Did Lowery Change Pants On Day Of Stein's Murder?

Same day, different pants

[UPDATE BELOW] The hits keep coming in the trial of Natavia Lowery, who is accused of bludgeoning her former boss Linda Stein to death in 2007. But before we get to yesterday's testimony from Stein's ex-husband, music producer Seymour Stein, there's something else that has come to our attention.

A reader pointed out to us that Natavia Lowery is wearing two different pairs of pants in the surveillance video from the day of Stein's murder. This hasn't been brought up during the trial, and so far it has only been pointed out that there were no blood spatters on Lowery's clothes. But the footage shows Lowery entering the apartment building with khaki pants that have cargo pockets on each side. Later she is shown leaving Stein's apartment, with two bags (one that appears to be heavy and which is never seen again), wearing totally different khaki pants, with no cargo pockets! How has this not been called to attention?

Meanwhile, yesterday Seymour Stein took the stand testifying that he called his ex-wife the day of her murder and Lowery answered her phone, telling him she was out running (she told others who called that she was out for a walk). That surveillance footage (after the jump) has shown that Stein never actually left her apartment that day (but Lowery was in and out allegedly covering he tracks); and when Mr. Stein called, his ex-wife had already been dead for hours. The belief is that Lowery was trying to buy time and stall the body from being discovered.

A recorded conversation between Lowery and a debt collector was also presented yesterday; in it, she pays $1,133.61 in back rent via Stein's checking account (the NY Post has audio). Prosecutors charge that she stole over $30,000 from her former boss, and that a confrontation about this is what led to the murder. Another testimony came from an old co-worker of Stein's, who said she asked Lowery how working for the real estate agent was going, to which Lowery responded in what was described as a determined voice: "We're going to have to put an end to this."

UPDATE: Here are some more screenshots, showing Lowery's pants before and after the murder allegedly took place. The pants are turned inside out after she leaves Stein's apartment.

Pocket, no pocket, inside-out pant seam

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in News on February 5, 2010 2:51 PM

Comments [rss]

Coolo

NYcCHICK, No She used your legs since you have all the answers let's here what you have to say is her pants Changed? is it INSIDE OUT?. Please explain I would love to hear this The pants is a VERY BIG DEAL BECAUSE the defense said "oh how could she have killed LINDA in those light colored pant and not get blood splattered on it". So let's hear I will be awaiting your answer. NATAVIA's MOTHER or AUNT or GRANDMA or COUSIN I am waiting please explain. YOU WILL KNOW WHICH LEG WHEN Prosecutors GET A HOLD OF THIS POST. EVIDENCE IS EVERYTHING. BY THE WAY I NOTICED YOU PUT IN ANOTHER POST THAT prosecutors DO NOT HAVE PROOF OF STOLEN MONEY, AND IT WAS ALL GIFTS. WAS YOU NOT IN COURT FOR YOUR FAMILY MEMBER WHEN NATAVIA's LAWYER said SHE STOLE LINDA's MONEY, NOT GIVEN AS NO DAM GIFT. ALSO, I GUESS DEAD SHE ALSO TOLD NATAVIA TO GO TO THE ATM AND TAKE $800 and transfer money Right PLEASE PLEASE ANSWER THIS.........................

womenagainstwomen

She would take her jacket off when she got to "work" so it wouldn't be soiled and we never see the shirt...we have no clue what's going on under that jacket. There's talk about blood splatter through the apt and how could she have done it if she was wearing those light colored pants that show no sign of blood splatter on them.

NycChick

I'm confused did she kill her with her legs? Why so much emphasis on pants? Wouldn't her shirt or blouse be the obvious thing to be changed, wet, or with blood? Are the daughters of stein feeding this to blogs to throw the scent off them?

womenagainstwomen

The same video on the NY Daily News site is actually much clearer, makes it more obvious there aren't any cargos.

