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

[liz b.]

* If SK had a legit appointment,or a church meeting at Anthem, and he kept it, why has no one come forward to say so ? * Or, why has no one said that he had such an appointment,but didn't show ? Key word here is legit...

I believe he would have contacted someone in his family if he had just walked away. Christmas came and went... SK seemed really close to his family ; I think he would have contacted family,if he could have.
Steven checking his own voice mail does not make a whole lot of sense on the face of it. Did he not have his phone with him during this time ? Wouldn't he know if anyone had called him ? Where could he have possibly been that he would have turned his phone off ? Or left it someplace ? Are we sure it was him checking his VM ?

 

[laytonian]

If I were heading for an appointment in a neighborhood that was only partly familiar, I'd be quite likely to drive past the place, park in the cul de sac, and walk the short distance back to my destination. It would give me a chance to locate my destination, then gather myself, calm my nerves. Plus the car would be already turned around so it would be easy to leave.

....and if someone did have bad things in mind, they're going to tell him to park "down the street". I think IF he had an address in mind, it'd be anywhere on Laurel Heights or west, within Overlook Village.

 

[Fairy1]

True. And in that case I'd probably park wherever I parked before

Yep. And his car doesn't seem to be going really slow, like you do when you don't know exactly where you're going.

 

[seekingsusan]

What if Steven was having such a hard time finding work in Utah, he decided to take a road trip through Nevada in search of work? And the trip to AN's family ranch really was just because he was in the area.

When I was unemployed for 6 months, my whole life revolved around finding a job. Steven had already moved to St. George, he didn't have a lot of ties to the area. It would have been easy for him to up and move somewhere else for work. I also remember getting my hopes up every time I had an interview or even a prospect. Then I was completely devastated if things didn't work out. Some companies don't even call you, they just send you this form letter about "The company moving in another direction." I wonder if Steven had what he believed was a solid prospect, until he got home Saturday night and checked the mail.

I really wish someone had taken Steven aside and said, "Look, not being able to find a job right now is not about YOU." This is a truly unique time in American history, Steven and many other people are struggling everyday to find work.

 

[Fairy1]

What if Steven was having such a hard time finding work in Utah, he decided to take a road trip through Nevada in search of work? And the trip to AN's family ranch really was just because he was in the area.

When I was unemployed for 6 months, my whole life revolved around finding a job. Steven had already moved to St. George, he didn't have a lot of ties to the area. It would have been easy for him to up and move somewhere else for work. I also remember getting my hopes up every time I had an interview or even a prospect. Then I was completely devastated if things didn't work out. Some companies don't even call you, they just send you this form letter about "The company moving in another direction." I wonder if Steven had what he believed was a solid prospect, until he got home Saturday night and checked the mail.

I really wish someone had taken Steven aside and said, "Look, not being able to find a job right now is not about YOU." This is a truly unique time in American history, Steven and many other people are struggling everyday to find work.

But technically, he had a job. And if one of their services was Christmas decorating, why leave just before Christmas? Why not just stick it out until afer the holidays then look for a fresh start?

And, Laytonian pointed out a while back that St. George hasn't been hit too hard by the recession. Vegas has been. We have one of, if not the, highest unemployment rates in the country right now. I'm not sure how the job market is up around Wendover, but I sure wouldn't chance it!

 

[laytonian]

What if Steven was having such a hard time finding work in Utah, he decided to take a road trip through Nevada in search of work? And the trip to AN's family ranch really was just because he was in the area.

'cept there's no "there" there.

If he really did drive I-15 and I-80, he was *nowhere* in Nevada that would have offered him a job opportunity.
Once you leave Salt Lake City, it's desert (and salt flats!) all the way, broken up by Wendover and Wells (dirty little casino pit stops).

In St George, he was probably in one of the best job markets, IF he was willing to help build the new airport or work at one of the warehouse, transport or small manufacturers. WalMart has a HUGE distribution center in Hurricane.

Poor guy "just couldn't find the right girl"...or the right job.

 

[laytonian]

I believe he would have contacted someone in his family if he had just walked away. Christmas came and went... SK seemed really close to his family ; I think he would have contacted family,if he could have.
Steven checking his own voice mail does not make a whole lot of sense on the face of it. Did he not have his phone with him during this time ? Wouldn't he know if anyone had called him ? Where could he have possibly been that he would have turned his phone off ? Or left it someplace ? Are we sure it was him checking his VM ?

Even the Runaway Bride only lasted five days, before she gave up on her charade; like Naegle said, no one can imagine Steven pulling off the "perfect disappearance".

