Ralph Lee Machala, 58, of Baytown, Texas, was found dead on September 20, 2019, near FM2354 in Chambers County. A local realtor discovered the body the day after Tropical Depression Imelda passed through the area. Machala, owner of Pooky’s Ice House in Crosby, died from a gunshot wound.

Authorities say evidence indicated Machala was shot at a different location and his body was later moved to the site where it was found. Investigators reported the body was left in that area because the perpetrators did not expect it to be discovered, and flooding from Imelda complicated recovery and the early stages of the investigation.

James Rupert Howard, 69, was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada, and charged with murder. He was held in the Chambers County Jail on a $1 million bond as prosecutors continued to gather evidence and testimonies.