GUILTY IN - Melinda Lindsey, 23, shot to death, Porter County, 16 Jan 2015 - #1

[SweetPea60]

Something prevented SL from leaving the room and required cops to make "forced entry" and they only did so after Melinda left in the ambulance. I don't believe the report is inaccurate.

JMO

I don't recall reading that he was prevented from leaving the room (but I could have missed it). If the door was locked from the inside, that would have required LE forcing their way in.

 

[MyBelle]

I don't recall reading that he was prevented from leaving the room (but I could have missed it). If the door was locked from the inside, that would have required LE forcing their way in.

How did the door get locked from inside? SL's claim was that he was taken to the room by an assailant. If he had the ability to dial a cell phone, he certainly had the agility to unlock the door.

JMO

 

[Set her soul free]

Do you think it's possible the police put cowboy on the garage to keep him from biting them? I always wonder what LE does to pets, especially dogs who are at a crime scene. It would make sense to confine them to keep the dogs from running all over the place and possibly destroying evidence...

I honestly couldn't tell you, I was just told that only cowboy was in the garage.. I'll try to find out tho!


#JusticeForMelinda

 

[SweetPea60]

How did the door get locked from inside? SL's claim was that he was taken to the room by an assailant. If he had the ability to dial a cell phone, he certainly had the agility to unlock the door.

JMO

Depending on what actually happened, the assailant could have locked the door before closing it with SL in the bedroom or SL could have locked it himself.

When my daughter was a toddler she was always locking the bedroom door at my parents' house - either with her inside alone or with the bedroom empty. Luckily the lock was an easy lock to pick!

 

[Tina Grant]

Depending on what actually happened, the assailant could have locked the door before closing it with SL in the bedroom or SL could have locked it himself.

When my daughter was a toddler she was always locking the bedroom door at my parents' house - either with her inside alone or with the bedroom empty. Luckily the lock was an easy lock to pick!

Most of those locks are, if they're the typical kind with the little thumb button you push. They're not really for security - just privacy. So, it would stand to reason that if SL could maneuver his hands wells enough to make a few phone calls, he could unlock the door, considering all he had to do was grab the knob and give it a little twist.

I just tried it on mine, for the heck of it. No, my wrists were not tied, I just held them together behind my back. But still, nothing easier. I did it with my eyes closed, literally.

This part of his story is just not jiving for me.

 

[starryfive]

It was reported that SL didn't know if the attacker was still in the house or not when he called 911. I always thought in those types of situations, the 911 operator stays on the line with the caller until the police arrive and the caller is safe from the intruder. Is that a misperception of mine? I haven't been in any 911 situation, so I don't know.

I have been trying to imagine what I would do if I woke up from a choke hold with my hands tied behind my back and I am in my child's bedroom. My thoughts never consider the idea of kneeling down next to my child's crib. If I am able to call 911, my brother, and 911 again, why would I then kneel on the floor??? I don't get it. Locked door or not, it doesn't make sense.

 

[Tina Grant]

It was reported that SL didn't know if the attacker was still in the house or not when he called 911. I always thought in those types of situations, the 911 operator stays on the line with the caller until the police arrive and the caller is safe from the intruder. Is that a misperception of mine? I haven't been in any 911 situation, so I don't know.

I have been trying to imagine what I would do if I woke up from a choke hold with my hands tied behind my back and I am in my child's bedroom. My thoughts never consider the idea of kneeling down next to my child's crib. If I am able to call 911, my brother, and 911 again, why would I then kneel on the floor??? I don't get it. Locked door or not, it doesn't make sense.

No, it sure doesn't. That's why I think there's some sloppy reportage going on here.There is NO reason that makes any sense why the cops would have to force their way in to that room. Open the door and step in to find Steven posing on his knees, yes. Force their way in, no. I think that's the part that got exaggerated in the retelling - even if it was by legitimate media. JMO

Anyway, I'm sure more than one cop responded to the call. What makes sense is that one would be with Melinda while the other dealt with Steve. In fact, one of the articles stated that at that point, when the cops first got there, he asked about Melinda - but never again after that.

