NV NV - Steven T. Koecher, 30, Henderson, 13 Dec 2009 - #18

[Fairy1]

The neighbors in SCA *do* watch each other. Why, they're often appalled! There's been several surveys of the neighborhood. Steven's family (at least twice), Steven's dad, the PI, and LE (various).

Remember when gsmith told us (here on Websleuths, searchable) that he and others had talked to Mr Security? And how they knew everything that went on in the neighborhood? They told about how people came and went "at all hours" at 2260 EL ... and that the home was for rent.

Of course, the 2260 EL family had moved ... but just a few blocks away.

With all of that canvassing, and focus on the very few homes on EL, nothing's ever turned up.

I just think if there's a crime, it happened elsewhere.
I see SCA only as a meeting spot.

I'm sure they do - as a general rule. But judging from the couple of times I've been there, they must be peeking out their windows. I've never seen a soul walking or just out in their yard either time. Didn't see any security either.

But I do agree, whatever became of Steven, he was only in that area for a short time.

 

[laytonian]

There's an interesting article in the Salt Lake Tribune tonight, with statements from Steven's family.

Click here to read it.

There's some comments attributed to Steven's father, that I find odd. He couldn't go through Steven's things, and he still hasn't read Steven's journal.

I wonder who has read it?

Note: there's an error in the story. The girls were not shivering outside the St George temple, but were outside their own home (see this Deseret News report for confirmation).

 

[Fairy1]

There's an interesting article in the Salt Lake Tribune tonight, with statements from Steven's family.

Click here to read it.

There's some comments attributed to Steven's father, that I find odd. He couldn't go through Steven's things, and he still hasn't read Steven's journal.

I wonder who has read it?

Note: there's an error in the story. The girls were not shivering outside the St George temple, but were outside their own home (see this Deseret News report for confirmation).

Thank you, laytonian. Someone in Steven's immediate family needs to read that journal, IMO. The smallest of clues could be found there. Something no one else can put into the proper context....

Happy Birthday, Steven. Wherever you are.

 

[laytonian]

Thank you, laytonian. Someone in Steven's immediate family needs to read that journal, IMO. The smallest of clues could be found there. Something no one else can put into the proper context....

You're right -- although I believe an independent look, is also needed. Because the context may be there, and not understood by someone who sees him with the perpetual Boy Scout image.

Hopefully, that's been done.

Happy Birthday, Steven. Wherever you are.

 

[laytonian]

I'm sure they do - as a general rule. But judging from the couple of times I've been there, they must be peeking out their windows. I've never seen a soul walking or just out in their yard either time. Didn't see any security either.

But I do agree, whatever became of Steven, he was only in that area for a short time.

They must get together and gossip; remember how Appalling it was to find out that Steven was discussed at the annual Christmas party.

 

[Fairy1]

You're right -- although I believe an independent look, is also needed. Because the context may be there, and not understood by someone who sees him with the perpetual Boy Scout image.

Hopefully, that's been done.

I'm sure it has been done. Yet here we are. Back to the beginning for the fourth time. At least.

I've worried that the family may have overlooked something that was seemingly innocent, but not necessarily. A journal is a very personal thing and I think in that case, the closer to Steven, the better.

 

[Fairy1]

They must get together and gossip; remember how Appalling it was to find out that Steven was discussed at the annual Christmas party.

Probably, but that was an annual get-together and Steven had just gone missing. I wonder, do they get together at other times during the year? Do they usually have such sensational things to discuss or do they just get up in their neighbor's business?

It's interesting to me. If someone went missing in my area, I wouldn't be insulted or APPALLED if people were investigating it. There are some bad guys running round on my side of town right now and everyone is talking about it and wants them caught.....NOW. I wouldn't doubt one bit if some folks were driving around in the dead of night looking for them. I know I sure have thought about it. Why would anyone be opposed to getting bad guys off the street?

Why, indeed.

 

[Kelly_Robinson]

The neighbors in SCA *do* watch each other. Why, they're often appalled! There's been several surveys of the neighborhood. Steven's family (at least twice), Steven's dad, the PI, and LE (various).

