NV NV - Steven T. Koecher, 30, Henderson, 13 Dec 2009 - #20

[believe09]

While I am still leaning towards the theory that Steven met with foul play during his search for a job, I just watched the Disappeared episode on Charlie Allen and I started wondering if Steven had some sort of major mental breakdown and wandered off.

From what we have been told, Steven had not been diagnosed with any kind of mental illness. However, that doesn’t mean he didn’t have one. Thousands of people are walking around undiagnosed. Perhaps this is just info that his family did not want to make public or maybe they were worried that if they make that information known, people would automatically assume he disappeared for this reason and would not take his disappearance seriously.

Perhaps like Charlie Allen, Steven was bi-polar or had some sort of mental illness and the stresses of his life caused him to have a major psychotic episode.

Charlie Allen has never been found but 2 years after he disappeared a man swears that Charlie came knocking on his door in the middle of the night asking for help getting back to a college campus, the exact campus Charlie was attending at the time of his disappearance. The man said Charlie looked unkept/ disheveled. If this was in fact Charlie, how had he managed to go undetected for 2 years? If Charlie had a mental breakdown and has been roaming around for years, isn’t it possible that Steven could be too? Vegas has a lot of transients and an extensive underground drain system that many homeless people live in, how do we know he isn’t down there?

On a personal note about psychotic episodes/breakdowns: In college I had a roommate who was a very nice, quiet, well-mannered young man, absolutely nothing about him struck me as abnormal or would leave me to believe he had mental issues. One day out of the blue I received a call saying that he had been found standing in the middle of a busy street screaming at the top of his lungs for no apparent reason. The police were called and he was taken to a hospital for an evaluation. It was later determined that he was bi-polar and had suffered a nervous breakdown. He had not shown any signs of mental issues before this happened. You just never know….

May I ask what your friends age was?

 

[laytonian]

On a personal note about psychotic episodes/breakdowns: In college I had a roommate who was a very nice, quiet, well-mannered young man, absolutely nothing about him struck me as abnormal or would leave me to believe he had mental issues. One day out of the blue I received a call saying that he had been found standing in the middle of a busy street screaming at the top of his lungs for no apparent reason. The police were called and he was taken to a hospital for an evaluation. It was later determined that he was bi-polar and had suffered a nervous breakdown. He had not shown any signs of mental issues before this happened. You just never know….

Your friend was taken to a hospital, and obviously, relatives/friends were notified.

If Steven had such a psychotic break, could he be out there for 513 days, undetected?

I believe the sicker they are, the more symptoms they display, the quicker they are spotted. Many cities are doing just what Las Vegas is doing: working harder to identify their unidentified mental patients - so that another government agency can pay for the care.

 

[laytonian]

It seems to me that to further this case in any way, there are a few things that really need to be understood (and pardon me, please, if I've missed these in the many threads here.) The scar on the head and what medications he was taking seem to be pretty pertinent.

Sorry, I didn't see your post until now. We've tackled the pseudo-scar

Now...medications. The family was very open with us, and we submitted a very wide variety of questions through cousin KC (scroll down to the bottom of the timeline page for links to them).

BUT: In Utah, especially among the LDS, there is high participation in the many multi-level marketing companies selling pseudo-drugs and "supplements". Many people, especially the uninsured (which Steven would have been), will rely on "supplements" to fix what ails them. Some are advertised to cure depression, seasonal affective disorder, etc, etc.

I'd just about bet that when Steven told gsmith he was "taking something", it was a supplement-type "drug". (A woman would have asked what that something was -- right????) I also think that if Steven left other things behind, he'd have left prescription drugs and they'd have been mentioned as part of the "he meant to return" stories by the family.

Also, if you scroll down to the bottom of the main timeline page, you'll see Q&A links -- which are questions we asked the family and got many replies to.

 

[Fairy1]

Fairy, Donna Helms, the lady from KC, MO, who disappeared the same day as Steven and may have had ties to the LDS religion also, was found. Do we know where or the story? Specifically, I'd like to know when. I can find nothing, but here is the link to her showing up found. Interestingly, I also found a post on the net from someone with her name inquiring about the missing case of Hailey Dunn and stating she had once lived in Colorado City where Haily lived. Thanks

http://www.411gina.org/nevada.htm

I was never able to find any follow-up stories on Donna Helms. I don't recall her having any connection to the LDS, but I don't recall a lot of things!