Deena

Franz just stop it No Flaps No box when she comes downstairs. Look at her when she is talking to guards no flaps no box. womanagainstwoman you are so correct about her pants not looking ironed thats why the flaps are sloppy and sticking out. They were not tapped when she came in and they are missing when she comes downstairs. I can not go to bed this woman turned her pants inside out I was thinking she was innocent. Not After This

Deena

The flaps and the box are sticking out when she first arrive they are not went she leave. For those that are saying lighting just notice when she comes in by the front I see flaps, and at the elevator I see flaps, but when she comes back I can not see any flaps No I do not see flaps by the painter by the mirror. Hold on guys I am going to have a specialist view this my older brother does this for a living.

womenagainstwomen

That was another theory I had: murder weapon in bag that is never seen again, pants inside out; there are those weird lines down the back. Those pants don't look ironed when she comes in, so even if she had keys, cellphone, etc in her pockets when she got there and removed that stuff, those pocks would poke out. We would be able to see them. I hate cargo pants to death...but I have a 3 yr old son who wears them, so I know their ins and outs.

Deena

Man I do know for a fact she turned pants inside out there is NO flaps once she come down stairs leave and come back. I checked and checked Thanks coolo. I was thinking these people are crazy they just want to make this girl guilty but she did turn her pants inside out I watched all videos put up for that day. And I can confirm she turned pants inside out. Someone needs to call the police I'll do it myself. This is a big deal

franz

if you watch carefully, in the scene where she walks thru the painters and by a mirror, you can see the edge of the cargo pocket flap in the reflection of the mirror. She's wearing the same pants, its the lighting.

womenagainstwomen

Ha..that was another theory I had since she looks determined and awkward when she leaves initially and those are weird lines down her butt.

Deena

OMG, OMGGGGG Coolo is Correct I just went to see and yes the pants is turned inside out. At first I was going to say this post is stupid but coolo hit it on the head. I was saying how could she have changed to the same color pants. Wonderful observation coolo

Coolo

Hey guys Natavia did not change her pants she TURNED THEM INSIDE OUT. PLEASE VIEW POST VIDEO OF EVENTS AND YOU WILL NOTICE THE AREA WHERE THE POCKETS BELONG THERE IS CLEARLY A BULG.

She turned her pants inside out. YES SHE DID

womenagainstwomen

Those are quite obviously two different sets of pants. She's probably wearing Linda's pants, since she felt it was ok to help herself to her money, why no pants too? The coloring has nothing to do with it, that could be explained away by the type of camera and different daylight...but those pants no longer have hideous cargo pockets. Also, what's she doing with that doorman at the end of the video, possibly buying drugs? They touch hands and she puts something in her pocket. I doubt they're passing notes.

Ishtar

She did change pants at some point, but I doubt a "reader" is seeing anything the detectives, as simple as some of them are, didn't already notice.

CR

No idea, but this is a win-win situation for Old Navy.

oldmotherreagan

Easily the dumbest entry I've read on this website. Way to break the case open! There is no difference in the pants. Probably why it hasn't come up in trial. I might have read the rest of it if I hadn't been so turned off by the second paragraph.

brawny

Slow day at work for me. 2:14 and 2:17 = no pockets. Case closed!

kane

Agreed. A website that cannot even proofread its posts for spelling/grammatical errors has discovered (with the help of an eagle-eyed reader) that Natavia Lowery changed her pants on the day she allegedly murdered Linda Stein? To boot, it's all from crappy/very grainy CCTV footage that clearly distorts colors depending on the lighting and they caught it before prosecutors, defense attorneys, and a judge! Highly, highly doubtful.

If it comes up in court and is proven correct, I'll eat my words, but I just don't see that happening.

brawny

I thought it was the lighting too, but those pockets are gone when she walks out the door. The real question is...why so many doormen?

duck fat

It's likely not the pants but rather a different white balance or the type of lighting is affecting the appearance of the pants on video. See the white on the walls when she is wearing "khaki" pants and you also see khaki walls.

So, um, not news.