NV NV - Steven T. Koecher, 30, Henderson, 13 Dec 2009 - # 8

[Mia]

Hi all, since no new information has come out lately, frustratingly enough, I haven't really had anything to contribute to the discussion. Just a few thoughts though. I am still baffled as to who called Steven's cell phone the day after he disappearaed. Personally, I have owned several different cell phones and have used a couple of different phone companies (AT&T/Cingular and T-Mobile) and have never had to enter a password to check my voicemail. I just press "1" and hold it down and that will dial my voicemail. So it is very possible someone else could have been checking his voicemail, just to see if he were "missed" yet, or it could have been Steven checking to see if anyone had "missed" him yet as well.

The neighbor sex offender sounds like a major creep and should NOT be on the streets (rape of a CHILD?! My god!) yet I would be shocked if he has anything to do with Steven's disappearance. Yes, Steven was naive and looked young, but he was 30 years old, and although I'm not sure of the statistics, I think it's safe to say there are very, very, very few sex offenders out there who prey on grown men. So I'm ruling this DS sex offender guy out at the moment.

I have to admit that Steven being gay is still one of my top theories, especially now since Fairy has talked to people who say this is true. If this is the case, I'm not surprised that Steven has not contacted his family. Like Laytonian mentioned, Steven seems like he is very much into his religion and the LDS "laws" of living (he didn't even have ONE vice, from what I can tell...maybe he needed one!) If he is indeed gay and took off alone or with someone else to live that more truthfully, he may still feel ashamed or guilty, or he may feel that despite his family's pleas that they will love him and accept him regardless if he comes back, he may not feel that is actually true. And I have to admit, if that was my family, with all due respect, I don't know if I'd really believe that either. It could also be the case, of course, that Steven WILL contact his family eventually. It has only been a few months, after all.

I just wish some new information would be released or come out. I also wish we could see what websites he visited in the months before his disappearance. A list would be nice, even if the family doesn't think those sites had anything to do with his disappearane, as sleuthers perhaps WE could find a clue. I doubt this is a realistic hope, but would it hurt to ask Naegle? (Hint, hint: paging Laytonian).

 

[laytonian]

I just with some new information would be released or come out. I also wish we could see what websites he visited in the months before his disappearance. A list would be nice, even if the family doesn't think those sites had anything to do with his disappearane, as sleuthers perhaps WE could find a clue. I doubt this is a realistic hope, but would it hurt to ask Naegle? (Hint, hint: paging Laytonian).

Actually, I did that yesterday. I really didn't have anything to ask, besides "Would Steven have any reason to visit this S family in Overton on Dec 12th"...and asking if there was any news from her end.

I don't think we're being kept in the dark. It IS just dark, because missing persons cases are made up of total *hinkiness.

*WS being the only place I've ever found people who understand what the word "hinky" means

 

[Fairy1]

Actually, I did that yesterday. I really didn't have anything to ask, besides "Would Steven have any reason to visit this S family in Overton on Dec 12th"...and asking if there was any news from her end.

I don't think we're being kept in the dark. It IS just dark, because missing persons cases are made up of total *hinkiness.

*WS being the only place I've ever found people who understand what the word "hinky" means

Thank you. Hopefully, KC will have something for us to work with to help find Steven. I'm sorry to say, if not, my hinky meter will be outta control!

 

[mockingbird]

Steven Koecher had 142 friends on Facebook. Has anyone sent them a list of questions? If so, what do they have to say about his state of mind, orientation, etc.?

 

[mockingbird]

A couple of more questions:
How do we know that the people in his ward aren't being forthcoming? Is someone in contact with them? If so, specifically what kind of responses are you getting?


And, is his family still using and commenting on the FB page (Help Find Steven Koecher)? It seems sort of abandoned (by the family, at least). If so, to me that means they've figured out what happened to him. Is there any possibility that they know where he is now and just haven't let Websleuths know because they don't want to have to offer an explanation to anyone?

 

[laytonian]

A couple of more questions:
How do we know that the people in his ward aren't being forthcoming? Is someone in contact with them? If so, specifically what kind of responses are you getting?