I think the fact that they both went missing the same day is just a coincidence. A lot of other people probably went missing that day that we've never heard of.

 

[laytonian]

Fairy, Donna Helms, the lady from KC, MO, who disappeared the same day as Steven and may have had ties to the LDS religion also, was found. Do we know where or the story? Specifically, I'd like to know when. I can find nothing, but here is the link to her showing up found. Interestingly, I also found a post on the net from someone with her name inquiring about the missing case of Hailey Dunn and stating she had once lived in Colorado City where Haily lived. Thanks

http://www.411gina.org/nevada.htm

I was never able to find any follow-up stories on Donna Helms. I don't recall her having any connection to the LDS, but I don't recall a lot of things!

I think the fact that they both went missing the same day is just a coincidence. A lot of other people probably went missing that day that we've never heard of.

....and evidently, the Helms woman was quickly found. No story. No big search. Went to Vegas. Showed up later.

I fail to see an LDS connection. Hailey Dunn was from Colorado City, TEXAS not the FLDS community of Colorado City, ARIZONA.

 

[Fairy1]

Can someone explain the fascination with the perceived scar on Steven's head? I believe it is a cowlick of sorts, but what is the line of thinking there?

 

[sophieness]

Can someone explain the fascination with the perceived scar on Steven's head? I believe it is a cowlick of sorts, but what is the line of thinking there?

I guess that if he had a previous head injury, that could cause some mental/cognitive function issues. But it sounds like laytonian put that issue to rest.
______________________

I think that people with mental illness can absolutely go undetected for long periods of time. However, most of these people come from families with a history of mental illness somewhere, and with many/most of them, their families are aware they are living on the streets and aware of their mental issues. That alone makes this case unusual. With Charlie Allen, his (dx bipolar) mental issues showed up as a teen, as do most show up by one's early twenties. In fact, with schizophrenia they say the signs usually show up earlier in men than in women. People whose families have their heads in the sand could miss something like that.

But people with MI also tend to have things such as unusual phone calls they made, or unusual emails sent, talking nonsensically, etc., around the time of a major psychotic break. We don't have those things here. Just some strange driving trips in the few days right before going missing, which could be any number of things. And (probably) Steven, apparently walking normally, dressed normally, after talking on the phone normally, on video the day he disappeared.

I don't know what laytonians specific theory is, but as for Steven no longer being with us, whether foul play or suicide, that's what I've thought also, from the start.

It's true that over 800,000 people are reported missing every year, but over 800,000 people are cleared as being missing every year, too. http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/nc...n-and-unidentified-person-statistics-for-2007

"During 2007, 814,967 missing person records were entered into NCIC, a decrease of 2.53% from the 836,131 records entered in 2006. Missing person records cleared or canceled during the same period totaled 820,212. Reasons for these removals include: the subject was located by a law enforcement agency; the individual returned home; or the record had to be removed by the entering agency due to a determination that the record was invalid." In 2007, more people were found than went missing! Very few people relatively go missing permanently. Those are the cases, that are the most suspicious IMO as candidates for people no longer being alive.

 

[Fairy1]

I guess that if he had a previous head injury, that could cause some mental/cognitive function issues. But it sounds like laytonian put that issue to rest.
______________________

I think that people with mental illness can absolutely go undetected for long periods of time. However, most of these people come from families with a history of mental illness somewhere, and with many/most of them, their families are aware they are living on the streets and aware of their mental issues. That alone makes this case unusual. With Charlie Allen, his (dx bipolar) mental issues showed up as a teen, as do most show up by one's early twenties. In fact, with schizophrenia they say the signs usually show up earlier in men than in women. People whose families have their heads in the sand could miss something like that.

But people with MI also tend to have things such as unusual phone calls they made, or unusual emails sent, talking nonsensically, etc., around the time of a major psychotic break. We don't have those things here. Just some strange driving trips in the few days right before going missing, which could be any number of things. And Steven, apparently walking normally, dressed normally, after talking on the phone normally, on video the day he disappeared.

I don't know what laytonians specific theory is, but as for Steven no longer being with us, whether foul play or suicide, that's what I've thought also, from the start.

Believe me, I understand the thought process with the mental illness theory. It's just one more thing for which no real evidence exists. Along with an illicit relationship, illegal activity, new identity, etc.

