The disappearance of San Antonio businesswoman Andreen McDonald has taken a sinister and chilling twist. What initially seemed like a case of a missing person has now transformed into a murder investigation, leaving the community in shock and disbelief.
Andreen McDonald, a successful millionaire business owner known for her strict workout regimen, failed to show up for work on the morning of March 1, 2019. Concerned, her employees contacted the gym, only to discover that she had never arrived there either. Red flags were raised, and the search for Andreen began.
As investigators delved into her personal life, they uncovered a web of secrets and turmoil. Andreen and her husband, Andre McDonald, were once the epitome of success. Andre, a major in the Air Force, and Andreen had built a thriving assisted living business together, amassing great wealth. However, beneath the surface, cracks in their seemingly perfect marriage began to emerge.
During a meeting at a tax preparer’s office, Andre discovered that Andreen had opened a separate business without his knowledge. This revelation sparked a heated argument between the couple, with accusations of infidelity and discussions of divorce. Andre claimed that he left the house to cool down, but the argument continued via text messages.
When Andre returned home, he believed his wife was sleeping in a separate bedroom. However, the next morning, Andreen failed to show up for work, causing alarm among her friends and colleagues. They enlisted the help of Andreen’s mother, Maureen Smith, and together they went to the McDonald home. It was there that they made a chilling discovery.
A Bexar County sheriff’s deputy, responding to the missing person report, accompanied the group through the house. Inside the bathroom, they stumbled upon a disturbing sight—a light switch smeared with blood and strands of hair. Outside, in the backyard, a burn pile caught their attention. And within it, a zipper was visible, hinting at something far more sinister.
Further investigation revealed that Andreen’s purse, ID, and keys were still in the house, but her phone was missing. Andre, upon his return to the scene, claimed ignorance about his wife’s whereabouts but admitted to the argument they had the previous night. However, when pressed for more information, he requested an attorney and refused to cooperate further.
The following day, surveillance footage captured Andre McDonald purchasing a cart full of items from a Lowe’s store, including a shovel, an ax, and other tools. Investigators, suspecting foul play, followed him to a nearby gun shop, where Andre purchased a 9mm handgun and ammunition. Concerned that he might harm himself, they detained him and turned him over to military authorities for a mental evaluation.
Meanwhile, armed with a search warrant, investigators returned to the McDonald home. Inside, they discovered the items Andre had purchased earlier that day—a chilling collection that included a hatchet, heavy-duty trash bags, gloves, and gas cans. A torn receipt found in a nearby trash can confirmed their suspicions.
As the pieces of this disturbing puzzle fell into place, investigators obtained a handwritten shopping list from Andre McDonald’s possession. The list mirrored the items he had purchased from Lowe’s, leading them to believe that he had entered the store with a sinister plan in mind.
Days turned into months as the search for Andreen continued. Finally, in July 2019, her skeletal remains were discovered in a field six miles from the McDonald home. The devastating news sent shockwaves through the community, and Andre McDonald was promptly arrested and charged with his wife’s murder.
In a plea of not guilty, Andre McDonald now faces a long and arduous legal battle. The once-successful couple’s life of wealth and prosperity has been shattered, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions and a community grappling with the darkness that can lurk beneath the surface of even the most idyllic lives.
As the investigation unfolds, the truth behind Andreen McDonald’s tragic fate may finally come to light, providing closure to those who loved her and justice for a life cut short in the most horrifying of circumstances.
