NV NV - Steven T. Koecher, 30, Henderson, 13 Dec 2009 - # 5

[laytonian]

Actually, that makes more sense to me than him actually doing the work. Maybe T, the guy he worked for has clarified his role since the beginning of the case.

He did have fliers in his car, which is how the police called his boss to get his cell phone number. They were visible through the window. He might have been putting them in the gas stations he was stopping at, which is why he was stopping?????

We've heard several versions: "starting a business", "washing windows and putting up Christmas lights", and now "marketing". Yes, marketing can mean passing out flyers, but you can't put up flyers promoting your business, in someone else's business (Pilot, Flying J, Taco Time, Maverik, Shell Oil...).
Passing out flyers is something you hire school kids to do; there had to have been something else to the job originally.

The problem is, we don't know if it was flyer (singular) or flyers (plural) in the car. We don't know if there was one littering the floor (among the snack food, coats, pillows and blankets) or if there was a tidy boxful fresh from the printer.

We've been given the bare facts...and they shift.

 

[laytonian]

I probably said this in one form or another. If this was just a random disappearance, i.e. the victim of a crime, then he would not have at least attempted to delete his internet usage history.

OK, help me out here. When did we learn that he "at least attempted to" delete his internet usage history?

I thought we didn't know anything about his computer, except the family computer experts saw nothing they thought was suspicious on it.

We also know that he used the library's computers (obviously because he didn't have internet in the apartment)....so anything suspicious (or clue-like) is likely there, overwritten by now.

 

[laytonian]

Here's the thing , Steven was in dire straits, in a real fix. He was living on peanut butter and bread,along with cheap fast food. He was in fear of being evicted, months behind on his rent, and the utilities were about to be shut off. He had been sleeping in his car. No full time job in sight..... So, this is the exact time that he runs off with a lover ? It doesn't really make sense. If he had been planning to leave with someone, why wait until it was peanut butter sandwich time financially ? Couldn't they have moved up their exit date a bit ? I can see, though ,that his serious financial issues would have made him so vulnerable ; a promise of help in finding a decent job might have lured him. IMHO

....and this is the exact time he runs off with a lover, and leaves his shaving kit, clothing, computer and other personal items in his apartment...after buying a family-sized jar of peanut butter?

 

[laytonian]

It wasn't paid off.

...and an early report stated he was behind in his car payment(s), so maybe it was close to be repo'd?
That could add up to quite a bit for a man described as "really isn't in debt", compared to his available income.

 

[laytonian]

Here's my take from a male perspective:
There's no reason to suspect insurance fraud on the car. A 2003 Cavalier isn't worth much and he still owed on it so he did have to have full coverage. Probably owed about what it was worth, just a guess.

If he left for Las Vegas the night before he may have met up with someone in Vegas, maybe someone that worked until late, we will call him or her Person X. Maybe even GW saw him with Person X, who knows. This would account for the clothes that don't look slept in and the clean shaven look, Person X may have an apartment or house in Vegas.

As for that neighborhood, I don't think the car was there randomly. I also don't think he went there to visit someone who lived in that neighborhood. I think Person X has family there, parents or Grandparents and they attend church or brunch together every Sunday. Person X does not want to bring SK along, at least not yet, so Person X says meet me near where my parents/grandparents live. Park down the street, I'll pick you up at noon and we'll go do whatever. It saves Person X a trip back to Vegas so they have more time together.

I think the trip back home may have been for something like the passport. It would be needed for a job or a NV license. Or SK could be working under the table for cash like before.

Now, why would I think he ran away? I think it's similar to what happened to Nicholas Francisco. NF probably felt trapped because there was little money and he was married to a princess (every thing about the wife leads me to believe she was high maintenance). Finally he had too much and left.

I think SF may have felt smothered by his family. When things are good, that's fine. But the earlier jobs he had were closely related to his father and his family is now deeply into his financial troubles. I don't mean this in a bad way, it's obvious they were trying to help, but SK may have felt trapped by this.

So he meets Person X again and they start talking. SK decides he really has little use for a car he can't pay on, so he just leaves it. And with nothing much else to walk away from, and the new life looks so much better than where he was... And somehow Person X does not fit with SK's old life.

For whatever reason, Monday he dials voicemail and that's the final break with the old life. Personally, I think there's a TracPhone or public computer use somewhere because I don't think any of the meeting was random. I do think the odd driving everywhere first was random.

Just my thoughts.

