NV NV - Steven T. Koecher, 30, Henderson, 13 Dec 2009 - #19

[OldSteve]

After watching I still believe in my original theory which is the same as Retke's. I think he met with foul play in that neighborhood and that he was lured there. The hair on the back of my neck stood up when Retke said there is a home of interest in that neighborhood.
Laytonian- Retke said it was an anonymous call that said to look for him in the desert.

Saw the show on ID (they had a mix up in the listings showing another episode, but Steven's show was shown) -
it in the last minutes of the show when Retke said the part about there being a home of interest that was new to me... strange though, since in the beginning the neighborhood was described as a retirement community... would think people of my age would not be prone to this kind of crime, and if someone strange moved in, they would have told LE much sooner...

 

[Sin City]

After watching I still believe in my original theory which is the same as Retke's. I think he met with foul play in that neighborhood and that he was lured there. The hair on the back of my neck stood up when Retke said there is a home of interest in that neighborhood.
Laytonian- Retke said it was an anonymous call that said to look for him in the desert.

Laytonian, I do recall that Retke said it was a call that gave the tip to search the desert area. I didn't record the program, so I couldn't go back to review if he said anonymous, but he did not say it was from a "credible" person on ID. Which, is what we were all told.

The only thing I learned from the show was that SK's DNA wasn't linked to the homeless tent area that was behind the residential area. I don't know if this is new information, or just new to me.

I know that the White SUV on the security camera footage has been cleared by the PI, but I wish ID would have included the SUV in the program. At least to show it driving into the camera view after SK's car.

 

[Sin City]

It was so sad to see the strong emotions of SK's father on the ID program knowing that he passed away shortly after the taping of ID. Heartbreaking!

I don't even want to acknowledge the Powell angle was aired on the program, but I am. I wish it hadn't even been brought up on ID, as it's complete BS brought about by Susan's father in-law.

 

[webrocket]

I did not watch the program but I am reading how the PI admitted it was an anonymous tip that led to that search by the airport.

it took me some time but I went back on the old threads as I am certain I had something to say about the tipster way back when.

I found a comment I made in thread #9, post #211 about the tipster -

With a $10,000 reward floating around, a tipster gives a lead to a PI and wants to remain anonymous?

Mind you not just any tipster, one who is well known to the PI and trusted.

I am putting less and less stock in this "tip" with each passing moment.

The PI is, however, getting great free advertising in the process.

If they find Steven's body near that airport, I will retire from WS as I would have been so far off the mark that I should keep my opinions to myself.


so the PI was lying when he publicly stated a year + ago that the tip came from a trusted source? As you can see, I did not believe him then.

 

[marcyjoy]

I saw the program twice last night and didn't find anything really new it it. I am thankful for the increased awareness it brought to Steven's case.

What I wish had been brought out is the "two phone calls" made to Steven on the morning of the 13th...where GS (if I remember right) had been in Vegas as well. That has always struck me as an odd coincidence. Mainly because if I had a friend who was travelling in the same city as me, I would ask more about it...just out of friendly curiosity. Makes me suspect either something more WAS said or there was a reason it wasn't. Just my opinion...

 

[OldSteve]

Thinking about the show and seeing Steve walking away from his car they way one would if they were going to meet someone, and knowing how much he needed to make some money - Something bad had to have happened right there.
I thought Steve's cousin did a very good job narrating on the show.

 

[laytonian]

Laytonian, I do recall that Retke said it was a call that gave the tip to search the desert area. I didn't record the program, so I couldn't go back to review if he said anonymous, but he did not say it was from a "credible" person on ID. Which, is what we were all told.

The only thing I learned from the show was that SK's DNA wasn't linked to the homeless tent area that was behind the residential area. I don't know if this is new information, or just new to me.

I know that the White SUV on the security camera footage has been cleared by the PI, but I wish ID would have included the SUV in the program. At least to show it driving into the camera view after SK's car.

I noticed, on the second viewing, that the video was a recreation. There was no white SUV, and the camera angle was "off". It also didn't show Steven's actual walk.

Second viewing also impressed on me that Steven's mother and KC were open about not being 100% convinced it was Steven on the tape.

BUT....it wasn't anyone's cable operator's sched that was off. It was Investigation ID. Our repeat was supposed to have been at midnight MST -- and it came on at 10pm.

 

[laytonian]

Thinking about the show and seeing Steve walking away from his car they way one would if they were going to meet someone, and knowing how much he needed to make some money - Something bad had to have happened right there.
I thought Steve's cousin did a very good job narrating on the show.

The neighborhood you saw last night, was not the street that Steven disappeared from. There was grass and lots of vegetation -- that's not how Evening Lights looks. It's all xeriscape, cactus and rocks. The only "real" thing was the street signs.

Having been there, I was struck by how close together those homes are. It's almost shocking.

I can't imagine anyone being killed inside one of the homes on EL, and being able to escape security cameras. After all, you have to leave the home to take a body away.

 

[laytonian]

I did not watch the program but I am reading how the PI admitted it was an anonymous tip that led to that search by the airport.

it took me some time but I went back on the old threads as I am certain I had something to say about the tipster way back when.

I found a comment I made in thread #9, post #211 about the tipster -

With a $10,000 reward floating around, a tipster gives a lead to a PI and wants to remain anonymous?

Mind you not just any tipster, one who is well known to the PI and trusted.

I am putting less and less stock in this "tip" with each passing moment.

The PI is, however, getting great free advertising in the process.

If they find Steven's body near that airport, I will retire from WS as I would have been so far off the mark that I should keep my opinions to myself.


so the PI was lying when he publicly stated a year + ago that the tip came from a trusted source? As you can see, I did not believe him then.

