Big Bear Man Sentenced for Drowning His Disabled Wife and Their Dog

BIG BEAR – A man who drowned his disabled wife and his dog in 2012 was convicted of second-degree murder and animal cruelty on Tuesday.

Ronald Hitchcock, 61, of Big Bear drove his car into Big Bear Lake with Deborah Crouch, 53, who was unable to walk due to illness and Onyx, his black Labrador inside. Hitchcock was able to escape the vehicle, Crouch died of drowning while according to a witness Hitchcock banged on a chain link fence as he said, “She is not going to get out of this one.”

Not only did Crouch have little to no chance to escape, but the investigation revealed that Onyx was pinned between a partially rolled down window with his head out, but his body still inside of the vehicle. Although drowning was determined to be the cause of death for Crouch, bruising over her body revealed that she was likely the victim of physical violence.

Hitchcock will be sentenced on February 28, 2018, and will face 15 years to life in prison.

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