GUILTY IN - Melinda Lindsey, 23, shot to death, Porter County, 16 Jan 2015 - #2

[MyBelle]

I doubt Steve planned to leave and have Melinda discovered by someone else. That would leave doubt as to whether or not she committed suicide ( which if it had been presumed that she did would have ended up making the life insurance not pay out.) This would have screwed up the ultimate goal Steve had which was to profit from her death. I do think he changed his plan for how the night was going to go when she did not die immediately. Obviously if a real intruder has come in and shot your wife, you are going to be trying like hell to save her unless you can't...or don't want to. Since she was still alive and he had NO desire to save her, he had to render himself unable to provide aid.

I think what screwed up the plan was the gun jam. Otherwise, he or whomever helped him would have shot her a second time and left her alone and the baby in her crib and SL far, far away pretending a stalker did it.

JMO

 

[molly1255]

I think the location of the gun pretty much rules out suicide.

The way she was shot, location of the gun, lack of a suicide note, plus absence of gunshot residue on her hands would all rule out suicide.

 

[MyBelle]

The way she was shot, location of the gun, lack of a suicide note, plus absence of gunshot residue on her hands would all rule out suicide.

Exactly. Cops would have ruled it out in the first few seconds.

 

[molly1255]

Now I have to ask - was there a girlfriend in the picture?

 

[Toralei]

Now I have to ask - was there a girlfriend in the picture?

That has been what I've thought for a while. It would explain why he said he wasn't living with Melinda. If it got into the media that he wasn't separated, the potential girlfriend would have found out he was lying.

 

[molly1255]

That has been what I've thought for a while. It would explain why he said he wasn't living with Melinda. If it got into the media that he wasn't separated, the potential girlfriend would have found out he was lying.

Very good point. It also would provide another motive.

 

[MyBelle]

Now I have to ask - was there a girlfriend in the picture?

Certainly would explain the source of the lingerie tossed through the door. If SL had help in any way, shape or fashion, he'll be facing the death penalty, imo.

 

[MyBelle]

That has been what I've thought for a while. It would explain why he said he wasn't living with Melinda. If it got into the media that he wasn't separated, the potential girlfriend would have found out he was lying.

But it is in the media now. If she didn't know SL had a wife and child, wouldn't she come forward and contact police? Because it does add an additional motive to the one of greed already known.

JMO

 

[Toralei]

But it is in the media now. If she didn't know SL had a wife and child, wouldn't she come forward and contact police? Because it does add an additional motive to the one of greed already known.

JMO

He may have told her he was separated. I don't remember seeing anything in the media that says he was still living with Melinda, only that they were discussing divorce and fighting about money.

As far as her coming forward, why would she? It wouldn't benefit her at all. And if he has convinced her (if she even exists) that he is not guilty, it would definitely be to his benefit to keep her quiet. I'd imagine she'd stay quiet if she thought he was going to get 1,000,000.

 

[MyBelle]

He may have told her he was separated. I don't remember seeing anything in the media that says he was still living with Melinda, only that they were discussing divorce and fighting about money.

As far as her coming forward, why would she? It wouldn't benefit her at all. And if he has convinced her (if she even exists) that he is not guilty, it would definitely be to his benefit to keep her quiet. I'd imagine she'd stay quiet if she thought he was going to get 1,000,000.

Well, it seems to me if she really didn't know he was married with two children, she would want to immediately come forward and let cops know that there was another valid reason Steve might want to murder his wife. And if she is remaining silent out of some kind of loyalty to Steve or if she thought he was going to get $1 million, that alone would make her a suspect because the tidbit about the $1 million wasn't made public until Steve was arrested. There is no good reason not to come forward.

JMO

 

[molly1255]

But it is in the media now. If she didn't know SL had a wife and child, wouldn't she come forward and contact police? Because it does add an additional motive to the one of greed already known.

JMO

There haven't been any media updates since he was arrested. I would imagine the police have looked into the extra line/phone on the account and they would know who was using that phone. Maybe she has come forward and it has been kept quiet from the public? But it would be in discovery is she exists.