I have always been one of those who believed Steven may have just walked away and I've spent a lot of time looking for him in Vegas. Still do, actually. But the longer he remains missing, the more unlikely that theory seems. Particularly following the passing of his father. I am finding myself much more open to other possibilities than I was a year ago.

We need to focus on what we do know, however little it really is. I believe the answer lies within the facts that have been verified.

 

[sophieness]

Believe me, I understand the thought process with the mental illness theory. It's just one more thing for which no real evidence exists. Along with an illicit relationship, illegal activity, new identity, etc.

I have always been one of those who believed Steven may have just walked away and I've spent a lot of time looking for him in Vegas. Still do, actually. But the longer he remains missing, the more unlikely that theory seems. Particularly following the passing of his father. I am finding myself much more open to other possibilities than I was a year ago.

We need to focus on what we do know, however little it really is. I believe the answer lies within the facts that have been verified.

My thinking is influenced that by the time I learned about the case, Steven had already been missing for over a year. I wonder if I had known about it at the beginning, if I would have thought he just got sick of all the pressure and just went to panhandle or try for simple work elsewhere so he could be alone and no one asking anything of him, etc. When I say "from the start" prior, I mean just when I recently saw his show on Disappeared...I learned about the subsequent searches, the long waiting, no use of SS, etc., from the show.

 

[laytonian]

My thinking is influenced that by the time I learned about the case, Steven had already been missing for over a year. I wonder if I had known about it at the beginning, if I would have thought he just got sick of all the pressure and just went to panhandle or try for simple work elsewhere so he could be alone and no one asking anything of him, etc. When I say "from the start" prior, I mean just when I recently saw his show on Disappeared...I learned about the subsequent searches, the long waiting, no use of SS, etc., from the show.

Disappeared isn't designed to "solve" a case, per se -- but to FIND the missing person. That's why the details are very brief, and the emphasis is on family and images. It's a great format.

But delving below the surface brings up so many questions. And even they don't solve anything.

If nothing else, we serve as a way to keep the case alive. Anyone googling Steven's name, sees us talking about him after all these days.

The SADDEST part is his Dad's death; if he's alive out there somewhere and found out his dad died, it might keep him away longer, out of guilt.

But I don't think he'd willingly stay away this long.

 

[hollyblue]

I was never able to find any follow-up stories on Donna Helms. I don't recall her having any connection to the LDS, but I don't recall a lot of things!

I think the fact that they both went missing the same day is just a coincidence. A lot of other people probably went missing that day that we've never heard of.

....and evidently, the Helms woman was quickly found. No story. No big search. Went to Vegas. Showed up later.

I fail to see an LDS connection. Hailey Dunn was from Colorado City, TEXAS not the FLDS community of Colorado City, ARIZONA.

Here's the post mentioning a possible LDS connection. True of all the missing persons, but just raised a flag with me because it was the same day and in the LV area also.

Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - NV NV - Steven T. Koecher, 30, Henderson, 13 Dec 2009 - #3

No connection to LDS regarding Hailey's case. I just thought it was interesting a former missing person might have been inspired to inquire about another.

 

[fridaybaker]

Laytonian, in a very early post you mentioned the "dog that didn't bark", referring to the fact that, at least at the time, there weren't complete phone records for the time immediately after SK's disappearance. I believe Neagle also mentioned this and didn't have any answers. However, did anything ever develop with this? Was anyone able to confirm whether or not there were any conspicuous lapses in attempts to reach Steven w/ regard to his friends or just anyone who normally would have called? If this has been addressed since those early conversations, please excuse my ignorance. I just couldn't find this in any further threads.

 

[fridaybaker]

...also: I've been reading posts about positions/structure of LDS Wards but didn't see this: In a singles ward, is everyone single -including those in leadership, such as Bishop, Clerk, EQ President, etc?

 

[Fairy1]

Laytonian, in a very early post you mentioned the "dog that didn't bark", referring to the fact that, at least at the time, there weren't complete phone records for the time immediately after SK's disappearance. I believe Neagle also mentioned this and didn't have any answers. However, did anything ever develop with this? Was anyone able to confirm whether or not there were any conspicuous lapses in attempts to reach Steven w/ regard to his friends or just anyone who normally would have called? If this has been addressed since those early conversations, please excuse my ignorance. I just couldn't find this in any further threads.

