McKInney, Texas — A Texas man is facing charges after a woman’s body was found in his refrigerator during the execution of a search warrant on Sunday, police say.
The McKinney Police Department found the body of Heather Louise Schwab, 35, while executing a search warrant at a house in the 600 block of Pearson Avenue, according to KXAS.
The house belonged to Chad Christopher Stevens, 41, police said. Stevens was arrested and has been charged with tampering with evidence.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by KXAS, Schwab’s mother went to the police on June 28 to file a missing person report for her daughter. She reportedly told investigators that she did not have a close relationship with her daughter and it had been about a year since the two last spoke. She told investigators that Schwab was living with her longtime boyfriend, who was identified as Stevens.
In a federal complaint obtained by the news station, Schwab’s mother reportedly told police that her daughter’s relationship was full of abuse and that she would not leave him.
She reportedly told her mother on multiple occasions that she was afraid Stevens would kill her, according to an affidavit obtained by WFAA.
Police interviewed Stevens following the missing person report and he reportedly told police that Schwab had left him about a year ago and he hadn’t heard from her, according to an affidavit obtained by the news station. He also mentioned he did not know about her whereabouts.
The case had no movement until Nov. 3, when Schwab’s mother contacted police again, according to an affidavit obtained by WFAA. She said she heard from Stevens’ ex-wife and daughter that he said he killed Schwab and buried her body in the backyard.
Police obtained a search warrant for Stevens’ house, according to the news outlet. The warrant was executed on Sunday and investigators found Schwab’s body. They also found other items including multiple cellphones, a laptop, an iPod, miscellaneous plastic wrap, trash bag and tape.
Investigators opened the refrigerator in the house and found a body inside, KXAS reported. The body was later identified as Schwab.
Stevens reportedly admitted to investigators that Schwab died at his house on July 26, 2022, according to court records obtained by the news station. He said he put her body in the refrigerator because he did not know what to do. Investigators believe she died around Aug. 12, 2022, after they got a call about a woman waving a firearm and a man screaming at Stevens’ house.
“We appreciate all of the thoughts and prayers that our family is receiving. We are so grateful to the McKinney Police Department for their hard work and dedication in finding Heather. We would appreciate privacy for her family and children as we process through this devastating time,” Schwab’s family said in a statement obtained by WFAA.
The Collin County Sheriff’s Office said, according to KXAS, that Stevens has been arrested 24 times in the county for theft, DWI, assault and other criminal activity.