Theories are always welcome, and yours is worth thinking about. Can you fit them into his "known" movements and stops?

This is what I understand you're saying:

Steven uses public computer to meet up with Person X

Person X may live in Vegas or have a (crashpad?) place there

SK is seen clean-shaven and groomed (where/when?)
Went to Vegas "night before" to meet up with Person X (who works late)
SK returned home for passport (after Person X worked late)
At some point, GW may have seen SK and Person X
Person X has (before noon) brunch with X's family in SCA (but not with SK)
Person X and SK meet up at noon
SK abandons his car and leaves without Person X

 

[webrocket]

OK, help me out here. When did we learn that he "at least attempted to" delete his internet usage history?

I thought we didn't know anything about his computer, except the family computer experts saw nothing they thought was suspicious on it.

We also know that he used the library's computers (obviously because he didn't have internet in the apartment)....so anything suspicious (or clue-like) is likely there, overwritten by now.

I say "at least attempted" because the family and LE said they saw nothing suspicious but the hard drive to my knowledge has NOT been forensically examined. So a person can delete history and clean out cookies, and throw documents into the trash or recycle bin on the computer but it is all still there if a person of proper qualification looks for it.

 

[webrocket]

Here's my take from a male perspective:
There's no reason to suspect insurance fraud on the car. A 2003 Cavalier isn't worth much and he still owed on it so he did have to have full coverage. Probably owed about what it was worth, just a guess.

If he left for Las Vegas the night before he may have met up with someone in Vegas, maybe someone that worked until late, we will call him or her Person X. Maybe even GW saw him with Person X, who knows. This would account for the clothes that don't look slept in and the clean shaven look, Person X may have an apartment or house in Vegas.

As for that neighborhood, I don't think the car was there randomly. I also don't think he went there to visit someone who lived in that neighborhood. I think Person X has family there, parents or Grandparents and they attend church or brunch together every Sunday. Person X does not want to bring SK along, at least not yet, so Person X says meet me near where my parents/grandparents live. Park down the street, I'll pick you up at noon and we'll go do whatever. It saves Person X a trip back to Vegas so they have more time together.

I think the trip back home may have been for something like the passport. It would be needed for a job or a NV license. Or SK could be working under the table for cash like before.

Now, why would I think he ran away? I think it's similar to what happened to Nicholas Francisco. NF probably felt trapped because there was little money and he was married to a princess (every thing about the wife leads me to believe she was high maintenance). Finally he had too much and left.

I think SF may have felt smothered by his family. When things are good, that's fine. But the earlier jobs he had were closely related to his father and his family is now deeply into his financial troubles. I don't mean this in a bad way, it's obvious they were trying to help, but SK may have felt trapped by this.

So he meets Person X again and they start talking. SK decides he really has little use for a car he can't pay on, so he just leaves it. And with nothing much else to walk away from, and the new life looks so much better than where he was... And somehow Person X does not fit with SK's old life.

For whatever reason, Monday he dials voicemail and that's the final break with the old life. Personally, I think there's a TracPhone or public computer use somewhere because I don't think any of the meeting was random. I do think the odd driving everywhere first was random.

Just my thoughts.

well stated Valiant. I saw shades of Nicholas Francisco immediately when I first read the basic info.

I don't think he was savvy enough to have left no trace on his computer. There is probably evidence of an old email address going back a year or something like that on there. Maybe even some old visits to mapquest. I'm sure he left something on the computer if only a properly qualified person looked for it.

 

[laytonian]

well stated Valiant. I saw shades of Nicholas Francisco immediately when I first read the basic info.

I don't think he was savvy enough to have left no trace on his computer. There is probably evidence of an old email address going back a year or something like that on there. Maybe even some old visits to mapquest. I'm sure he left something on the computer if only a properly qualified person looked for it.

I'm thinking there'd be traces on the computer(s) he used at the St George library, since he didn't have internet access at the house (April '09, onward). There was an unsecured wifi network in the neighborhood, but he'd have had to take his computer and walk with it down the street to use it.

But we have to remember, his family doesn't see him as "devious enough" to pull something like this (the perfect disappearance) off. We did get a statement that it's believed he could be led astray, though.

 

[Fairy1]

I'm thinking there'd be traces on the computer(s) he used at the St George library, since he didn't have internet access at the house (April '09, onward). There was an unsecured wifi network in the neighborhood, but he'd have had to take his computer and walk with it down the street to use it.

But we have to remember, his family doesn't see him as "devious enough" to pull something like this (the perfect disappearance) off. We did get a statement that it's believed he could be led astray, though.

