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

[Tina Grant]

The footprints in the snow thing is news to me. The cops are saying they didn't find matching shoes. Does this me there WERE prints around the house the morning of the murder?? I thought it was well understood there was no evidence of forced entry - so what need would a killer have had to walk around in the snow surrounding the house?

Or was this related to the "stalking"?

I believe it was related to the stalking. It doesn't surprise me at all that the cops were not able to match any shoes in the house to the footprints in the snow in the days before the murder. Steven's brother comes to mind.

 

[Tina Grant]

He wanted her cremated right away. He didn't have a service or even an obit. He took the dogs to the vet to be exterminated.

In my opinion, he committed more than murder. He tried to erase her.

He also took down her Facebook page immediately. I have felt exactly that from the beginning - that he tried to erase her. God I hope he rots in prison.

 

[Tina Grant]

I don't see why his having an affair with Lindsey is important to the prosecution's case though. Can you help me out? Child support in arrears? $6K for one child? In the Midwest that seems like a hefty arrearage.

The affair would have nothing to do with the prosecution's case, but my guess would be that the ex-wife was asked why she and Lindsey were divorced in the course of her questioning, and she replied that it was because he cheated on her. Of course the defense would object, just because the cheating IS irrelevant to the matter at hand. It's just another fact that paints Lindsey in a negative light.

 

[Safeguard]

He also took down her Facebook page immediately. I have felt exactly that from the beginning - that he tried to erase her. God I hope he rots in prison.

It was the PD that shut down her FB account, (hopefully temporarily), to preserve any evidence contained within it.

 

[Safeguard]

I don't think SL was trying to erase her...
After all, he left the biggest reminder of her alive.

She never existed as a real person to him. She was just a prop in the Steve Lindsey Drama.

I think he was just putting all this behind him in the fastest, easiest, cheapest way he could.

 

[DisneyFan]

I don't see why his having an affair with Lindsey is important to the prosecution's case though. Can you help me out? Child support in arrears? $6K for one child? In the Midwest that seems like a hefty arrearage

6K sounds like a lot, but that amount may represent a very long time.
Many men get years behind in support. I can't imagine from all that has been revealed that SL was an upstanding, responsible father.
Absolutely Not!

Bringing up the affair speaks to the character of SL.
Mentioning the euthanasia of 2 dogs speaks to character of SL
ML not knowing he was married until pregnancy revealed speaks to the manipulation of ML at the hand of SL.

Psychopath behavior, you betcha.

 

[HistoryNut]

I agree that his behavior and actions fit the definition of a psychopath to a tee. He clearly has no regard for others and I think the prosecution is doing a great job of building a strong case against him.

On the other hand, SL's defense attorney's claim that he was taking drugs and drinking that night could be used against him. I'm pretty certain that employers in his field drug-test prospective employees, so if he was taking drugs, he would likely would fail the test. This leads me to believe he wasn't looking for a job because he thought he would be receiving $1.1 million from Melinda's life insurance policy.

 

[molly1255]

I agree that his behavior and actions fit the definition of a psychopath to a tee. He clearly has no regard for others and I think the prosecution is doing a great job of building a strong case against him.

On the other hand, SL's defense attorney's claim that he was taking drugs and drinking that night could be used against him. I'm pretty certain that employers in his field drug-test prospective employees, so if he was taking drugs, he would likely would fail the test. This leads me to believe he wasn't looking for a job because he thought he would be receiving $1.1 million from Melinda's life insurance policy.

Good point. How could he be looking for a job if he was doing drugs? He wouldn't pass the drug test. Doesn't make sense if you have no money - someone has to work. But if you are looking forward to collecting a huge sum soon, no problem.

 

[pappa rob]

Good point. How could he be looking for a job if he was doing drugs? He wouldn't pass the drug test. Doesn't make sense if you have no money - someone has to work. But if you are looking forward to collecting a huge sum soon, no problem.

Anyone can pass a drug test if it's a urine screen. Blood tests not so much...

