NV NV - Steven T. Koecher, 30, Henderson, 13 Dec 2009 - #11

[laytonian]

BBM If he called a cab - it would have shown on his phone records.

Maybe not on his known cell phone records, but he could have used a pay phone.
Someone else could have arranged for the cab. Or he could even (as some have speculated) obtained one of those throwaway TracFones.

 

[redsky]

Maybe not on his known cell phone records, but he could have used a pay phone.
Someone else could have arranged for the cab. Or he could even (as some have speculated) obtained one of those throwaway TracFones.

Good point. He could have used a payphone to call for a cab at a gas station or wherever and told them where he would be.

If he had a TracFone that no one knew about, that leads me to believe he was involved in something shady.

 

[laytonian]

Good point. He could have used a payphone to call for a cab at a gas station or wherever and told them where he would be.

If he had a TracFone that no one knew about, that leads me to believe he was involved in something shady.

...or he obtained it, so he could willingly disappear.

IMO, any such preplanning on his part would signal that there's hope he's alive.

 

[redsky]

...or he obtained it, so he could willingly disappear.

IMO, any such preplanning on his part would signal that there's hope he's alive.

That would make sense. I have also wondered if maybe he had been taking small things from his apartment and taking them to a location he could get to once he disappeared. No one would notice a small amount of items gone.

 

[grayjay]

I'm sorry if this has been discussed too much, but I'm still just not on board with him intentionally leaving his car in this particular spot for longer than a visit. It would be so much easier to leave it in any public parking lot if he wished to disappear, plus how would he know this was a good spot to drop it unless he'd been here before.

Parking here doesn't fit with being jobless and broke except that there are people who obviously have better finances in this neighborhood. He looks respectable and businesslike or at least confident, not at all like someone despondent and walking off into the desert to me. IMO MOO

 

[sbakker]

Good point. He could have used a payphone to call for a cab at a gas station or wherever and told them where he would be.

If he had a TracFone that no one knew about, that leads me to believe he was involved in something shady.

When I bought a TracPhone (at Shopko and Target), I had to fill out some info. I cannot remember what all it was,maybe my name , address, and a few other things. This was just a few years ago (2 or 3). If you still have to do that, maybe that info could be found.

 

[laytonian]

I'm sorry if this has been discussed too much, but I'm still just not on board with him intentionally leaving his car in this particular spot for longer than a visit. It would be so much easier to leave it in any public parking lot if he wished to disappear, plus how would he know this was a good spot to drop it unless he'd been here before.

Parking here doesn't fit with being jobless and broke except that there are people who obviously have better finances in this neighborhood. He looks respectable and businesslike or at least confident, not at all like someone despondent and walking off into the desert to me. IMO MOO

If we could figure out the car, we could probably solve this one.

I think it's either the luckiest-random spot ever OR someone directed him to park there. And yes, he could have been there before -- maybe even the day before, when he drove south towards Vegas for some reason.

Looking for a job. There? The only thing I can think of, is someone hired him to drive a vehicle somewhere, and something went wrong for him. That may possibly explain the parking spot, as it might be somewhere a car could be left for 24 or 48 hours before anyone complained. That's about the length of time it took, for the HOA folks to start checking on it.

We've not discussed this too long. A man is missing, and his family is going through the depths of misery.

 

[carbuff]

The closest RTC bus stop is about five miles north: the weekday 110 (Eastern Blvd route) that only goes so far as Horizon Ridge @ Eastern.
RTC Route 110 and here's the map showing where the car was, versus the end of the weekday 110 route.

Did he walk five miles and try to catch the bus the next morning (about the time his phone checked the voicemail?) It could be a possibility. He could easily have found an RTC transit route flyer. But walking five miles, after heading the wrong way up EL, seems kinda odd.


If a taxi was arranged, he wouldn't have had to walk that far to meet it. They come right to the address you specify.

What brand of copy place is that, that has mailbox services? Did you check to see what their requirements (ID, prepayment, etc) were for renting a PO Box?

It's a PostNet (http://www.postnet.com/henderson-nv175/services/). They don't have anything specific listed on the website. Commonly they're three-month rentals paid in advance. At a different chain, I didn't have to show ID.

He wouldn't *have* to walk that far, of course, but I was thinking that in a busy shopping area like that, he could be picked up without anybody noticing. I'm surprised there's no bus service there.

 

[laytonian]

When I bought a TracPhone (at Shopko and Target), I had to fill out some info. I cannot remember what all it was,maybe my name , address, and a few other things. This was just a few years ago (2 or 3). If you still have to do that, maybe that info could be found.

Thanks, S! Did you have to show them your ID?

I just went to the website, and it's interesting. At first, I thought someone couldn't be anonymous because of all the questions, but way down at the bottom, it says "skip this step".

Anyone here have an anonymous TracFone?

 

[carbuff]

BBM If he called a cab - it would have shown on his phone records.

Only if he made the call from the phone we know about. If he called from a pay phone, there wouldn't be any record.

 

[laytonian]

It's a PostNet (http://www.postnet.com/henderson-nv175/services/). They don't have anything specific listed on the website. Commonly they're three-month rentals paid in advance.