"Reliable", rather than "trusted":
"The search was organized by private investigator and former Las Vegas Metro Police officer Craig Retke, who said he received a tip from a reliable source April 2 that the area would be worth looking at." Source: A now-dead Salt Lake Tribune link.
But I also remember Retke being firm about how much he trusted the information, and it seemed to convince Rolf Koecher.

Here's my theory:

Someone linked an EL resident with someone else, and that someone else had been cited for illegally dumping trash in several "desert" areas. That someone else was last seen Dec 8, 2009 (five days before Steven disappeared):

I found one citation HERE.

Interestingly, one of those dumpsites is "straight up the road" three miles from where one set of human remains was recently found (Starr Rd area).

 

[laytonian]

Saw the show on ID (they had a mix up in the listings showing another episode, but Steven's show was shown) -
it in the last minutes of the show when Retke said the part about there being a home of interest that was new to me... strange though, since in the beginning the neighborhood was described as a retirement community... would think people of my age would not be prone to this kind of crime, and if someone strange moved in, they would have told LE much sooner...

Yes, one house has been focused on.
Those residents have moved, but aren't hiding. In fact, at the time Steven was in that neighborhood, those homeowners owned another home in the Anthem area to which they subsequently moved.

 

[laytonian]

come on these are not connected, where did it ping last??

Are you asking where Steven's phone last pinged?

Over near Russell Rd & US-93/I-515.

There's a LOT of material at the link in my signature. If you haven't read any of it before, it might interest you.

 

[laytonian]

The repeat is 5 hours after the first showing....so I'd GUESS 11pm in your area.

Wrong. ID surprised me with a repeat 3 hours after the original showing.
I was just glad I was channel hopping at the time.

 

[littlegreycells31]

Yes, one house has been focused on.
Those residents have moved, but aren't hiding. In fact, at the time Steven was in that neighborhood, those homeowners owned another home in the Anthem area to which they subsequently moved.

I am new to this forum, but wondered if there was any ideas given for why this house was a "house of interest"?

 

[colie077]

I am new to this forum, but wondered if there was any ideas given for why this house was a "house of interest"?

I was wondering the same thing....

 

[Fairy1]

"Reliable", rather than "trusted":
"The search was organized by private investigator and former Las Vegas Metro Police officer Craig Retke, who said he received a tip from a reliable source April 2 that the area would be worth looking at." Source: A now-dead Salt Lake Tribune link.
But I also remember Retke being firm about how much he trusted the information, and it seemed to convince Rolf Koecher.

Here's my theory:

Someone linked an EL resident with someone else, and that someone else had been cited for illegally dumping trash in several "desert" areas. That someone else was last seen Dec 8, 2009 (five days before Steven disappeared):

I found one citation HERE.

Interestingly, one of those dumpsites is "straight up the road" three miles from where one set of human remains was recently found (Starr Rd area).

There may very well be a connection. I just can't figure out how Steven would have been connected to these people. There's quite a difference between illegal dumping and murder.

 

[laytonian]

There may very well be a connection. I just can't figure out how Steven would have been connected to these people. There's quite a difference between illegal dumping and murder.

We know he went down there, Dec 12th.
If the theory is correct, all he'd have to do is respond to an ad in one of those "big nickel" flyers. Or hear about a "job" from an acquaintance (maybe someone who'd turned him down for a job in St George).

Here's a silly idea to match some that have been posted here:
Let's say Steven was hired to dispose of "something" (like a body) that was "created" (as a body) sometime on Dec 8th....and he took it to Northern Nevada.

Then, when he went to collect for this little chore......

(See, I can create silly scenarios)

 

[laytonian]

I was wondering the same thing....

1 - Steven seems to walk towards it...and he's almost reached that front yard, the last time he's seen on the video.

Of course, he could have walked much further. He could have walked around the corner.

One thing some of us noticed, when we walked up Evening Lights, is that the street curves to the right -- and we found ourselves walking up that street at the same "cut across" angle that we see Steven walk.​

2 - Some of the neighbors said things about a certain family (people came and went at night, they didn't belong to the Neighborhood Watch, etc).

If there are suspicions about that certain family, none of us are aware of them....and you'd think that if LE had similar suspicions, there'd have been an investigation in that direction. ???​

 

[Fairy1]

We know he went down there, Dec 12th.
If the theory is correct, all he'd have to do is respond to an ad in one of those "big nickel" flyers. Or hear about a "job" from an acquaintance (maybe someone who'd turned him down for a job in St George).

Here's a silly idea to match some that have been posted here:
Let's say Steven was hired to dispose of "something" (like a body) that was "created" (as a body) sometime on Dec 8th....and he took it to Northern Nevada.

Then, when he went to collect for this little chore......

(See, I can create silly scenarios)

I don't think that's silly. It's every bit as plausible as any other theory we've ever seen!

I just can't see the need to advertise for a "runner" of any kind. There are plenty of desperate souls right here in Vegas who would perform such an errand with no questions asked.

 

[Noway]

I haven't followed this case, and happened to catch the ID episode on Steven, and now am very interested.

It seems that the two things he was searching for in life were 1) a job; 2) a wife. And IMO, it is one of those (more likely a job) that brought him there.

I personally was glad they addressed the lack of connection to the Susan Powell case, not only so that is "out there" and dealt with in Steven's case, but for Susan as well.

I need to read the previous threads but have read through the timeline.

I wondered why Steven didn't park in front of his destination but instead parked at the end of the cul-de-sac. Is there no on-street parking in the neighborhood?

 

[Fairy1]

I haven't followed this case, and happened to catch the ID episode on Steven.

Well - welcome to you, then! If you saw the show, you know the case is quite interesting. There is plenty of info to look over here at WS and laytonian has a most excellent timeline with tons more info in her signature!

I hope you will join us here - we could use some fresh eyeballs!