NV NV - Steven T. Koecher, 30, Henderson, 13 Dec 2009 - # 7

[Sin City]

Dovebar: Another possibility is that Steven had been trying to turn small bits of money into something larger by gambling.

This explanation also fits with what he might have been doing in Ruby Valley and Wendover, NV. He might either have had a gambling problem, or had recently started to gamble, but in out of the way places where he thought he wouldn't be spotted.


I agree, this is something we should consider. I have friends in SLC who pull 'all-nighters' to drive to Wendover to gamble and return to SLC to sleep it all off the next day.

Maybe someone saw him in a Wendover casino that he felt nervous about, and he had to come up with a reason for being in the area (Ruby Valley).

Just throwing out some thoughts.

 

[laytonian]

Funny stuff...WTH is wrong with people though????

After reading the JP article and postings, wish those people would put some of their "energy" toward GW and making him talk...at this point he's our JP. Ok, that was not very nice, but seriously...GW is about the only thing that we have not gotten any answers to since we started this. We even now know that SK didn't have his passport...which confirms in my mind that he did disappear intentionally.

There's focus on GW because his name was in the news.
Steven was in contact with other people, those last days in St George.
There's the neighbor across the street who seemed to be on the watch for him, the landlord, whoever he was with between K-Mart and 10pm.....

 

[laytonian]

Do they keep your old passport when you renew; whether expired or not? I've never renewed mine, but has expired now.

Yes. You send it in as part of the renewal process. You get it back, though, with the new one. (We just renewed ours.)

 

[laytonian]

Updated story (video) of the possible Josh/Steven connection.

http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-search-continues-for-missing-koecher,0,3999333.story

Just a thought, Josh and Steven both owned their own websites right? Darn-- late and can't think straight.....but I think the domain was Go..something. Also, seems that both their computer's info was "scrubbed". Can't find anything on the net. Too, somehow the info thru this domain was "anonymous"--no trail. I need some help here techies!!!! trying to explain this.... Is there anyway they could have crossed paths on the internet by this way? Maybe really stupid question, but do they have something like chat rooms on a domain website?
Time to go to bed....with dunce hat on.

As far as we know, Steven did not have his own website.

If you're thinking of "Go"....that's the domain registrar company GoDaddy NOT someone's personal website.

Steven's computer was not "scrubbed" (where does that keep coming from?)

The new susanpowell.org website has its domain registry anonymized through "Domains By Proxy"...which is quite common. (I'm sure you all know about that, and why you never do business with a website that uses something like that or wants money....)

 

[laytonian]

I get lots of fliers for home services.Window washing, pressure cleaning, gutters etc. Have never had anyone show up with a ladder, and try to talk me into having the windows done ...

We did once. Or I should say "my dh fell for it". He thought he was doing me a favor, so he let the guy wash our windows. He broke three panes of glass.

I wonder if Steven first met Travis through matchbin....then started "marketing" directly with him, and doing other work?

 

[sbakker]

When Steven is walking in the neighborhood in Henderson, he was walking with confidence, like he had been there before, or saw the person he was meeting was there. I really do not think Steven would be doing business(because it was Sunday,and us mormons believe in keeping the Sabbath day free from work). Just a thought.

 

[laytonian]

Lots of timeline talk recently has made me go back and review it again. Just have some questions and comments:

I'm doing some snipping.

-If Steven was doing work for Travis of the window cleaning kind-and all the other things that are listed on that flyer-would not Steven have been carrying around some equipment?

My experience is this:
IF they are only washing windows, they go door-to-door, equipped. If they are offering other services (housecleaning, blinds and windows, etc) they litter the neighborhood with flyers, which makes everyone mad and no one hires them

-I find it weird that GW was up at 8am on a Sunday morning in Vegas. Under general circumstances, I would think he never went to bed. Think about it.

Apparently, they both were. Who went first? Did one follow the other, and why?

-Not cashing his grandmother's check? Don't know what to think of that. Pride? Lost it? Stolen. . .!!!?

His birthday was coming up...I always figured it was a gift, given while they were together in Cedar City. I say "sloppy housekeeping, lost".

-the stopping in at AN's in Ruby Valley is less and less feeling like a "secondary explanation for his trip there" reason. Really, he could have made that entire trip and nobody would have known.

TRUE...if he'd used cash the entire trip. He left a credit card trail.

So, why stop at AN's to provide an alibi or reason? That leads me to believe he went there to see her. There might have been something going on and he thought she was the only one he could trust. And needed to speak to her in person.

But he knew she lived in SLC. That's where they met and dated for awhile.

Based on the receipts, he took a wonky route to Ruby Valley (almost twice as far by driving the freeways, through SLC, rather than straight up and down US-93).

WHAT IF he drove to SLC to see her ... and didn't connect, so he drove to Ruby Valley to see if she was there? He could have been in SLC before she went to work.