Remember when gsmith told us (here on Websleuths, searchable) that he and others had talked to Mr Security? And how they knew everything that went on in the neighborhood? They told about how people came and went "at all hours" at 2260 EL ... and that the home was for rent.

Of course, the 2260 EL family had moved ... but just a few blocks away.

With all of that canvassing, and focus on the very few homes on EL, nothing's ever turned up.

I just think if there's a crime, it happened elsewhere.
I see SCA only as a meeting spot.

Laytonian,

I agree with you on that one. I do think it was a crime but I believe he met someone there and it happened somewhere else.

Kelly

 

[Kelly_Robinson]

I learned a couple of things today. And as much as I hate to admit I might be wrong and someone else might be right, I have to be honest and not go with an agenda.

I had to drive 400 miles round trip today for a meeting, and during that drive I came to realize that Mr.Koecher was definately not likely out driving to just, "blow off stress." Correct me if I am wrong but I believe the laytonian's timeline says that he drove 1200 miles in three days. Yeah no way this was for site seeing or to just, "go for a drive." I am in pretty good shape and when I drove the first 200 miles and got to my destination my stomach, back and legs were killing me. When I drove back home I was aching all over. Also this is a nice drive up the 101 along the beautiful Pacific Ocean. I didn't take the 5 Freeway because although faster it's a horribly boring drive. According to one of laytonian's posts the area that Steven drove in is boring with very little to look at. I have driven to Vegas many times over the years and i can say that on this side of Vegas, she is right in that there is nothing to site see, it's boring and long.

Secondly when I got out of the car to walk to my appointment, I saw my reflection in the window while I was walking near the building and I noticed that I was walking in a very similar way that Steven Koecher was walking in the security video. He looks like he is walking sort of light footed. The reason for that I believe is because of the cramping and aching in the legs after driving so far. If you have driven for a long time you feel a little awkard walking when you first get out of the car.

Finally some have said that Steven Koecher was doing some interviewing for employment in that area? Who do you know who interviews in a pair of jeans and tennis shoes? Any time I have ever interviewed for a job I always wear at the least a pair of nice slacks, a dress shirt, nice dress shoes and a tie-always. Even if i was going to a semi-casual interview on a Sunday-which I have had to do before, I would at the least wear a pair of nice slacks, dress shoes and a polo shirt or some other golf shirt.

Although I am still pretty sure that Mr. Koecher is the victim of a crime, I am a little more open to laytonian's theory of a possible suicide.

Either way he was not out for a, "blow off some steam stroll." Taking a drive to release some frustration would be more like a 50 mile drive perhaps or maybe even 100, but 1200 in three days-no way. No something was really motivating him to drive so far, there can be no doubt about that. Especially at night as there is just not much to see and kind of nerve racking.

Kelly

 

[Kelly_Robinson]

Why the heck was he driving so far? What would motivate someone to drive such a long distance? After today I really don't get it. I had forgotten just how uncomfortable driving such a long distance can be.

Without real work, and behind on his rent by three months and not even accessing the money deposited in his account, what would motivate someone to drive aimlessly for so many miles?

There's something really wrong with that picture.

Kelly

 

[webrocket]

Why the heck was he driving so far? What would motivate someone to drive such a long distance? After today I really don't get it. I had forgotten just how uncomfortable driving such a long distance can be.

Without real work, and behind on his rent by three months and not even accessing the money deposited in his account, what would motivate someone to drive aimlessly for so many miles?

There's something really wrong with that picture.

Kelly

yes there was something wrong with the picture.

he was planning his exit and did not want to spend time at his apt (where he was back due in rent), his church people or his family (whom he was bolting from).

granted the last thing I'd want to do is drive 1200 miles to avoid contact with people but what better way is there to avoid people than to drive by yourself on the road.

the visit to the ranch is bizarre but I long felt that was a goodbye of a sort to someone who was already out of his life. he could get some nostalgia out of it and it got him off the road for a couple of hours and gave him a free meal in the process. not a bad deal.

 

[SugarJames]

Can anyone confirm the Trib Article where it states the kids he helped in St George where at the Temple?