 

[tweety69711]

New article online from NW Indiana Times a few minutes ago. A claims rep with MetLife testified Steven Lindsey inquired about the policy after Melinda's death but it wasn't paid out because of incorrect information being provided on the application.

Misrepresentations made during the application process will void the policy if death occurs during the contestable time-frame. In this case, I believe it is the first two years. False statements typically have to do with health issues or financial issues.

Many of us questioned how a very young SAH mother would be able to get that much life insurance. This is how it happened. The claims person did say that SL joined Melinda in setting up the policy.

In addition, the policy was nine days from expiring due to non-payment of premium.

You can get an insurance policy for however much you want as long as you are able to afford the premium

 

[tweety69711]

<modsnip>

My fiance is an insurance agent. I know what it entails

 

[ArabianLover]

You can get an insurance policy for however much you want as long as you are able to afford the premium

I don't believe that for one minute! Almost anyone can afford the premium. There is WAY MORE involved to buying life insurance than affording the premium. BTDT.

 

[ArabianLover]

Another thing that is interesting is that SL (at least for awhile) was paying the life insurance premium on Melinda Lindsey's life insurance. But he obviously wasn't paying his child support. I find that rather telling too.

One would think his young child would have priority in this situation. And one would assume he might feel a tiny bit guilty having left the child like he did. And further, one would believe his young wife would NOT be likely to die at 22 years old. So the life insurance would not be a high priority.

Another one of those things that make you say Hmmm....

 

[molly1255]

Another think that is interesting is that SL (at least for awhile) was paying the life insurance premium on Melinda Lindsey's life insurance. But he obviously wasn't paying his child support. I find that rather telling too.

One would think his young child would have priority in this situation. And one would assume he might feel a tiny bit guilty having left the child like he did. And further, one would believe his young wife would NOT be likely to die at 22 years old. So the life insurance would not be a high priority.

Another one of those things that make you say Hmmm....

Very good point!

 

[Mercurial]

Thank you for trying, Tina, but does anyone KNOW the footprints in the snow were from the "stalking" incidents, or were they there on the morning of the murder, since they are being brought up in the murder trial? It simply wasn't clear from the newspaper article, and (were I a juror) that would be very important to me.

See, if the police didn't find matching shoes from the "stalking," that wouldn't bother me much. I could explain that away. Steve did it and then put them in a place the police wouldn't look in a cursory, no-victims, no-harm, no-crime "search" they conducted probably just to make the scared wife feel better.

BUT: if police found footprints in the snow and no shoes in the house to match them on the morning of the murder, that would be problematic. Right now I see ZERO evidence of an accomplice so Steve is the ONLY reasonable suspect. If there were footprints that couldn't be matched after the police had the opportunity to turn the house upside down searching immediately following the murder, THAT might plant a seed of doubt in a juror's mind that I would fear if I were the prosecutors.

And they had THREE dogs, right? Did the vet actually euthanize the two healthy dogs?? And what happened to the third? Didn't Steve's ex-wife have some claim to one of them? Maybe his abandoned son at least got to get his dog back?

 

[ArabianLover]

I'm not clear on the foot prints either. In the earlier newspaper reports, it sounded to me that there were NO footprints. Now it sounds like there were footprints. But were they from the "stalking" or from the day of the murder? I'm not clear on that.

Either way. I can see where it could be problematic for the jury. However; You toss in the fact that SL called his brother at or near the same time he called 911. And the fact the creepy brother asked the mortician to take a photo of the gunshot wound on Melinda AND he lied about it and said the attorney told him to do it. This all makes a leap to the brother was probably an accomplice easier than reasonable doubt about SL.

 

[Mercurial]

Ok, so the footprints, "stalking" or morning of the murder, that remains an open question for the time being.

The brother as an accomplice? I'm less sold.
It is EXCEEDINGLY creepy of him to ask for a photo, and I have no doubt he was not asking for it in an effort to help Melinda's family in their grief or to find "the murderer." I'm sure he was trying to get creative, trying to think of anything, to connive to get any evidence he could imagine might do any good at all to help exonerate his brother.