-those other phone calls on Dec. 13 in the morning besides GW's. I really think Steven would have given a reason to be in Vegas if he could talk about it. Like "I can't make it this morning because I am in Vegas on an interview." Or "I'm in Vegas meeting with friends" OR "I'm meeting in Vegas on business." Would Steven not feel, if he is as good as guy as everyone says he is, like he should give an explanation of some type? But, he didn't. That's odd.

Absolutely. Sometimes, I have the odd thought that it wasn't Steven on that phone OR, like you say, he was with someone else. Maybe that person was someone who eventually did him harm, and not the Usual Suspects?

Someone from the EQ was quoted early on as saying that "Steven would always call me if he couldn't be at the meeting" (which would have been the weekends visiting family or when his mom and grandma came down).

YET...this time, Steven didn't call in advance and there was a kinda curt two-minute call that GW says ended with "do what you have to do".

 

[laytonian]

When Steven is walking in the neighborhood in Henderson, he was walking with confidence, like he had been there before, or saw the person he was meeting was there. I really do not think Steven would be doing business(because it was Sunday,and us mormons believe in keeping the Sabbath day free from work). Just a thought.

You weren't here when we had the "Is that a car with someone standing by it, or two bushes reflecting in the window of the minivan?" conversations
(Look at the second video, and watch the reflection in the minivan's window...but don't talk about it here! ha ha)

I know everyone say he's purposeful, confident ... but I walk like that all the time. Quickly, even if I'm walking down a street I've never walked down before. No reason to walk slowly just because you've never been there.

In that security video, I just see someone walking down the street, with their head kinda down (maybe looking at a cellphone or note with directions).

To me, it works like this:
Steven went to that area to harm himself.
OR
Steven was hired to do something that would take a couple of days, so he was directed to park in that cul de sac where his car would be "safe" for awhile. His contact was at one of (approximately) 200 homes in Overlook Village, SCA. Maybe he was going to drive a car, rental truck or help someone move to another state, or cross-country.

 

[sbakker]

You weren't here when we had the "Is that a car with someone standing by it, or two bushes reflecting in the window of the minivan?" conversations
(Look at the second video, and watch the reflection in the minivan's window...but don't talk about it here! ha ha)

I know everyone say he's purposeful, confident ... but I walk like that all the time. Quickly, even if I'm walking down a street I've never walked down before. No reason to walk slowly just because you've never been there.

In that security video, I just see someone walking down the street, with their head kinda down (maybe looking at a cellphone or note with directions).

To me, it works like this:
Steven went to that area to harm himself.
OR
Steven was hired to do something that would take a couple of days, so he was directed to park in that cul de sac where his car would be "safe" for awhile. His contact was at one of (approximately) 200 homes in Overlook Village, SCA. Maybe he was going to drive a car, rental truck or help someone move to another state, or cross-country.

I so agree with you Laytonian. I do not know Steven, but do know his parents. Lived in the same ward as Rolfe. My husband and him are the same age. We talked to them in August, and told us a few things about Steven. Of course about their other children too, but about his job situation.

 

[fasteddy4]

laytonian, what I'm saying about the AN trip and him being able to go there and nobody would have known is this: The only reason we are looking at his receipts is because he disappeared. If he was still living his every day life on March 1, 2010, then there would be no reason for us nor his family to research his credit card records. So, nobody-us nor his family-would have known he was in the Ruby Valley area. So, there would have been no reason for him to stop in at AN's in some effort to cover up some other reason for this trip there.

Yes, there was a "trail" because he used his credit card. But, nobody would have been privy to that info. So, in essence, he could have taken the trip without anybody knowing, unless somebody really dug into his financial records. And that is something I don't think he could have expected somebody to do when he went to Ruby Valley in December.

My assertion is that if he was still living his every day life today, March 1, 2010 and had gone to Ruby Valley but never stopped at AN's, then nobody would ever know he went there. The credit card receipts would not matter as a trail because nobody would have gotten to see them, since the statements are only sent to Steven. Yes, the credit card company would know but that hardly counts. So, the trip could have been made secretly using credit cards or cash. Instead, he stopped at AN's. That leads me to believe that her place was the destination in the first place.

 

[laytonian]

laytonian, what I'm saying about the AN trip and him being able to go there and nobody would have known is this: The only reason we are looking at his receipts is because he disappeared. If he was still living his every day life on March 1, 2010, then there would be no reason for us nor his family to research his credit card records. So, nobody-us nor his family-would have known he was in the Ruby Valley area. So, there would have been no reason for him to stop in at AN's in some effort to cover up some other reason for this trip there.

Yes, there was a "trail" because he used his credit card. But, nobody would have been privy to that info. So, in essence, he could have taken the trip without anybody knowing, unless somebody really dug into his financial records. And that is something I don't think he could have expected somebody to do when he went to Ruby Valley in December.