The phone records - other than the pings laytonian has reported on the timeline - have not been publicly disclosed as the family did not detect any calls from or to unknown persons.

For the millionth time (not really that many!), I say, THE CALLS WOULD NOT HAVE TO HAVE BEEN FROM/TO SOMEONE UNKNOWN to be suspicious.

IMO.

 

[Lady LEO]

Link: http://www.clippertoday.com/pages/r...t=search_content&string=Steven+Koecher&open=&

Search results: Articles authored by SK that were published in the Davis County Clipper

************************************************************
Unless the topic of these articles were assigned to SK, then he selected these topics of his own choosing.

If SK did choose his own topics to write about, why did he select the topics that he did?

Apr 2006--article about Mr. Mac's leadership of LDS choir (SK had interest in music and with his strong involvement in LDS religion, he may have liked the choir.)

Aug 2006--article about Gay Rights (Infer what you will)

Dec 2006--article about Charity (SK had a long history of being charitable and kind)

Jan 2007--article about Seasonal Affect Disorder (including comments about how to self medicate or self treat feelings of depression caused by winter conditions, his move to St. G and his involvement in activities seems to follow the suggestions in this article that he wrote)

Jan 2007--second publishing of same article on Seasonal Affect Disorder

Feb 2007--power generator (community resources issues...SK was community conscious and possibly green i.e. his hybrid fuel car)

Feb 2007--article about Medicare Part D specifically about the cost of medication (gsmith mentioned that SK was taking meds)

Mar 2007--article about East Hollywood High (talks about film production and music production...SK had his own pod cast according to gsmith and SK had interest in music not to mention his guitar playing and the song he wrote.)

 

[CONCRNED CTZN]

One of the homes has a resident who is very ill, and the people in the other home were moving. They own another home only about a mile away. One of those private residences was even intruded upon, by an amateur sleuth who bragged about jumping over the wall and "investigating" the back yard.

Nothing has ever come up that's suspicious of either family, or others that were "investigated" here -- nor has anyone linked them to criminal activity.

And the house for rent didn't rent out the casita...that has always bothered me.

 

[fridaybaker]

The phone records - other than the pings laytonian has reported on the timeline - have not been publicly disclosed as the family did not detect any calls from or to unknown persons.

For the millionth time (not really that many!), I say, THE CALLS WOULD NOT HAVE TO HAVE BEEN FROM/TO SOMEONE UNKNOWN to be suspicious.

IMO.

Fairy, thanks for the response re: the phone records. I've read that answer before, but it seems like it was quite some time ago.

I certainly understand that the family does't want to put out SK's phone records for the general public to see; however, it would make me, and others I'm sure, more at ease to know that the records were searched for everything that they could be searched for -not only who may or may not have attempted to contact him in the immediate days and week or so after he went missing, but also to compare patterns of calls with the previous few months -even the last year, if possible. In the two or three months leading up to his disappearance, for example, did he increase contact significantly with anyone? This wouldn't necessarily be fruitful, but it sure would be more information that could, at some time, maybe a later date, fit in w/ other information w/ which to form a theory.

In addition to phone records, I'd think that it would be most helpful to piece together as much of his life over the last year, to the extent possible, anyway. We know he drove a lot in the days up to his disappearance and that his family says that that was unusual, but has anyone really compared that activity with previous months? Taken bank statements, receipts -any that can be found- and tried to see if he'd taken some trips that he hadn't told anyone about? After all, I don't think anyone would have known he'd taken the RV trip if he hadn't disappeared.

Again, it's understandable that his family don't wish to communicate much of this info. to strangers, but it would be so helpful to at least know if they've done those things.

Okay, I probably just said things that everyone's been saying here for quite some time. Just wish we had more info. so we'd have a better idea about which direction to go in!

 

[believe09]

I guess that if he had a previous head injury, that could cause some mental/cognitive function issues. But it sounds like laytonian put that issue to rest.
______________________

I think that people with mental illness can absolutely go undetected for long periods of time. However, most of these people come from families with a history of mental illness somewhere, and with many/most of them, their families are aware they are living on the streets and aware of their mental issues. That alone makes this case unusual. With Charlie Allen, his (dx bipolar) mental issues showed up as a teen, as do most show up by one's early twenties. In fact, with schizophrenia they say the signs usually show up earlier in men than in women. People whose families have their heads in the sand could miss something like that.