He knew Steve looked guilty, but I'm betting he (at least initially) thought Steve was being framed, or it was all a mistake that would be fixed when the facts were discovered. But I think he's a blind lead. My opinion only, of course, but I think that (like Steve's aunt) Steve's brother believe(s/d) in him and was scrambling to get his brother any advantage he could. Remember, Bro was probably shocked at all of it, too. He was (I imagine) grasping at straws.

What a gruesome picture of the entry would could do in his mind, I couldn't guess, but I don't think he was in on the murder. Blind to the obvious maybe, but again: family. His brother. Murder. No way could he believe that, not that early on.

Now, if the shoeprints were in the snow at the "stalking," that's more up for debate in my mind - but I'm leaning against it. If Bro knew that he was complicit in gaslighting Melinda immediately prior to her murder, and he did it at his brother's behest, I don't think he'd be as quick to be helping Steve after her death. He'd be thinking, "Whooooaa...what if...and...??"

I think he'd be trying to put & keep miles between them. Again, my opinion only. I just think he's a patsy. Steve used him because he knew his brother would go to the mat for him. How many of us have a family member we believe could have been capable of killing AND still keep them in our lives? It's one thing to know we have a Bad Apple in the family (drugs, affairs, lying, unreliable work history, etc.), I think every family has one or two black sheep, but believe your sibling could MURDER his wife and you go along with it? I'm not saying it's not possible; I'm saying I don't see it in evidence.

Not yet anyway.

I think Steve's in it alone and was trying to use his brother because Bro would look really good because His Brother Is NORMAL - because he was honestly shocked and bewildered and Steve knew he would be. I'm betting Bro's not so sure now tho.

And anyone know about the dogs? Did the vet put down 2 healthy pets? Some will refuse. Hippocratic oath, etc. And did the ex & Steve's boy get their dog back?

 

[ArabianLover]

I believe the paper said SL brought in two health dogs to be put down. I don't believe there has been any reports about a third.

It was so early in this case when the brother asked for this photo. This would have been (I'm guessing here) within the first two or three days of the murder. Why would the brother even THINK that SL was being "framed for this murder" at this point? Innocent people at this point would be shocked, sad, hysterical, etc. They wouldn't be thinking about their or their brother's possible defense in an upcoming murder case.

Even *IF* SL was being questioned at this point (and he probably was) I would think the brother would remind SL to relax and answer the questions as the husband is always the first suspect. Not jump to the conclusion that SL is being "framed for the murder" and request the mortician take a photo of his dead sister-in-laws gun shot wound to her head. Then LIE that the lawyer told him to do it. NO WAY. You are really stretching there.

 

[DisneyFan]

Also testifying Tuesday was Brian Owens, of the Lake Station Pet Clinic, who said Steven Lindsey brought two of his dogs in Feb. 5 to be euthanized.

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/...cle_8bdc7171-6914-5204-9f01-4e2e22700648.html

Testimony from Lake StationPet Clinic at trial. If there were 3 dogs initially. Where is other dog?

 

[BarryW]

Also testifying Tuesday was Brian Owens, of the Lake Station Pet Clinic, who said Steven Lindsey brought two of his dogs in Feb. 5 to be euthanized.

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/...cle_8bdc7171-6914-5204-9f01-4e2e22700648.html

Testimony from Lake StationPet Clinic at trial. If there were 3 dogs initially. Where is other dog?

In an earlier thread it stated that one dog, belonging to his son/ex-wife (first marriage) was stolen from their home. Somebody else stated that the dog was not stolen. In any case it would appear that at one point in time the one dog resided with his former family, and hopefully the dog is back with them now.

It's difficult to figure out how Steve Lindsey thought that euthanizing two healthy dogs would not make him look bad. Look bad AGAIN I mean. I can't think of a single thing I've read about this man that makes him look good.