The tragic tale of Crystal McDowell, a mother-of-two whose life was claimed by her envious ex-husband’s actions, might have remained unsolved – if not for the intervention of a hurricane. Overcoming a harrowing childhood, Texas-born Crystal had carved a successful career for herself – first as an air stewardess and then as a real estate agent.
The ” True Crime Stories ” podcast shares her story: “Crystal McDowell’s life was full of turmoil and adversity from the beginning. Born to parents who had named her after the drug crystal meth, she faced a challenging childhood.”
“Her parents who died within six months of each other when Crystal was just 11 years old succumbed to complications from AIDS, which they contracted through substance abuse.”
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When Crystal was just 13 years old, she endured another grim ordeal when she was kidnapped by a sex offender, confined in a chicken coop, and brutally sexually assaulted. Her escape from the kidnapper was early evidence of the determination she would exhibit throughout her life.