 

[molly1255]

He may have told her he was separated. I don't remember seeing anything in the media that says he was still living with Melinda, only that they were discussing divorce and fighting about money.

As far as her coming forward, why would she? It wouldn't benefit her at all. And if he has convinced her (if she even exists) that he is not guilty, it would definitely be to his benefit to keep her quiet. I'd imagine she'd stay quiet if she thought he was going to get 1,000,000.

If he had that third phone line for another woman, I think the police would know about it. They would also see call history, too, and if they had a lot of calls to one another and text messages. If she exists, she would not have the option of remaining quiet - they would have gotten in touch with her. JMO.

 

[molly1255]

Well, it seems to me if she really didn't know he was married with two children, she would want to immediately come forward and let cops know that there was another valid reason Steve might want to murder his wife. And if she is remaining silent out of some kind of loyalty to Steve or if she thought he was going to get $1 million, that alone would make her a suspect because the tidbit about the $1 million wasn't made public until Steve was arrested. There is no good reason not to come forward.

JMO

If there is another woman, there's a chance she did come forward, but this detail was not released. There haven't been any updates since he was arrested and very little information was released when he was arrested. JMO.

 

[MyBelle]

There haven't been any media updates since he was arrested. I would imagine the police have looked into the extra line/phone on the account and they would know who was using that phone. Maybe she has come forward and it has been kept quiet from the public? But it would be in discovery is she exists.

BBM. Not if they don't know her identity. How would LE know the details about someone who was using a phone that SL gave them? Detectives may have pinpointed the location in Chicago where the phone was used but I think it would be impossible to determine who was actually talking on it unless she comes forward. After three months, the clock is ticking and not in her favor.

I think the lack of media updates is to ensure he won't get a change of venue because of pretrial publicity. All we can do is speculate at this point but I believe the girlfriend will be charged as a co-conspirator when they find her.

JMO

 

[molly1255]

BBM. Not if they don't know her identity. How would LE know the details about someone who was using a phone that SL gave them? Detectives may have pinpointed the location in Chicago where the phone was used but I think it would be impossible to determine who was actually talking on it unless she comes forward. After three months, the clock is ticking and not in her favor.

I think the lack of media updates is to ensure he won't get a change of venue because of pretrial publicity. All we can do is speculate at this point but I believe the girlfriend will be charged as a co-conspirator when they find her.

JMO

It sounds like SHSF knows this woman's identity and I am speculating that if she knows who it is, the police also know.

 

[molly1255]

On Melinda's life insurance, it was posted somewhere on here, I believe by Starshine4u, that Melinda wanted the life insurance to take care of her daughter and it was because she had been hit by a car in a Walmart parking lot. I'm curious as to when the Walmart accident occurred in relationship to when the policy on Melinda was purchased.

 

[Snowhite]

The way she was shot, location of the gun, lack of a suicide note, plus absence of gunshot residue on her hands would all rule out suicide.

I don't believe she commited suicide either...however, a lack of a suicide note means nothing.I personally know 3 people who committed suicide.2 didn't leave notes and 1 left several addressed to different people...The two that didn't leave notes shot themselves in the head...the one that left several notes hung himself...

 

[Snowhite]

He may have told her he was separated. I don't remember seeing anything in the media that says he was still living with Melinda, only that they were discussing divorce and fighting about money.

As far as her coming forward, why would she? It wouldn't benefit her at all. And if he has convinced her (if she even exists) that he is not guilty, it would definitely be to his benefit to keep her quiet. I'd imagine she'd stay quiet if she thought he was going to get 1,000,000.

Wouldn't your imaginary girlfriend realize that the imaginary million dollars wouldn't go to Steve ? I'm sure any money if anyone gets anything would go to the child in a trust...or am I imagining that?

 

[Snowhite]

Now I have to ask - was there a girlfriend in the picture?

Or a stalker or someone who had it in for Melinda and wanted to frame Steve ??

 

[molly1255]

Or a stalker or someone who had it in for Melinda and wanted to frame Steve ??

The police have arrested and charged him with Melinda's murder, so they aren't buying the stalker story, either.