In August of 2017, a 37-year-old realtor and mother went missing the day before Hurricane Harvey hit Texas. In the wake of the disaster, as the state tried to pick up the pieces, police discovered that someone in this woman’s inner circle had used the storm to cover up their crimes. This is the murder of Crystal McDowell.

BONUS EPISODES

Apple Subscriptions: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-west-true-crime/id1448151398

Patreon: patreon.com/goingwestpodcast

CASE SOURCES

1. In Memory of Crystal Seratte-McDowell: https://www.facebook.com/InMemoryofCrystalSeratteMcDowell/

2. Find A Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/183205591/crystal-ann-mcdowell

3. Obituary: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/baytown-tx/crystal-mcdowell-7552481

4. Oxygen: https://www.oxygen.com/dateline-secrets-uncovered/crime-news/crystal-mcdowell-disappears-days-before-hurricane-harvey#:~:text=Crystal%20had%20once%20had%20a,coop%20and%20sexually%20assaulted%20her.

5. ABC: https://abc13.com/hurricane-harvey-baytown-realtor-crystal-mcdowell-chambers-county/5345919/#:~:text=Crystal%20was%20originally%20reported%20missing,Needlepoint%20Road%20in%20Chambers%20County.

6. Investigation Discovery: https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/murder/ex-husband-of-realtor-who-went-missing-before-hurricane-harvey-charged-with-murder

7. 48 Hours: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/48-hours-goes-inside-the-search-for-mom-who-vanished-ahead-of-hurricane-harvey/

8. Law & Crime: https://lawandcrime.com/crazy/ex-husband-charged-after-womans-body-discovered-in-wake-of-hurricane-harvey/

9. Heavy: https://heavy.com/news/2017/08/crystal-mcdowell-houston-real-estate-agent-missing-husband/

10. NBC: https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/missing-in-america/body-missing-texas-realtor-crystal-seratte-mcdowell-found-ex-husband-n800061

11. Anthony's Find A Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/184762095/anthony-paul-walters

12. Pamela's Find A Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/163340495/pamela-sue-walters

13. National Weather Service: https://www.weather.gov/hgx/hurricaneharvey

14. CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2017/08/27/us/harvey-impact-by-the-numbers-trnd/index.html

15. Outsmart: https://www.outsmartmagazine.com/2019/08/baytown-womans-murder-case-is-solved/

16. ABC: https://abcnews.go.com/US/missing-texas-real-estate-agents-body-found-husband/story?id=49740114

17. Neal Davis Law: https://www.nealdavislaw.com/criminal-defense-guides/sudden-passion-crimes-texas.html