IMO, most of them don't really know anything. We have various theories about one or two people who might know more, perhaps personal, but haven't talked about it.

And, is his family still using and commenting on the FB page (Help Find Steven Koecher)? It seems sort of abandoned (by the family, at least). If so, to me that means they've figured out what happened to him. Is there any possibility that they know where he is now and just haven't let Websleuths know because they don't want to have to offer an explanation to anyone?

Steven is still listed on NAMUS:
https://www.findthemissing.org/cases/4889/0/

If he'd been found and the family didn't notified LE, that's a violation of the law right there. You don't have to make a big announcement, but it becomes a false report if you keep the case open when it no longer should be.

Thanks for making me look. I hadn't checked for a little while, and see something I hadn't known before: the LKA.

 

[laytonian]

Thank you. Hopefully, KC will have something for us to work with to help find Steven. I'm sorry to say, if not, my hinky meter will be outta control!

Why out of control?

Maybe I'm the only one, but I don't think the family is privy to much info at all. Seeing that LKA on NAMUS confirms it.

 

[RubyRed]

I'm going to ask. Does LKA mean Last known Activity?

 

[webrocket]

I'm going to ask. Does LKA mean Last known Activity?

I assume LKA means last known address.

 

[laytonian]

I'm going to ask. Does LKA mean Last known Activity?

I'm not sure. I thought it was "last known alive", but in Connecticut, they enter an address.
I guess "LK" stands for "Last Known" and "A" means "whatever you enter in the blank space".

They're obviously using the neighbor's sighting as confirmation, and not the video.

 

[laytonian]

I assume LKA means last known address.

'cept LE didn't enter an address in Steven's case.

Date LKA December 12, 2009 - 10:28
Date Entered January 27, 2010

I really think, on NAMUS, it means "alive". The purpose of the NAMUS database is to match unidentified remains with missing perons.

 

[carbuff]

Last Known Alive.

They're using the neighbor's sighting as confirmation, and not the video.

If you look through all the reports, it seems like the LKA is always the last time the person was seen by someone who knew them personally. If you read the circumstances, you'll often see notes about phone calls, video, etc that happened later.

I don't think the family knows anything more than LE or WS, but maybe they have a gut feeling based on knowing Steven. If they think he's alive somewhere and just doesn't want to contact them, there's really not a lot they can do.

 

[laytonian]

If you look through all the reports, it seems like the LKA is always the last time the person was seen by someone who knew them personally. If you read the circumstances, you'll often see notes about phone calls, video, etc that happened later.

I don't think the family knows anything more than LE or WS, but maybe they have a gut feeling based on knowing Steven. If they think he's alive somewhere and just doesn't want to contact them, there's really not a lot they can do.

...and if I were the family, that's the only thing I could hope for.

There's no good alternative.

 

[Fairy1]

Why out of control?

Maybe I'm the only one, but I don't think the family is privy to much info at all. Seeing that LKA on NAMUS confirms it.

Call me crazy, but if I had a family member missing, I would be pushing LE every day - NOT asking the good folks here on WS to do it.

I was told long ago that the family had a good connection with one of the detectives on Steven's case. I have to wonder if that's still true and, if not, why?

It's been long enough, IMO, for LE to determine whether the investigation should be ongoing (by them) or not. They have access to the cell phone pings. They have (I guess) questioned key people. Whatever they've learned, that we haven't, should either point to foul play or voluntary disappearance by this time.

I'd still be more than happy to help Steven's family find him, as would many others here, I'm sure. But a clue or two would be needed to get us going in the right direction.

 

[laytonian]

Call me crazy, but if I had a family member missing, I would be pushing LE every day - NOT asking the good folks here on WS to do it.

I was told long ago that the family had a good connection with one of the detectives on Steven's case. I have to wonder if that's still true and, if not, why?

It's been long enough, IMO, for LE to determine whether the investigation should be ongoing (by them) or not. They have access to the cell phone pings. They have (I guess) questioned key people. Whatever they've learned, that we haven't, should either point to foul play or voluntary disappearance by this time.

I'd still be more than happy to help Steven's family find him, as would many others here, I'm sure. But a clue or two would be needed to get us going in the right direction.