 

[DisneyFan]

No, it sure doesn't. That's why I think there's some sloppy reportage going on here.There is NO reason that makes any sense why the cops would have to force their way in to that room. Open the door and step in to find Steven posing on his knees, yes. Force their way in, no. I think that's the part that got exaggerated in the retelling - even if it was by legitimate media. JMO

Anyway, I'm sure more than one cop responded to the call. What makes sense is that one would be with Melinda while the other dealt with Steve. In fact, one of the articles stated that at that point, when the cops first got there, he asked about Melinda - but never again after that.

What strikes me odd, is SL kneeling. His feet weren't bound, why not stand or sit? That part appears staged in my opinion.

 

[Tina Grant]

What strikes me odd, is SL kneeling. His feet weren't bound, why not stand or sit? That part appears staged in my opinion.

Yep, mine too. He must have thought it would present quite a tableau to be found kneeling next to his baby's crib with his hands tied behind his back. JMO

 

[molly1255]

Yep, mine too. He must have thought it would present quite a tableau to be found kneeling next to his baby's crib with his hands tied behind his back. JMO

I cannot imagine any father kneeling passively in their baby's room while an intruder is supposedly in the house and had just shot a gun. Good way to protect the baby should the intruder come back into the room with the gun - NOT!

 

[Sayuri]

It was reported that SL didn't know if the attacker was still in the house or not when he called 911. I always thought in those types of situations, the 911 operator stays on the line with the caller until the police arrive and the caller is safe from the intruder. Is that a misperception of mine?

Ideally, yes you would want to stay on the phone so that you can update responding units about any changes to the situation that may occur. Plus it usually helps in keeping your caller calm, etc.
It isn't always possible, depending on staffing or what other calls may be going on, plus sometimes callers refuse to stay on the line.

 

[Sayuri]

I'm not sure what you believe the media has misreported.

I think they erred in stating that entry was forced into the locked room after medical transported Melinda.

The media has also reported the cops suspected SL from the beginning. Melinda was still alive so waiting until she was safely removed from the home to prevent giving him access to her makes perfect sense from a safety standpoint.

From a safety standpoint for themselves and other responding officers, that makes zero sense.
If they knew there was a locked room that had not been cleared, they didn't know if there was an assailant still onscene holding SL and the baby hostage, they didn't know if SL was in there holding a gun to his own head and the baby hostage, etc.

It is police procedure 101 to completely clear the scene before ANY other action is taken, including seeing to the wounded, otherwise you run the risk of creating more victims.
Failure to clear the scene would mean that the first officers onscene put every single responding unit at risk, meaning other officers, medical personnel, and even SL and the baby. I can't see even the most inept officer with no sense of personal safety failing to do that.


Your scenario of them leaving SL in the locked room to keep him away from Melinda because they suspected him from the beginning means that they would have had to make up their minds on the way to the residence, before even discovering her, that he had shot someone himself. Before even talking to him to hear what had happened.
And even if that were the case, they wanted to keep him away and separated from her, they still would have wanted to make sure he was unarmed and that the baby wasn't injured as well.

 

[MyBelle]

I think they erred in stating that entry was forced into the locked room after medical transported Melinda.



From a safety standpoint for themselves and other responding officers, that makes zero sense.
If they knew there was a locked room that had not been cleared, they didn't know if there was an assailant still onscene holding SL and the baby hostage, they didn't know if SL was in there holding a gun to his own head and the baby hostage, etc.

It is police procedure 101 to completely clear the scene before ANY other action is taken, including seeing to the wounded, otherwise you run the risk of creating more victims.
Failure to clear the scene would mean that the first officers onscene put every single responding unit at risk, meaning other officers, medical personnel, and even SL and the baby. I can't see even the most inept officer with no sense of personal safety failing to do that.


Your scenario of them leaving SL in the locked room to keep him away from Melinda because they suspected him from the beginning means that they would have had to make up their minds on the way to the residence, before even discovering her, that he had shot someone himself. Before even talking to him to hear what had happened.
And even if that were the case, they wanted to keep him away and separated from her, they still would have wanted to make sure he was unarmed and that the baby wasn't injured as well.

I can only go by what has been reported by the media. I'm not in a position to know whether correct police procedure was followed or not. But I am pretty sure it was possible to communicate with SL on the other side of the door to determine whether it was a hostage situation or whether he was armed. He called 911 twice.

