 

[bellesnwhistles]

What did Ashley share? More info?

Tonight you mean? Yes, a member has been updating but I did not personally watch. We learned that he strangled her when she arrived to the house while the children were home and then waited until evening to dump her body. Aunt was also on AB tonight, she has the kids.

 

[NC_Nurse]

Just awful.

I don't think he planned it. I think he did it because he was overwhelmed by her spending nights with her boyfriend.

I also do think he feels bad. He deserves every bit of jail time that he gets though. I believe he would change it if he could but he should have gotten help years ago. What's done is done and he deserves to rot in jail.

I wonder if a friend picked him up from the motel and he won't say how he got home because he's covering. The friend may not know why he was there but Steve may be worried that the friend will go to jail too.

Hearing about the kids is too much. Those poor children deserved so much more than this. I hope they get lots of help and end up okay

I would concur. I do believe if he could go back he wouldn't do it. Her aunt, CS, said she told SM that she loved him and to focus on giving the kids love at that moment at the jail. SO SAD!!