NV NV - Steven T. Koecher, 30, Henderson, 13 Dec 2009 - # 1

[higherpower]

I don't see anything accidental here. Koecher chose to abandon his car in this community probably with the expectation no one would notice it for a while. He was not counting on a security video capturing him walking away from the car in a deliberate manner.

This development is highly residential and if he found water, he would have had to go out of his way to find it. This is not a drunk falling off a bridge in the middle of night, nor was he wandering out to walk a dog near a creek, nor was he going for a hike in rugged terrain. He was neatly dressed so he was not planning an outing in the mountains.

On this one I am going with my very strong intuition that he met a guy online and decided to leave his Mormon family and community rather than come out to them as being gay. Hate to generalize but straight Mormons marry young. This good looking guy was 30 and in the words of his own mother had not found the right girl.

you obviously have no experience in the Mormon community we marry in the faith and to be honest the good ones go early and a match is less likely as one get older. Some just choose not to marry early for the same reasons people out side the faith don't marry early. So to say that only Mormons that marry early are straight and all others are gay is a GROSS over generalization. According to your logic 75% of my Mormon friends are gay.

However if it is the case, that Steven is gay he doesn't have to run away. Mormons i know that have come out are still loved and accepted by there friends and family. Mormons as people are much more open minded than people give them credit.

Out of fear that this thread will become some sort of moral/theology debate and distract from the purpose of it, I concede.

 

[laytonian]

Whoa, another interesting point I just noticed as Im building this map. He drove from Ruby Valley to Springerville to St. George in one day, stopped at home briefly and then continued on (depending on if the order is right) to Las Vegas. Thats a lot of driving for one day. But even more peculiar is that if he wanted to go to Vegas that day he went the long way. His trip would have been significantly shorter had he taken a more direct route? Why did he stop and home? Pick up something?

Ruby Valley, NV was on Dec 8th.

Springville, UT was on Dec 10th.

Mesquite, NV on Dec 12th

Las Vegas, NV on Dec 13th

But I agree. He's doing a lot of driving, and no one's saying why.

 

[Naegle]

SPECULATION: What if Steven joined the military? Do any of you know of a way we could check this out? I tried to talk to a recruter, but they sent me in circles. (Sure, we'll tell you he enlisted if you tell us his military number and where he's stationed!) END SPECULATION

I'm out for the night and I'm going to try to be good at work and keep posts to a minimum. Sorry.

 

[renn3434]

I was trying to find the videos on here again. Can someone point me to the page?

 

[ella's mom]

KC. Do you know what type of housekeeper Steven was? The landlord states that the room was tidied up but there was still a lot of stuff there. Is it odd for the room to have been tidied up. Could he have had company?

Would anyone know if things were missing, such as clothing, duffle bags, toiletries, etc? Also, what about birth certificates, passports, etc. I know that questions been asked a few times, but I haven't seen the answer.

Also, according to the landlord: "The last time the neighbors saw Steve was 10:30 pm Saturday night. John across the street said saw Steve & his car there for about 20 or 30 min and he was gone by 10:30 pm." Does that mean he gets to his house around 10:00pm runs in for 20 min (tidys up, grabs a bag of clothes, including dress clothes for next day) and runs out the door again? Sounds like he could have been in a hurry. But why?

 

[fasteddy4]

Where this case is going to more and more is that Steven was "lured" there. I think we would all have to be delusional if we aren't thinking this. I believe the truth is that Steven was into something he shouldn't have been. All this stuff about amnesia, job interviews, etc. is just an effort to avoid the obvious. Let's be honest: The entire scenario fits right in with To Catch a Predator from NBC. Except there was no TV cameras and no tv host waiting inside. Look at the facts:

-guy
-single
-from out of town
-drives a long way
-into a neighborhood
-seemingly plans to only be there for the day (no cellphone charger, etc.)
-has presents in the car (do we really know those presents were for family members?)
-doesn't tell anybody where he is going.
-down on his luck
-depressed