The problem here, mentioned by Steven's father in one of the first news stories, is that there are three independent police departments -- and they weren't interacting. I doubt they are, yet.

LE from all three agencies should have been invited to that press conference, told in advance that they'd like a statement, and introduced. That might have helped BUT that's also hindsight.

The "key people" (my definition), are in St George. I've seen NOTHING from the St George police department. There's only been one news story come out of St George, and it was at the very first.
But LE has always searched in the Henderson area, so that has to be where the cellphone pings came from. We were told Det McKay was doing independent searchers, too.

As long as the belief is that Steven is the person in the video, walking away from the car, I don't think St George and Las Vegas PDs aren't going to get involved. And the St George newspaper isn't going to print anything, either.

 

[Lato]

I wonder who entered the NamUS information for Steven. It appears that Henderson and LV are not included.

And...the information was entered on the same date as SP's information was entered. I believe anyone from the police to family to general public may enter the data.

This is how it looks at Namus....
MISSING SINCE: December 12, 2009
LAST SEEN: St.George, Utah
Date LKA December 12, 2009 - 10:28
Date Entered January 27, 2010
https://www.findthemissing.org/cases/4889/0/

gave me the creeps......so whoever entered the information is excluding the phone calls as well as the tapes. There are case numbers inserted...does that mean St. George LE did the data entry? Would they take the neighbor's statement for the last know alive of 12/12/09 at 10:28 pm?

 

[laytonian]

I wonder who entered the NamUS information for Steven. It appears that Henderson and LV are not included.

And...the information was entered on the same date as SP's information was entered. I believe anyone from the police to family to general public may enter the data.

This is how it looks at Namus....
MISSING SINCE: December 12, 2009
LAST SEEN: St.George, Utah
Date LKA December 12, 2009 - 10:28
Date Entered January 27, 2010
https://www.findthemissing.org/cases/4889/0/

gave me the creeps......so whoever entered the information is excluding the phone calls as well as the tapes....but there are case numbers inserted...
does that mean St. George LE did the data entry? They would take the
neighbor's statement for the last know alive of 12/12/09 at 10:28 pm?

Click on the "contacts" link, and you'll see it's being managed by the State of Utah (actually, a person in the Department of Public Safety).

The Police Information page lists this:
City St. George
State Utah
Zip Code
Phone 435-627-4300
Email
Case Number 09p033271
Date Reported
Comments

Ya know, everything on that page (including circumstances) leads to this being a Utah (not Nevada) case.

Here's the case report:
https://www.findthemissing.org/cases/case_report_html/4889

Here's the Utah Department of Public Safety report:
http://publicsafety.utah.gov/bci/UTAHmissingpersons.html

ETA:
I just emailed the case manager at UDPS, asking why this is being managed as "Utah" and offering all the other info.
WTH. Can't hurt.

 

[Lato]

Thanks Laytonian...I did see the Contacts information. It is obvious that
this is considered a Utah case.

So the phone calls from GW and SA on the 13th (citizens of St. George area, by the way) and the tapes from the 13th, are not considered by the St. George police? If this were my child, this would make me crazy.

Do you just throw out the cell phone pings, the voice of the missing person, the video that the father feels certain is his son, and use the neighbor as
the last witness?

Thanks for emailing the case manager.

 

[laytonian]

Thanks Laytonian...I did see the Contacts information. It is obvious that
this is considered a Utah case.

So the phone calls from GW and SA on the 13th (citizens of St. George area, by the way) and the tapes from the 13th, are not considered by the St. George police? If this were my child, this would make me crazy.

Do you just throw out the cell phone pings, the voice of the missing person, the video that the father feels certain is his son, and use the neighbor as
the last witness?

Thanks for emailing the case manager.

Maybe for the purpose of identifying remains, the mention of Henderson NV suffices for their purposes? I dunno.

 

[laytonian]

Thanks for emailing the case manager.

Here's the reply I received:
"He lives in St. George. His place of residence but he drove to Las Vegas to look for work and that is where is abandoned vehicle and his disappearance took place so it is a joint investigation."

OK. It's obvious we know more than anyone else