 

[SugarJames]

yes there was something wrong with the picture.

he was planning his exit and did not want to spend time at his apt (where he was back due in rent), his church people or his family (whom he was bolting from).

granted the last thing I'd want to do is drive 1200 miles to avoid contact with people but what better way is there to avoid people than to drive by yourself on the road.

the visit to the ranch is bizarre but I long felt that was a goodbye of a sort to someone who was already out of his life. he could get some nostalgia out of it and it got him off the road for a couple of hours and gave him a free meal in the process. not a bad deal.

I have taken the trip with him several times using the timeline, Google maps, and Earth, a clock and visual thinking...there is defenently something wrong with the picture.

 

[Kelly_Robinson]

yes there was something wrong with the picture.

he was planning his exit and did not want to spend time at his apt (where he was back due in rent), his church people or his family (whom he was bolting from).

granted the last thing I'd want to do is drive 1200 miles to avoid contact with people but what better way is there to avoid people than to drive by yourself on the road.

the visit to the ranch is bizarre but I long felt that was a goodbye of a sort to someone who was already out of his life. he could get some nostalgia out of it and it got him off the road for a couple of hours and gave him a free meal in the process. not a bad deal.

I understand where you are coming from but I don't agree with this conclusion although there are many who hold that he purposesly disappeared from his life.

Three reasons why I don't believe he walked away and they are as follows:

1. It is very hard to disappear without a trace even for an expert. Take me for instance, I would know exactly what I would have to do not to leave a trace and it would be darn tough. Very hard to completely stay off the radar. I don't believe it. Steven from what I understand was naive to such things. Even going to a motel nowadays requires I.D. and a person's Experian will get flagged when they rent a hotel room.

2. If he wanted to walk away because of all the bills he had, then that's fine. Patrick McDermott (Olivia Newton John's boyfriend of 9 years) did it, although they didn't have his exact location, they Knew that he was alive and in Mexico after about 30 days. It wasn't until a P.I. created a website about his case that Mr. McDermott logged on and check the site. They captured his I.P address and they also found out he was using a new credit card, but his credit bureau identified that he was incurring debt. They found his exact location about a year later, but the LE knew he was alive and his general whereabouts. He left because of massive debt.

If Steve simply wanted to walk away because he was either embarrassed by the debt or emotionally unstable, someone would have his general location by now in all likelihood.


3. If he is mentally unstable then continually staying underneath the radar would be that much harder as mentally unstable people don't usually have the cognitive wherewithall to concentrate to stay hidden for this long of period of time. Again, you may not his exact location but his general whereabouts would be known; for example you may not know what street he lives on or his address but you would know he was somewhere in, let's say Los Angeles or New York. That is easy to find out.


Sorry I just don't buy that he purposely walked away. No activity on his credit cards, his credit bureau , cell phone or anything.

Kelly

 

[Kelly_Robinson]

I have taken the trip with him several times using the timeline, Google maps, and Earth, a clock and visual thinking...there is defenently something wrong with the picture.

SJ- I am trying to come up with a profile. I am getting bits and pieces. You sound like you knew Steven Koecher. Can you tell me if at anytime if he was overly irritable for no apparent reason? Did he stare off into space with a bland stare? Did he seem euphoric and really up and I mean really up, like saying stuff like, "becoming a millionaire," in a short period of time or someone famous? Was he obsessed with any particular subject to the point where he talked about it to boredom?

I am asking these questions to try and determine if he was manic. Did he hear voices? Say he spoke to saints, angels, that God was personally communcating with him in a audible tone? Was he up one minute and then totally dejected and depressed the next?

Thus far what I see is a young man who was discouraged with his life, rightfully so, maybe someone who was a bit immature, with the job hopping. T

I guess one other question I would really have is why the heck the landlord let the rent go past three months without taking some sort of legal action? Unless Steven had a string of broken promised to catch up starting with the first month. But what kind of a land lord blows off three months of rent and only then starts calling about it? The state of Utah has remedies for past due rent after the first thirty days. Why did they wait so long? And when they did do something they simply called and bugged him, rather then filing a claim.

Somehow, somewhere, someone is going to get this darn case solved.

Kelly

 

[laytonian]

I'm sure it has been done. Yet here we are. Back to the beginning for the fourth time. At least.