I hadn't really thought of him as being devious, necessarily. But perhaps got into something he doesn't feel his family would approve of. He may feel that he's protecting them.

Identifying Person X is the key - whoever they may be.

 

[laytonian]

I say "at least attempted" because the family and LE said they saw nothing suspicious but the hard drive to my knowledge has NOT been forensically examined. So a person can delete history and clean out cookies, and throw documents into the trash or recycle bin on the computer but it is all still there if a person of proper qualification looks for it.

I know, but I'm questioning the "at least attempted" to mean there is knowledge that he deleted anything at all.

He may not have. I know people who keep everything....and since the LDS believe in "journaling", it's possible that Steven wouldn't delete any email conversations because they'd be part of his electronic journal. Plus, without an internet connection, how much stuff could have been put on that computer in the past seven-eight months?

 

[laytonian]

I hadn't really thought of him as being devious, necessarily. But perhaps got into something he doesn't feel his family would approve of. He may feel that he's protecting them.

Identifying Person X is the key - whoever they may be.

Before we can identify Person X, we need to know if such a person exists.

Then, we have to fit Person X into Steven's movements on the 12th, as proposed by Valiant.

All times MST:
In between buying gas at 5pm in Mesquite and shopping at Kmart at 8pm?
That's three hours.
In between shopping at Kmart at 8pm and returning home about 10pm?
That's two hours.

It's two hours to Vegas (one way). He'd have needed four hours to make one round-trip....and he'd have had to turn around immediately and head back. No time with Person X.

 

[Fairy1]

Before we can identify Person X, we need to know if such a person exists.

Then, we have to fit Person X into Steven's movements on the 12th, as proposed by Valiant.

All times MST:
In between buying gas at 5pm in Mesquite and shopping at Kmart at 8pm?
That's three hours.
In between shopping at Kmart at 8pm and returning home about 10pm?
That's two hours.

It's two hours to Vegas (one way). He'd have needed four hours to make one round-trip....and he'd have had to turn around immediately and head back. No time with Person X.

In my mind, Person X is at SCA at noon on Sunday, 12/13. There had to have been prior contact of some kind with this person. Potential employer, lover, friend.....whatever.

 

[webrocket]

I'm thinking there'd be traces on the computer(s) he used at the St George library, since he didn't have internet access at the house (April '09, onward). There was an unsecured wifi network in the neighborhood, but he'd have had to take his computer and walk with it down the street to use it.

But we have to remember, his family doesn't see him as "devious enough" to pull something like this (the perfect disappearance) off. We did get a statement that it's believed he could be led astray, though.

it is fairly easy nowadays to pick up a wireless signal for free from neighbors or even going to Starbucks and the like for that matter. The signal won't be as strong or reliable as your own but free is free and you'd be surprised what some people have done using other people's wireless connections.

 

[harleysnana]

I'm thinking there'd be traces on the computer(s) he used at the St George library, since he didn't have internet access at the house (April '09, onward). There was an unsecured wifi network in the neighborhood, but he'd have had to take his computer and walk with it down the street to use it.

But we have to remember, his family doesn't see him as "devious enough" to pull something like this (the perfect disappearance) off. We did get a statement that it's believed he could be led astray, though.

Something I want to say about the bold part.
If Steven did leave on his own it may be that he is not in his right mind.

OT but I have a 23yr old daughter who became Bipolar and Borderline when she was 22.
She had been living with us after a nasty divorce.
The past year we dealt with her leaving 5 different times for aprox. 2 weeks at a time,
and a week before Christmas she left for the last time.
She has moved out, has new friends, and only comes around when she needs something.
The saddest part of this is that she left her two little girls with us.
These two little girls she would “die without”.
She is in a completely different state of mind now then she was when they moved in with us 2 years ago.
She has totally walked away from what use to be the most important thing in her life,
and IMO if it wasn’t for her girls she would walk away completely.

IMO if Steven did walk away it may be due to some mental health issue that his family
doesn’t know about.

 

[webrocket]

I know, but I'm questioning the "at least attempted" to mean there is knowledge that he deleted anything at all.

He may not have. I know people who keep everything....and since the LDS believe in "journaling", it's possible that Steven wouldn't delete any email conversations because they'd be part of his electronic journal. Plus, without an internet connection, how much stuff could have been put on that computer in the past seven-eight months?