Just those facts alone fall right in line with 95 percent of the cases on that To Catch a Predator show. All we need is a copy of a chatroom conversation and cops in the back yard and we have a tv show. Right? Let's just put that out there. I am not saying that Steven was into kids or anything else. What I am saying is that his behavior on Dec. 12/13 goes in line with everything that is bad about human behavior and nothing that is good about human behavior. He was doing something he knew he should not be doing because every documented action he took on Dec. 12/13 was an effort to mislead people. . .even lying to his friend about being able to get back in time for church. He could have made it. . .but by the skin of his teeth. . .but not once in that conversation with his friend did Steven said that he would be cutting it close. Not once. And not once did he tell anyone. . .no one. . .why he was in Las Vegas. Not one person. That's not amnesia. That's not a secret job interview. That's not "just wanted to take a drive". It IS "I'm here for reasons I can't tell you about but I'm not a very good liar so I am going to keep my mouth shut."

Now none of this makes me want to find him any less. I am compelled to find him and figure out what exactly happened just for the simple reason that it happened four miles from where I live. But to once again be honest: If someones knows something about him. . .something ugly, something nefarious, something illegal, something immoral. . .he or she is not helping Steven by holding back. By protecting Steven's pride or privacy, the criminals may be getting away. I sure as heck know that if I would disappear I would not want anybody that knows me to hold anything back when it came to finding me. We all have demons, skeletons in the closet, etc. . .but that does not mean we want those things covered up at ALL costs. And the secrecy is only making us. . .people who want to solve the case. . .go off on these tangents that I believe only take us away from the real path: Somebody set Steven up.

So, to his family, friends, church members, etc. . .WE are here to help. Not to judge. Let the dirty laundry out. We forgive Steven ahead of time.

 

[laytonian]

You have it right. Steven's been known to sleep in his car if he's traveling alone. He did have a shaving kit in the car with him and... losts of coats. I don't know what to think about that.

But why would he leave late Saturday night and sleep in his car, when he only had to drive about 95 miles from St George to Vegas?

Lots of coats. Shopped at Deseret Industries? Homeless shelter? Coat drive? Or used as blankets?

The coats were in the car when it was found?
I thought just presents and snacks.
It sounds like he was getting ready to live in his car.

 

[Naegle]

Ruby Valley, NV was on Dec 8th.

Springville, UT was on Dec 10th.

Mesquite, NV on Dec 12th

Las Vegas, NV on Dec 13th

But I agree. He's doing a lot of driving, and no one's saying why.

(fine one last post) He doesn't live in Springville. None of his family knew that he past so close to home on the 10th and 12th. I'm not saying why he was driving so much because I don't know why. Is it so hard to believe that a guy doesn't tell someone of every move he makes?

Also, is it so hard to believe that Steven doesn't have dirty laundry?

He could have easily been back to St george for an evening meeting.

 

[laytonian]

SPECULATION: What if Steven joined the military? Do any of you know of a way we could check this out? I tried to talk to a recruter, but they sent me in circles. (Sure, we'll tell you he enlisted if you tell us his military number and where he's stationed!) END SPECULATION

I'm out for the night and I'm going to try to be good at work and keep posts to a minimum. Sorry.

You don't "disappear" when you join the military. You tell people.

But the police should be able to check that out in an instant; the military has a gigantic database. He has an unusual name, and certainly his social security number is known.

 

[ella's mom]

One thing I want to clear up. In the timeline given by Naelge several posts back this info is given:

December 12 , 2009 Stopped for gas and snacks at Shell Oil in Mesquite, Nevada
December 12, 2009 JS saw Steven leave his apartment in St George at 10:30

Is that order correct? Doesnt make sense he would drive into nevada to fill up and then come home later at night. Makes more sense that the order is flipped and he left at 10:30 and filled up in Mequite around 11 to 11:30.

Opinions please.

Maybe he spent the night somewhere in Nevada the night before and that receipt was actually from driving back to St. George. The only thing we know he did on the 11th was help the family at 3:00pm. He could have done anything after that.

KC is there a timestamp on the receipt from the Mesquite gas station?

 

[lost at sea]

Ruby Valley, NV was on Dec 8th.

Springville, UT was on Dec 10th.