JMO

 

[Toralei]

I don't know if it was in any news reports, but I believe he dialed 911, hung up on them, called his brother, and then either 911 called him back or he called them back.
What I don't understand is the call to his brother.

 

[Sayuri]

I don't know if it was in any news reports, but I believe he dialed 911, hung up on them, called his brother, and then either 911 called him back or he called them back.
What I don't understand is the call to his brother.

All speculation of course, but having done this for almost two decades, that's exactly what it sounds like to me.
You get a weird feeling about callers acting hinky or withholding information, or sometimes even flat out lying if what they are saying doesn't make sense. That information is usually passed on to the responding units.
Let's face it, in this line of work, callers lie. Some deliberately misconstrue the information they are giving. Anyone that has been doing this for more than 2 weeks knows to take everything being said with a grain of salt until responding officers can verify it with their own eyes.
You give all the information out, just as the caller has described the incident, but you also keep the safety of the first responders paramount until everything can be verified.

 

[tracecomp]

I don't know if it was in any news reports, but I believe he dialed 911, hung up on them, called his brother, and then either 911 called him back or he called them back.
What I don't understand is the call to his brother.

Called his brother to get/look after the baby? Whoever has possession of the child gets custody until a custody case is raised? Either way very strange to hang up on an emergency call - especially with a "alleged" shooter still in the house who has shot you wife.

 

[Safeguard]

I think Steve Lindsey planned this whole thing out. I feel certain he would have also prepared to be caught (and possibly plea), and in that event he would have wanted to make certain arrangements as to where the daughter went, as SHE would be the one to collect on the million+ (And he might have felt he could access at least some of the money, through her, even after time served). Might have been part of why he kept taking the baby and going (wherever) with her and keeping her away from Melinda's family as much as possible!

 

[Tina Grant]

Called his brother to get/look after the baby? Whoever has possession of the child gets custody until a custody case is raised? Either way very strange to hang up on an emergency call - especially with a "alleged" shooter still in the house who has shot you wife.

My guess would be that he wanted his brother to take the baby. I'm actually giving him the benefit of the doubt in thinking he did what a normal parent would do - try to make sure the baby wasn't alone while he was otherwise occupied. I don't think he planned on getting caught - but he might have figured he would be taken to the station and questioned.

 

[Safeguard]

My guess would be that he wanted his brother to take the baby. I'm actually giving him the benefit of the doubt in thinking he did what a normal parent would do - try to make sure the baby wasn't alone while he was otherwise occupied. I don't think he planned on getting caught - but he might have figured he would be taken to the station and questioned.

Not caught in the act. But I'm pretty sure he gave some serous thought about what would happen if he ended up convicted. I don't think he thought he'd do anything close to life, and I can't see him letting go of the idea of getting the money eventually. Yeah I'm sure all he was thinking about was the welfare of that little girl...Not. He already knew who was going to take care of the baby that day imo. I think he'd been setting that up right along with the rest of his plan.

 

[Toralei]

I think Steve Lindsey planned this whole thing out. I feel certain he would have also prepared to be caught (and possibly plea), and in that event he would have wanted to make certain arrangements as to where the daughter went, as SHE would be the one to collect on the million+ (And he might have felt he could access at least some of the money, through her, even after time served). Might have been part of why he kept taking the baby and going (wherever) with her and keeping her away from Melinda's family as much as possible!

I think you're giving him too much credit. In my opinion, he doesn't give a tinker's damn about Baby Girl, other than her being an extension of himself. I don't think he sees beyond himself at all. I believe he thinks of himself as smarter than anyone else, and was using Baby Girl to create chaos in Melinda's life as well as her family's to control her. I believe SL is a textbook narcissist with sociopathic tendencies who murdered Melinda and honestly believed he would get away with it because he is Steven Lindsey. In his own mind he is light years ahead of everyone else, and we mere mortals in the rest of the world are nothing more than stepping stones for his convenience.
I think his history with his first marriage is indicative of what type of man he is. He is a proven selfish liar who will say and do anything to get what he wants. If anyone gets hurt, it's simply collateral damage.
Had SL really cared about Baby Girl, would he have killed her mother?