McKinney man whose one-time girlfriend was found dead inside fridge faces new charge

MCKINNEY, Texas - A McKinney man whose one-time girlfriend's body was found in his refrigerator is facing a new charge.

Back in November, 35-year-old Heather Schwab's body was found encased in a fridge that was hidden in the Pearson Avenue home of 42-year-old Chad Stevens.

Stevens, who has only been charged with tampering with evidence in Schwab's death, is now facing an assault causing bodily injury to a family member charge in connection to an incident with another woman.

According to an arrest affidavit, the woman told police that she started living with Stevens in September 2022.

Court documents say that on or about Jan. 1, 2023, Stevens assaulted her after she said she would not be in a relationship with him and tried to leave. 

She claimed Stevens locked the door and when she tried to break a window to escape, he threw her into a chair.

The woman did not mention anything about Schwab to investigators, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Schwab was reported missing to McKinney police in June 2023.

When investigators asked Stevens about Heather’s death, he claimed she died in July 2022, three days after slipping in the shower and hitting her head. But police records show there was a domestic disturbance call at the house on August 17, 2022, and Heather was alive. 

Schwab's cause of death still has not been released.

Stevens has a lengthy criminal history that includes assault, theft, and drug charges.

He is currently in the Collin County Jail.