I'm wondering if the phone was off most of the time, to preserve the battery life. He couldn't have had many opportunities to charge the battery, in the few days before he went missing.

 

[liz b.]

He left the phone off most of the time, but yet it just happened to be turned on whe Greg Webb called him ? Who just happened to be where ? Right there in Vegas. And never asked Steven what had brought him to LV ? Some long odds at work there.Even for Vegas...

 

[laytonian]

He left the phone off most of the time, but yet it just happened to be turned on whe Greg Webb called him ? Who just happened to be where ? Right there in Vegas. And never asked Steven what had brought him to LV ? Some long odds at work there.Even for Vegas...

Sure, turn it off after you've talked to Webb and Abboud. You've told everyone who needs to know, that you're not going to be at church. The rest of the day is all yours. Or the rest of your life.

 

[Fairy1]

I hate to keep ther_beatingA_Dead but I still believe the cell phone pings are key. We need to have some degree of certainty that Steven was actually in SCA/Henderson/Vegas. Then we need to find out why. Somewhere is the answer to THAT question. Phone calls, Internet activity, mutual friend, etc.

And the GW angle is still a HUGE question mark - in so many ways.

I would also like to know if the family has had any feedback from the IHOP folks. I keep going by there, but "needle in a haystack" is the phrase I hear in my head as I'm doing it!

 

[Yeahitsanna]

I hate to keep ther_beatingA_Dead but I still believe the cell phone pings are key. We need to have some degree of certainty that Steven was actually in SCA/Henderson/Vegas. Then we need to find out why. Somewhere is the answer to THAT question. Phone calls, Internet activity, mutual friend, etc.

And the GW angle is still a HUGE question mark - in so many ways.

I would also like to know if the family has had any feedback from the IHOP folks. I keep going by there, but "needle in a haystack" is the phrase I hear in my head as I'm doing it!

The IHOP lead fizzled out. Every employee had a different description of the guy and they determined that it wasnt SK.

 

[Fairy1]

The IHOP lead fizzled out. Every employee had a different description of the guy and they determined that it wasnt SK.

Where did you see that? I must have missed it!

 

[Yeahitsanna]

Via FB: "KC Naegle Hey Everyone, Sorry about the sparse updates, but there's really not much to update you on. The IHOP lead fizzled out. No one saw the guy they thought was Steven after we started asking about him. We're not sure what our next step is, but we'll let you know of anything new. Thank you all for your support and prayers!"

Also

"Q: Can you give an update (even if brief) of last weekend's trip to Las Vegas?
A: We spent a lot of time in the Ihop area. We went to the DI there, and several other stores. We looked at the abandond car wash and talked to the homeless people there. We sat at Ihop every night. (1/20 - 1/24) Every employee has a different description of this "one" guy. My family talked to LE twice. Unfortunately, I wasn't there yet, but I don't think they gave us anything new."

 

[liz b.]

Laytonian,
Bear with me a minute. SK keeps his phone mostly turned off after he speaks to GW and Abboud. He is concerned about the battery. I see that. But, when he turned it on, would he not be able to see if anyone had called him while it was turned off ? I mean without having to go into his VM. My phone will show that,plus the phone # of the caller. Don't most phones indicate a missed call ? Is it possible that SK deleted any voice mail messages , as well as any missed call phone numbers ?

 

[laytonian]

I hate to keep ther_beatingA_Dead but I still believe the cell phone pings are key. We need to have some degree of certainty that Steven was actually in SCA/Henderson/Vegas. Then we need to find out why. Somewhere is the answer to THAT question. Phone calls, Internet activity, mutual friend, etc.

And the GW angle is still a HUGE question mark - in so many ways.

I would also like to know if the family has had any feedback from the IHOP folks. I keep going by there, but "needle in a haystack" is the phrase I hear in my head as I'm doing it!

Figure needle, wrong haystack?

According to the newspaper articles this week, the IHOP people/person described one (or several) people who did (or did not) resemble Steven.....but who the family believes wasn't/weren't him.

I posted one of the stories on the timeline tonight (bottom entry, "The Clipper") written by one of Rolf Koecher's employees. Mrs Koecher even hints that people like you have been a big help! Go look!

I think the cellphone pings are key. Certainly, LE has them...or at least the last one.
I think wherever they search for Steve, is the area of the last ping.

 

[laytonian]

Laytonian,
Bear with me a minute. SK keeps his phone mostly turned off after he speaks to GW and Abboud. He is concerned about the battery. I see that. But, when he turned it on, would he not be able to see if anyone had called him while it was turned off ? I mean without having to go into his VM. My phone will show that,plus the phone # of the caller. Don't most phones indicate a missed call ? Is it possible that SK deleted any voice mail messages , as well as any missed call phone numbers ?

