A woman from Texas discovered her husband’s dead body while retrieving Christmas decorations from a closet, eight months after he went missing.

The deceased, identified as 52-year-old Steven McDowell, was reported missing by his wife, Crystal McDowell, in August 2017. At the time, Hurricane Harvey had caused flooding in the area, making it difficult to locate him.

Crystal McDowell told the authorities that her husband had left their home in Baytown, a city in Harris County, on the morning of August 25, 2017, to check on some properties he owned in the area. However, he never returned home.

In the days following his disappearance, law enforcement agencies launched an extensive search for McDowell, using helicopters and search dogs. However, the search efforts yielded no results.

It wasn’t until December 2017, when Crystal McDowell was looking for Christmas decorations in a closet, that she discovered her husband’s body. The closet was located in a home she was preparing to sell, in a rural area near Baytown.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office launched an investigation into the circumstances of McDowell’s death, which was classified as a homicide. However, the investigation hit a roadblock due to Hurricane Harvey. The hurricane had caused significant damage to the region, and several law enforcement agencies had to be diverted to help with recovery efforts.

Despite the setback, the investigation continued, and in June 2018, a grand jury indicted Crystal McDowell’s ex-husband, 45-year-old Paul Hargrave, for the murder of Steven McDowell. Hargrave was arrested and charged with murder.

According to court documents, Crystal McDowell had been involved in a bitter custody battle with Hargrave over their two children. She had also been dating Steven McDowell at the time of his disappearance.

The prosecution alleged that Hargrave had murdered Steven McDowell to eliminate him as a rival for Crystal McDowell’s affections and gain an advantage in the custody battle. Hargrave pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The trial began in October 2019 and lasted for three weeks. The prosecution presented evidence that included cell phone records, surveillance footage, and testimony from witnesses. The defense argued that there was no direct evidence linking Hargrave to the murder.

However, the jury found Hargrave guilty of murder, and he was sentenced to life in prison. The verdict brought closure to the family of Steven McDowell, who had been searching for answers for over a year.

The case highlights the importance of perseverance in investigations, even when faced with obstacles such as natural disasters. It also underscores the need for law enforcement agencies to work collaboratively to solve complex cases.