Mesquite, NV on Dec 12th

Las Vegas, NV on Dec 13th

But I agree. He's doing a lot of driving, and no one's saying why.

Youre right. Good catch. Its getting late for me.

 

[higherpower]

I have read some things about Steven got amnesia/fugue/stress disorder and this was actually his second time in that neighborhood because of a job interview. I don't think either of those things really make any sense.

Say he had amnesia. Whether he got bumped on the head, he had some stress disorder, whatever. . .still doesn't explain what he was doing on that street. .

if the amnesia occurred it would have after the last know phone call and sometime after he parked his car. this might explain why why he left his car and why there was a possible sighting of him way up on the north side by MLK and Craig.

just an simple scenario

 

[lost at sea]

(fine one last post) He doesn't live in Springville. None of his family knew that he past so close to home on the 10th and 12th. I'm not saying why he was driving so much because I don't know why. Is it so hard to believe that a guy doesn't tell someone of every move he makes?

Also, is it so hard to believe that Steven doesn't have dirty laundry?

He could have easily been back to St george for an evening meeting.

This is an interesting thought. I sort of feel that disappearing for military service is perhaps something we see in the movies more than it actually happens. Not to mention as one is recruited for very high security positions that dont warrant "disappearing" family and friends are thoroughly questioned about the individual and their history.

And if it was military he would drive his car to a base inaccessible by civilians and not a culdesac.

 

[Fairy1]

You have it right. Steven's been known to sleep in his car if he's traveling alone. He did have a shaving kit in the car with him and... losts of coats. I don't know what to think about that.

I could see sleeping in your car when you're on a loooooooooong drive, but Vegas is 2 hours from St. George. It just doesn't make any sense to me?!?!?!? Then again - neither does the shaving kit or the coats!

 

[laytonian]

(fine one last post) He doesn't live in Springville. None of his family knew that he past so close to home on the 10th and 12th. I'm not saying why he was driving so much because I don't know why. Is it so hard to believe that a guy doesn't tell someone of every move he makes?

The Springville stop is on your timeline. Bought gas at Flying J that day.

I think a guy would tell people things, if he wanted them to know those things.

 

[ella's mom]

Ruby Valley, NV was on Dec 8th.

Springville, UT was on Dec 10th.

Mesquite, NV on Dec 12th

Las Vegas, NV on Dec 13th

But I agree. He's doing a lot of driving, and no one's saying why.

Not sure about Vegas, but gas prices are creeping up again in my neck of the woods. He has to be filling up quite a bit. Where is the money coming from?

 

[laytonian]

This is an interesting thought. I sort of feel that disappearing for military service is perhaps something we see in the movies more than it actually happens. Not to mention as one is recruited for very high security positions that dont warrant "disappearing" family and friends are thoroughly questioned about the individual and their history.

And if it was military he would drive his car to a base inaccessible by civilians and not a culdesac.

When you're recruited by the military, you don't show up in your car....and they don't recruit "off the street" for highly-classified jobs.

I think the military thing's a non-starter.

 

[laytonian]

Not sure about Vegas, but gas prices are creeping up again in my neck of the woods. He has to be filling up quite a bit. Where is the money coming from?

St George to Vegas is only 90 miles; he probably could have made two round trips without filling up.

It's not just the gas you're using; you've got periodic maintenance and occasionally repairs. His car was six years old. Not exactly under warranty.

 

[lost at sea]

Naegle, you said he passed close by family on both the 10th and the 12th? Which event on the 12th are you referring to? I dont see him heading north on the 12th.

 

[higherpower]

You don't "disappear" when you join the military. You tell people.

But the police should be able to check that out in an instant; the military has a gigantic database. He has an unusual name, and certainly his social security number is known.

i was once interviewed by a naval intelligence officer about the character of a friend of mine. It occurred randomly outside my apt, very strange. I haven't heard a thing about it since but i assume that he is now working for them and he fervently denies being a spy for the navy when i poke fun at him. He says that he is a free lance editor but is always gone for random periods of time. Come to think of it he got his BS in communications.

Have any of Stevens close friend or acquaintances come in contact with such a character but are reluctant to say anything due to the strange nature of it?