I've said this before - if anyone is intending to come home from an excursion, their recent usage would be on there for people to see, regardless of whether it is checking email, news, the weather, directions at mapquest, dating websites or *advertiser censored* sites.

When the family and LE said 'nothing suspicious' was found that does not mean all that much to me. If he was planning a trip to a place he had not been before he needs directions either by phone or my internet. If there is no history of looking for directions to SCA, then he got it from a public computer or he tried to delete it.

As for the phone, they verified who he called in the last few days or so before he disappeared. So he either had the plan already or was talking to person X by a prepaid cell phone.

In any event, this behavior is consistent with someone trying to cover his tracks so I do not see him being the random victim of someone intending to do him harm.

 

[liz b.]

Steven could have met someone the night before. Gotten into a conversation about the economy,work etc. Person ,or Persons X, who I think may have killed him,could just have spotted an opportunity. He/she,or they could have been out trolling and found Steven. He was desperate and vulnerable. Person X tells Steven he thinks he could help him, to come around on Sunday, noonish, bring his resume ( hence the portfolio) He would only have to have convinced Steven to come over to his home, where he has a home office.And convincing people is what sociopaths excel at. He could have written down the address,along with parking instructions for Steven ( the reason why Steven seems to be looking at something,or reading something as he's walking). Might be nothing more complicated than that.

 

[Fairy1]

Something I want to say about the bold part.
If Steven did leave on his own it may be that he is not in his right mind.

OT but I have a 23yr old daughter who became Bipolar and Borderline when she was 22.
She had been living with us after a nasty divorce.
The past year we dealt with her leaving 5 different times for aprox. 2 weeks at a time,
and a week before Christmas she left for the last time.
She has moved out, has new friends, and only comes around when she needs something.
The saddest part of this is that she left her two little girls with us.
These two little girls she would “die without”.
She is in a completely different state of mind now then she was when they moved in with us 2 years ago.
She has totally walked away from what use to be the most important thing in her life,
and IMO if it wasn’t for her girls she would walk away completely.

IMO if Steven did walk away it may be due to some mental health issue that his family
doesn’t know about.

I'm so sorry, harleysnana. This must be very difficult for you. And I agree, it definitely could be something along these lines that could have caused Steven to walk away and stay away.

 

[laytonian]

I've said this before - if anyone is intending to come home from an excursion, their recent usage would be on there for people to see, regardless of whether it is checking email, news, the weather, directions at mapquest, dating websites or *advertiser censored* sites.

(gentle snippage)

Yes, I understand your point....and I know you've said it before.

I've also said this before, and it's consistently ignored:

It's been confirmed (by the landlady) that was no internet available in the house he rented.

(So there, we're even)

Steven did use the computers at the St George Library, OR, if he wanted to use a neighbor's open network, he *may have* used the neighbor's unsecured wifi network....but he'd have had to carry his computer down the sidewalk and around the corner to do that.

We know he did use the library computer. We don't know if he tried to surf using someone else's network. (Hopefully ALL of those options have been checked.) But his library usage isn't going to show on his notebook computer.

 

[laytonian]

Something I want to say about the bold part.
If Steven did leave on his own it may be that he is not in his right mind.

OT but I have a 23yr old daughter who became Bipolar and Borderline when she was 22.
She had been living with us after a nasty divorce.
The past year we dealt with her leaving 5 different times for aprox. 2 weeks at a time,
and a week before Christmas she left for the last time.
She has moved out, has new friends, and only comes around when she needs something.
The saddest part of this is that she left her two little girls with us.
These two little girls she would “die without”.
She is in a completely different state of mind now then she was when they moved in with us 2 years ago.
She has totally walked away from what use to be the most important thing in her life,
and IMO if it wasn’t for her girls she would walk away completely.

IMO if Steven did walk away it may be due to some mental health issue that his family
doesn’t know about.

I'm sorry to hear that, but I think the *happy* part is that she left her two little girls with you. As much as a handful as that would be, aren't you glad you know your grandchildren are being well taken care of? Congrats to you!

I mentioned earlier, that I see Steven's work record as part of a downward spiral. I also wonder if there were undiagnosed issues that he was trying to cope with.

 

[liz b.]

Harleysnana,
Wow, what a tough situation for your family. I'm assuming that your daughter was prescribed medication for her Bipolar Disorder when she was diagnosed ? Had she stopped taking it ? Steven's family said that he was not taking any prescribed medication, and had never been diagnosed with a mental illness. Your grandkids are so lucky to have you in their lives. I hope your daughter's condition improves soon.