The remains of a Texas woman missing for over a year were allegedly found in a refrigerator at her boyfriend’s home, police announced Sunday.
Chad Stevens, 41, faces charges of tampering with evidence in connection to the death of Heather Schwab, according to the statement by the McKinney Police Department. The investigation into the matter is still at its early stages.
Schwab, 35, was last seen alive in June 2022 and was reported missing by her mother, Tammra. During a search of Stevens’ property on Nov. 12, authorities say they discovered Schwab’s body in “copious amounts of plastic wrap” inside a refrigerator, NBC News reported. The Collin County medical examiner’s office later identified the remains.
A search warrant executed at Stevens’ home on Nov. 12 resulted in his arrest. The arrest affidavit reportedly noted that the kitchen where the fridge was discovered was “suspiciously closed and concealed from the remainder of the residence with a piece of sheet rock,” the outlet noted.
The remains of a missing Texas woman last seen alive over a year ago were found stuffed in a refrigerator at her boyfriend’s home, and police documents reveal he had threatened to kill her on several occasions. https://t.co/rRu0IURexE
— NBC News (@NBCNews) November 15, 2023
Stevens allegedly admitted to police that Schwab died in his home on July 26, 2022, and he concealed her body in the fridge, NBC News reported. Schwab’s mother had reportedly expressed concerns about her daughter’s safety, citing past abusive incidents and threats from her boyfriend, the outlet noted.
The case gained momentum on Nov. 3, when Tammra reportedly received information from Stevens’ ex-wife, alleging Stevens had killed Heather and buried her in his backyard, according to NBC News. (RELATED: Police Identify ‘Lady In The Fridge’ Body From 1995 Cold Case Murder)
Stevens is currently held at the Collin County Detention Facility with a bond set at $150,000. The investigation continues, with detectives reportedly considering August 2022 as a possible timeframe for the incident, per NBC News.