My assertion is that if he was still living his every day life today, March 1, 2010 and had gone to Ruby Valley but never stopped at AN's, then nobody would ever know he went there. The credit card receipts would not matter as a trail because nobody would have gotten to see them, since the statements are only sent to Steven. Yes, the credit card company would know but that hardly counts. So, the trip could have been made secretly using credit cards or cash. Instead, he stopped at AN's. That leads me to believe that her place was the destination in the first place.

It very well could be...in fact, that's what I said. He may have even looked for her in SLC.

But don't forget something: his closest relative works for the bank and has access to his account. Might even be a co-owner.

 

[fasteddy4]

His relative would have checked his accounts? I think that's a little out there. . .but funny. I mean, there wasn't much to check.

 

[CONCRNED CTZN]

What about "not having his passport" makes you think this? Just curious.

ABSOLUTELY nothing! I meant to say that he did NOT...it was late. Wow...BIG oops on my part.

 

[ms_writer]

I've always been of the opinion that the stop an AN's parents' house was just a coincidental, because-I'm-in-the-area kind of thing. I say that because Steven was friends with AN on Facebook, so he knew where she was currently living and could contact her with ease. Unless he was being extremely rash (not ruling that out entirely), there was no need to show up unannounced in Ruby Valley looking for her.

She's active with her account, and often posts about her location. (i.e. -- "Headed to Vegas with friends" and "In St. George today") Yep, she's been to those two places recently -- which opens up a whole new boatload of questions for me . . .

 

[laytonian]

I so agree with you Laytonian. I do not know Steven, but do know his parents. Lived in the same ward as Rolfe. My husband and him are the same age. We talked to them in August, and told us a few things about Steven. Of course about their other children too, but about his job situation.

After all of this time, I still don't understand Steven's job situation.

He interned for the governor's press secretary, worked at The Clipper and the Tribune....then downhill to matchbin, then washing windows.

St George has a good economy; all of Utah does. Our unemployment rate isn't that high. The company my husband works for, has hired several people in the past few months ... and they have locations in Salt Lake, Provo, Logan, Ogden and St George -- that one's not far from where Steven lived. They're building a new airport down there, the retail is still good.

There were LOTS of jobs he could have done, and all were better than washing windows.

 

[laytonian]

His relative would have checked his accounts? I think that's a little out there. . .but funny. I mean, there wasn't much to check.

I don't know if it was regular....I'm just sayin' there'd be legitimate access.

 

[laytonian]

Ya know eddy - you bring up a good point about Steven stopping at AN's folks in RV. If he was up to no good in that neck of the woods, why did he stop to see people who knew him? He didn't stop to see his family during any of his strange travels, so why them?

What I really want to know is this: WHERE did he drive to, on Dec 12th?

So far, we only know about a cellphone "ping" off "the Overton tower" (which serves part of Mesquite, which is where he bought gas that day). We don't know when, or how it triangulates.

LE should have a little cellphone ping-path by now

No matter what name is connected to this case, we can find people with the same last name near where Steven was. Next time a Utahn disappears, I hope they don't have a Utah-common name...and don't know anyone who does

 

[RubyRed]

He said the family is also asking the citizens of Henderson to make next week "a week of vigilance," to focus their effort on finding the missing man. Koecher was formerly employed working nights on the online site at The Salt Lake Tribune but relocated to St. George after a rough winter and strain from the night shift took a toll on his morale. His parents said he seemed better after the move, though he struggled to find full-time employment. He was working part-time for a home services company in St. George at the time of his disappearance.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/...-about-missing-Utahn-Steven-Koecher.html?pg=2
I think his morale was probably even lower, settling for a window washing job. moo

 

[seekingsusan]

He said the family is also asking the citizens of Henderson to make next week "a week of vigilance," to focus their effort on finding the missing man. Koecher was formerly employed working nights on the online site at The Salt Lake Tribune but relocated to St. George after a rough winter and strain from the night shift took a toll on his morale. His parents said he seemed better after the move, though he struggled to find full-time employment. He was working part-time for a home services company in St. George at the time of his disappearance.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/...-about-missing-Utahn-Steven-Koecher.html?pg=2
I think his morale was probably even lower, settling for a window washing job. moo

Morale is an interesting word to use. To me, this suggests depression. We know Steven quit his job at the Trib because he wanted to spend more time with his friends (paraphrasing). But once he was unemployed, he was more isolated than ever. I wonder how that impacted his "morale?"

 

[RubyRed]

Morale is an interesting word to use. To me, this suggests depression. We know Steven quit his job at the Trib because he wanted to spend more time with his friends (paraphrasing). But once he was unemployed, he was more isolated than ever. I wonder how that impacted his "morale?"

Where are these supposed friends ? With the exception of his friend Tom from Texas, I don't see any of them coming forward. Why leave a job if you are going to struggle with finances. It seems to me things were worse since he moved to ST. George. Friends are not going to keep a roof over your head and put food on the table. Fasteddy4 thinks he met with foul play, I am wondering if in his desperation,to succeed, that didn't happen as well. It seems he was vulnerable .