But people with MI also tend to have things such as unusual phone calls they made, or unusual emails sent, talking nonsensically, etc., around the time of a major psychotic break. We don't have those things here. Just some strange driving trips in the few days right before going missing, which could be any number of things. And (probably) Steven, apparently walking normally, dressed normally, after talking on the phone normally, on video the day he disappeared.

I don't know what laytonians specific theory is, but as for Steven no longer being with us, whether foul play or suicide, that's what I've thought also, from the start.

It's true that over 800,000 people are reported missing every year, but over 800,000 people are cleared as being missing every year, too. http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/nc...n-and-unidentified-person-statistics-for-2007

"During 2007, 814,967 missing person records were entered into NCIC, a decrease of 2.53% from the 836,131 records entered in 2006. Missing person records cleared or canceled during the same period totaled 820,212. Reasons for these removals include: the subject was located by a law enforcement agency; the individual returned home; or the record had to be removed by the entering agency due to a determination that the record was invalid." In 2007, more people were found than went missing! Very few people relatively go missing permanently. Those are the cases, that are the most suspicious IMO as candidates for people no longer being alive.

Agreed, sophieness, but a walk through NAMUS, Charlie Project, DoeNetwork etc makes it clear that not all the found are all of the missing. It is a revolving door. To track, accurately, the number of voluntarily missing adults would require a heroic effort on the part of LE when it is not a crime to leave when you are an adult.

 

[believe09]

I think it is tempting to see patterns in other cases that appear to have similar characteristics for sure-SK was LDS..check. SK went missing from a burb of Vegas...check. Vegas is huge and people travel there to disappear. Like NYC, or LA or Chicago. You are anonymous in a big city. IMO.

http://www.lvmpd.com/bureaus/missing_persons_adults.html

5-7 people are reported missing EACH DAY in Vegas. That is actually reported, vs people who actually go missing.

snip
"There are many reasons why a person voluntarily disappears including mental illness, depression, substance abuse, credit problems, abusive relationships, marital discord, and "foul play." The fact is, being a voluntary missing person is not a crime. Any adult person can simply walk away, and choose to ignore family, friends, associates and employers. Because this behavior is not a crime, law enforcement is limited on how they conduct these type investigations. When facts and circumstances indicate a strong possibility of foul play or the disappearance is the result of a criminal act, police will investigate."
snip

 

[laytonian]

Fairy, thanks for the response re: the phone records. I've read that answer before, but it seems like it was quite some time ago.

I certainly understand that the family does't want to put out SK's phone records for the general public to see; however, it would make me, and others I'm sure, more at ease to know that the records were searched for everything that they could be searched for -not only who may or may not have attempted to contact him in the immediate days and week or so after he went missing, but also to compare patterns of calls with the previous few months -even the last year, if possible. In the two or three months leading up to his disappearance, for example, did he increase contact significantly with anyone? This wouldn't necessarily be fruitful, but it sure would be more information that could, at some time, maybe a later date, fit in w/ other information w/ which to form a theory.

In addition to phone records, I'd think that it would be most helpful to piece together as much of his life over the last year, to the extent possible, anyway. We know he drove a lot in the days up to his disappearance and that his family says that that was unusual, but has anyone really compared that activity with previous months? Taken bank statements, receipts -any that can be found- and tried to see if he'd taken some trips that he hadn't told anyone about? After all, I don't think anyone would have known he'd taken the RV trip if he hadn't disappeared.

Again, it's understandable that his family don't wish to communicate much of this info. to strangers, but it would be so helpful to at least know if they've done those things.

Okay, I probably just said things that everyone's been saying here for quite some time. Just wish we had more info. so we'd have a better idea about which direction to go in!

Actually, we do have a good idea of it.

Thanks to the Powells' claims that Steven and Susan somehow knew each other in WVC when Steven lived there (for a whole two months! in an apartment five miles away from the Powell home!) in 2007 .... almost three years of Steven's phone records were pored over, to see if there'd been any contact between the two.

That would mean identifying the owners of all the phone numbers in his phone records.

I don't think the family is even privy to those phone records. They'd be part of the "confidential details of each case" that LE mentioned in response to the Powells.