Thanks. Prepaid makes sense; I can't remember the reason for the ID (was it something to do with private PO Boxes being used to deliver illegal items)? Or the Umabomber? All I know is the UPS Store and USPS require two forms of ID.

He wouldn't *have* to walk that far, of course, but I was thinking that in a busy shopping area like that, he could be picked up without anybody noticing. I'm surprised there's no bus service there.

I was surprised by that, too. But maybe the elderly retired people don't have much use for public transportation? Not all of Anthem is Sun City, but it looks like a fair proportion.

It might have to do with the HOA aspect of Anthem, where fees paid to the HOA don't cover public transportation? I dunno. 'tis a mystery. I'd have thought a bus looping around Anthem Parkway would be a real winner.

 

[laytonian]

Only if he made the call from the phone we know about. If he called from a pay phone, there wouldn't be any record.

...or from someone's home. About the only way to know, would be to subpoena (there's that word again) the records of all the cab companies that serve the area. A cab called to any SCA address on Dec 13th or 14th could be linked.

This is just the darndest case.

 

[RubyRed]

What about a free shuttle service to a casino? It is apparent in their monthly news mag they have that service. ( pg 11)



http://www.sca-hoa.org/picture/may_spirit_fnal.pdf

 

[RubyRed]

Nothing in their security patrol about a search for Steven or even that they have a homeless camp there. Not that I expected anything.( pg 16)

Photo ID is required for all occupants of any home there or a fine may be imposed.(pg25)


http://www.sca-hoa.org/picture/may_spirit_fnal.pdf

 

[laytonian]

What about a free shuttle service to a casino? It is apparent in their monthly news mag they have that service. ( pg 11)



http://www.sca-hoa.org/picture/may_spirit_fnal.pdf

(speculation)
You probably can't use it, without the HOA-approved photo ID

I think the only way you'd get a mention in their newsletter, is to pay for the ad.

 

[carbuff]

Thanks. Prepaid makes sense; I can't remember the reason for the ID (was it something to do with private PO Boxes being used to deliver illegal items)? Or the Umabomber? All I know is the UPS Store and USPS require two forms of ID.



I was surprised by that, too. But maybe the elderly retired people don't have much use for public transportation? Not all of Anthem is Sun City, but it looks like a fair proportion.

It might have to do with the HOA aspect of Anthem, where fees paid to the HOA don't cover public transportation? I dunno. 'tis a mystery. I'd have thought a bus looping around Anthem Parkway would be a real winner.

Yeah, I just assumed (there's that word again) that the bus would run on that loop, and even if there wasn't neighborhood service, there would be service to major destinations like big shopping areas.

Opens up the possibility that Steven made the same mistake and wound up walking way farther than he thought he would? Maybe got lost trying to find the place?

The mailbox places might well require ID by now. My experience was at least five years ago.

 

[RubyRed]

Thanks. Prepaid makes sense; I can't remember the reason for the ID (was it something to do with private PO Boxes being used to deliver illegal items)? Or the Umabomber? All I know is the UPS Store and USPS require two forms of ID.
I was surprised by that, too. But maybe the elderly retired people don't have much use for public transportation? Not all of Anthem is Sun City, but it looks like a fair proportion.

It might have to do with the HOA aspect of Anthem, where fees paid to the HOA don't cover public transportation? I dunno. 'tis a mystery. I'd have thought a bus looping around Anthem Parkway would be a real winner.

Actually I just found they do have bus service. (Pg 53)

http://www.sca-hoa.org/picture/may_spirit_fnal.pdf

 

[RubyRed]

They also have a page of services available,Three do window cleaning, and a home based business I found that
does photography. ( pg 57)

http://www.sca-hoa.org/picture/may_spirit_fnal.pdf

 

[laytonian]

Actually I just found they do have bus service. (Pg 53)

http://www.sca-hoa.org/picture/may_spirit_fnal.pdf

Aha! It's something you call for, and they pick you up. It's not a regular bus route. Here, they call it Handi-Trans and it's subsidized by the state as part of our UTA.

Flexible Demand Response
Door-to-Door Service
Runs Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday
50¢ each way, Caregivers ride free

Register, then schedule your ride
3 days in advance. 228-7433,
choose prompt #7.

That'd require him to call it on Sunday or Monday (3 days in advance) and then hop onto it Wednesday or Thursday?

A caregiver job, perhaps? He'd be classified as a resident, and have to have the photo ID.

 

[RubyRed]

Aha! It's something you call for, and they pick you up. It's not a regular bus route. Here, they call it Handi-Trans and it's subsidized by the state as part of our UTA.

Flexible Demand Response
Door-to-Door Service
Runs Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday
50¢ each way, Caregivers ride free

Register, then schedule your ride
3 days in advance. 228-7433,
choose prompt #7.

That'd require him to call it on Sunday or Monday (3 days in advance) and then hop onto it Wednesday or Thursday?

A caregiver job, perhaps? He'd be classified as a resident, and have to have the photo ID.

Right they require photo id of each occupant in the home.