MI MI - Carson McDowell, 43, Ferndale, 4 Aug 1977

Nina Michigan · Oct 12, 2017

The body of 43 year old Carson McDowell, a West Bloomfield resident, was found in a field near 8 Mile road in Ferndale. His car was discovered a few blocks south of 8 Mile in Detroit.

Cause of death was shock and hemorrhage from a cut to his arm. He also had other cuts and cigarette burns on his body.

McDowell was an executive at General Motors who disappeared en route to a meeting at the (former) Hyatt Regency in Dearborn. His body was found the next day. The location of his body did not match the route he should have taken from West Bloomfield to the meeting where he was expected to address the group.

This case is loaded with rumor and innuendo. Talk of prostitution, Gay clubs, and unsavory characters who inhabited the Woodward corridor near where his vehicle was located.

ebfortin76 · Oct 12, 2017

I can't find anything on the internet about this murder. Where can we get info?

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Nina Michigan · Oct 13, 2017

I have a news archive subscription and came across it while researching another case. There is very little online about Mr Carson's murder.

ebfortin76 · Oct 13, 2017

Nina Michigan said:
I have a news archive subscription and came across it while researching another case. There is very little online about Mr Carson's murder.

It's a bit strange there is nothing. He was a GM executive. So it has to have been an high level case.

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Nina Michigan · Oct 16, 2017

it was a high level case, but it was also 40 years ago.

ebfortin76 · Oct 16, 2017

True. But there are others old cases that are pretty well documented in the net. Anyway, I agree that the older it is, the less likely we are to see detailed information anywhere.

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Nina Michigan · Oct 19, 2017

Located the McDowells on Find a Grave. He is buried next to his wife, Ann, out in Oregon. She died in 2011.

I also found a story from 1959, he was in the Air Guard and his Scorpion collided with another fighter over Mount Hood! Mr McDowell lived an interesting life.

MelmothTheLost · Oct 19, 2017

Nina Michigan said:
I have a news archive subscription and came across it while researching another case. There is very little online about Mr Carson's murder.

Sounds as though this case should be picked up by one of the better podcasts. It's always good when they dig into really obscure cases instead of just going for the low-hanging fruit. I'd really like to see Generation Why tackle this one.

Macca_PI · Oct 19, 2017

MelmothTheLost said:
Sounds as though this case should be picked up by one of the better podcasts. It's always good when they dig into really obscure cases instead of just going for the low-hanging fruit. I'd really like to see Generation Why tackle this one.

Actually, this case has just been picked up by one of the better podcasts: Already Gone. The host, Nina Innsted, initiated this thread. She does a great job investigating true crime cases. You can check out her podcast here: http://www.alreadygonepodcast.com/

MelmothTheLost · Oct 20, 2017

Macca_PI said:
Actually, this case has just been picked up by one of the better podcasts: Already Gone. The host, Nina Innsted, initiated this thread. She does a great job investigating true crime cases. You can check out her podcast here: http://www.alreadygonepodcast.com/

That's great news.

Sorry Nina. I didn't spot that you're a podcaster.

Nina Michigan · Oct 24, 2017

MelmothTheLost said:
That's great news.

Sorry Nina. I didn't spot that you're a podcaster.

No problem. I too am a big fan of Gen Why. Aaron and Justin are good people.

thank you Macca Pi!

Ozoner · Dec 31, 2017

Even though it's unrelated, this case reminded me of the 1985 murder of psychologist Alan Canty, another professional with a secret seedy side:
https://the-line-up.com/murder-and-dismemberment-in-the-motor-city

Nina Michigan · May 13, 2019

This case also reminds me of the torture murder of John McKinney in September 1977. McKinney was an art dealer with ties to the Oakland County Child murders.

Richard · May 14, 2019

Carson Edward McDowell
Birth 1933
Death 4 Aug 1977 (aged 43–44)
Burial
River View Cemetery
Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, USA
Plot Sec 124, Lot 15, Grave 3
Memorial ID 983116

LINK:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/98311648/carson-edward-mcdowell

Nina Michigan · May 14, 2019

McDowell was a father of two children, he served in the Oregon air guard and survived a 1959 crash over Mt Hood during his service. After his death, his wife took their younger son (older child went off to college) back to Oregon where she'd grown up.

His murder deserves resolution.

Ozoner · Jan 2, 2021

Nina Michigan said:
McDowell was a father of two children, he served in the Oregon air guard and survived a 1959 crash over Mt Hood during his service. After his death, his wife took their younger son (older child went off to college) back to Oregon where she'd grown up.

His murder deserves resolution.

Are there any suspects?

Did they find any butts from the cigarettes used to burn him? Those might contain DNA evidence.

Richard · Mar 14, 2023

Carson McDowell, age 43
Murdered 4 August 1977

LINK:

73 The murder of Carson McDowell | Already Gone Podcast – True Crime

www.alreadygonepodcast.com

MI MI - Carson McDowell, 43, Ferndale, 4 Aug 1977

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