Remember, he'd been avoiding people for over a week. He may have been listening to their messages during the week....just not responding.

That would also explain why he didn't care to look at the list of calls, just wanted to hear what people said without them knowing he'd heard.

If my phone's dead, it piles up messages. "Missed" (on mine) is only if it manages to ring, and I don't pick up the call.

 

[Helix11]

Laytonian,
Bear with me a minute. SK keeps his phone mostly turned off after he speaks to GW and Abboud. He is concerned about the battery. I see that. But, when he turned it on, would he not be able to see if anyone had called him while it was turned off ? I mean without having to go into his VM. My phone will show that,plus the phone # of the caller. Don't most phones indicate a missed call ? Is it possible that SK deleted any voice mail messages , as well as any missed call phone numbers ?

If I turn my phone off (or even if I just don't have adequate service) it won't ring and go straight to voicemail, not leaving a missed call for me to see. I always make sure to say in my VM message to those who are calling to be sure to leave a message just in case this happens.

 

[liz b.]

Thank you Helix and Laytonian for the phone posts. It's like so much else in this case, just out of reach. Can't be known. Can only be guessed at. This story,though, might well have some "legs", which could produce more information. If the story goes national.

 

[fasteddy4]

Been busy doing some other things and my schedule has changed a bit so I can't be on here as much but read thru some of the posts over the past day.

-I don't think the suicide thing works. I know there were a lot of things not going right in Steven's life but picking Anthem just makes no sense. Why would he give himself a chance to chicken out by walking by all of the houses before getting to the desert? If he REALLY wanted to do it, all he had to do it was park at the end of the very last street on the very last block of Anthem. Take 30 steps and he was in the desert. The car was going to get found one way or another. . .one that street, on another street, even if it had been torched in the middle of the desert it would eventually be found. He picked I think a very bad place to leave his car. And as I have mentioned, he is not headed toward the desert when he goes out of the picture on Cam 7. He is in the middle of Anthem. He would have had to have crossed the busiest street in Anthem-Anthem Parkway-to get anywhere near the desert. Why bother? Just park in the desert and do it.

-as I watch those videos once again, I think way back to one of my first posts ever on here. The whole thing looked and felt a lot like an episode of To Catch A Predator. Guy from out of town. Single. Young. . .well, younger. No luck with chicks. Drives into an unfamiliar neighborhood. Parks down the street. Hesitates before getting out of his car. THAT is a To Catch a Predator episode. And Steven did those exact same things. Coincidence?

-or maybe a slight twist on why he was there: I don't think anybody has explored this side of it. . .Was Steven angry at anyone? We have talked about "love". . .gay, straight, whatever. And sadness. . .suicide, down on his luck, etc. But what about the most powerful motivator of all. . .anger? Did he blame anybody for his plight? Did some guy steal a girl from him? Did anyone owe him money? Maybe he parked down the street so somebody wouldn't see him coming? If I could be convinced of it, it almost looks maybe like he was dropping in on somebody unexpectedly and he wanted to "surprise" whoever it was? Maybe somebody didn't tell him to park over there. Maybe he did it as a way to surprise somebody in one of those houses?

-the only thing I can say about the gay angle is that if he showed up at some guy's house who is otherwise known as being straight, then SURELY some sparks flew and that would certainly cause somebody who was living with a secret to do something harmful. I mean, it is completely outlandish and maybe I have been watching too many episodes of Law and Order but say he meets some older guy. They hook up. Steven decides to pop in at the guy's house. The guy and his WIFE are there. And that would definitely be something that the people that live in that house would cover up. Just sayin'. . .not very probable but I guess possible.

-as everyone can probably tell, I am still not a believer that he had been in that neighborhood before. Somebody would have surely seen him there before and they would have recognized the pics that were passed around in the neighborhood. Or, they would have seen his car before. It could even have been something as vague as "You know, a couple of weeks ago my neighbor had a visitor from out of town. I don't remember the car but it was a Utah license plate." But, I am guessing the searchers did not even get that. So, the odds are pretty pretty low that he had been there before. I GUESS if somebody was trying to hide their relationship with Steven (gay or married woman) then they would hide him and just let him get out of their car once the garage door was down but man does that sound outlandish.

Tired. Going to bed.

 

[Fairy1]

I agree with most of what you say fe4. But - I was in that neighborhood at about 1:20 PM on a Sunday and didn't see a soul. I don't necessarily believe someone would have seen him if he had been there before. Maybe he was there in the middle of the night? Maybe there was no one around when he was there before. Maybe he parked somewhere else before.