I've worried that the family may have overlooked something that was seemingly innocent, but not necessarily. A journal is a very personal thing and I think in that case, the closer to Steven, the better.

In a matter of life and death, I think one's privacy should go out the window. Also, someone with a lot of skepticism should be involved in interpreting the journal entries.

 

[laytonian]

yes there was something wrong with the picture.

he was planning his exit and did not want to spend time at his apt (where he was back due in rent), his church people or his family (whom he was bolting from).

granted the last thing I'd want to do is drive 1200 miles to avoid contact with people but what better way is there to avoid people than to drive by yourself on the road.

the visit to the ranch is bizarre but I long felt that was a goodbye of a sort to someone who was already out of his life. he could get some nostalgia out of it and it got him off the road for a couple of hours and gave him a free meal in the process. not a bad deal.

I think it may have been a last-ditch effort to get someone back into his life.

Remember, the drive came right after a disagreement with his dad. I can almost imagine the conversation: Why are you behind on your rent? Why can't you get a job? What are you doing with your time? How come you can't be like your brothers and get married? What's going on? When are you going to settle down?

You know. The kinds of things that parents ask their children, when they're a bit disappointed with something.

Raising a family is Job #1 in Steven's religion.

 

[webrocket]

Raising a family is Job #1 in Steven's religion.

yeah and maybe Steven came to the realization that he was not a 'family' man as the term is used by Mormons.

 

[SugarJames]

SJ- I am trying to come up with a profile. I am getting bits and pieces. You sound like you knew Steven Koecher. Can you tell me if at anytime if he was overly irritable for no apparent reason? Did he stare off into space with a bland stare? Did he seem euphoric and really up and I mean really up, like saying stuff like, "becoming a millionaire," in a short period of time or someone famous? Was he obsessed with any particular subject to the point where he talked about it to boredom?

I am asking these questions to try and determine if he was manic. Did he hear voices? Say he spoke to saints, angels, that God was personally communcating with him in a audible tone? Was he up one minute and then totally dejected and depressed the next?

Thus far what I see is a young man who was discouraged with his life, rightfully so, maybe someone who was a bit immature, with the job hopping. T

I guess one other question I would really have is why the heck the landlord let the rent go past three months without taking some sort of legal action? Unless Steven had a string of broken promised to catch up starting with the first month. But what kind of a land lord blows off three months of rent and only then starts calling about it? The state of Utah has remedies for past due rent after the first thirty days. Why did they wait so long? And when they did do something they simply called and bugged him, rather then filing a claim.

Somehow, somewhere, someone is going to get this darn case solved.

Kelly

I have never met Steven in my life. I became involved looking for him because another case, I do feel like I do know him as if he was a friend or someone I could know...so in truth I dont know anything about who he reallly is. All I have is tons of information collected from reading and researching that has given me lots of answers but no definite truth about where he is now or where I might find him.

I would'nt rule out any mental heath issues as a cause for his disappeaence (most people dont even know they are truly suffering from depression in a clinical sense) I would be carefull though to underestimate him as being weak and uncapible, you dont live a life such as his so far without learning a thing or to about life. He has a degree, he is an Eagle scout, has traveled abroad, and until going missing had high standing in his community.

He still could be the same person, thats gives him a great advatage if he wants to stay missing.

 

[SugarJames]

I have never met Steven in my life. I became involved looking for him because another case, I do feel like I do know him as if he was a friend or someone I could know...so in truth I dont know anything about who he reallly is. All I have is tons of information collected from reading and researching that has given me lots of answers but no definite truth about where he is now or where I might find him.

I would'nt rule out any mental heath issues as a cause for his disappeaence (most people dont even know they are truly suffering from depression in a clinical sense) I would be carefull though to underestimate him as being weak and uncapible, you dont live a life such as his so far without learning a thing or to about life. He has a degree, he is an Eagle scout, has traveled abroad, and until going missing had high standing in his community.

He still could be the same person, thats gives him a great advatage if he wants to stay missing.

Remember...if he is alive he is in the prime of life at 30, to take the tools he has learned...be able to build a new life of his own without anyone telling him how to do it, would IMO be better odds than he shriveled into mental illness and let someone do bad things to him.