NV NV - Steven T. Koecher, 30, Henderson, 13 Dec 2009 - #15

[SuziQ]

So we are just now finding out there was a reason for Steven to be in Henderson?

 

[Fairy1]

So we are just now finding out there was a reason for Steven to be in Henderson?

We're just not sure about that yet, SuziQ. There seems to be some confusion regarding that comment. It has NEVER been said before it appeared in the SLT article yesterday - to our knowledge. Not sure if the reporter took a liberty there or if it's actually true. And if it IS true, we don't know when it was learned.

 

[laytonian]

We're just not sure about that yet, SuziQ. There seems to be some confusion regarding that comment. It has NEVER been said before it appeared in the SLT article yesterday - to our knowledge. Not sure if the reporter took a liberty there or if it's actually true. And if it IS true, we don't know when it was learned.

Nor do we know who said it.
GW has publicly stated that he didn't ask Steven why he was there, so if it was a conversation on Dec 13th, it would have had to have been SA.

If it was someone else in St George, the trip was pre-planned and known before Dec 13th...or even before the 12th.

It just so SPECIFIC the way it's stated in the Trib; their reporters are generally very good.

 

[laytonian]

Why has this been such a mystery? And what were the conversations about?

Is this the same sighting that generated RK's visit to Vegas, to view the security tapes?
OR...did this tip just come in?

KTNV

"One Las Vegas resident has come forward, indicating that he and two others met someone who looked like Steven at a Las Vegas Best Buy store in February. They talked with him at several points in the parking lot and observed him inside the store. After looking at several photographs of Steven, they are highly confident that this person was Steven. "

ETA:
According to what Steven's father wrote in The Clipper, the late-January sighting was a Home Depot parking lot.

Maybe THIS is why there was confusion about Best Buy/Home Depot: two separate sightings? Our LV folks pointed out that there was an area of LV where Best Buy and Home Depot were right near each other.

 

[RubyRed]

Why has this been such a mystery? And what were the conversations about?

Is this the same sighting that generated RK's visit to Vegas, to view the security tapes?
OR...did this tip just come in?

KTNV

"One Las Vegas resident has come forward, indicating that he and two others met someone who looked like Steven at a Las Vegas Best Buy store in February. They talked with him at several points in the parking lot and observed him inside the store. After looking at several photographs of Steven, they are highly confident that this person was Steven. "

Hopefully it will eventually get clarified.

 

[laytonian]

Hopefully it will eventually get clarified.

We'll add it to our list. I think it's, uh, like #2,347.

I think if I were searching Vegas right now, I'd be scoping out that Home Depot/Best Buy area. Or talking to the people. Or asking to hang flyers.

 

[carbuff]

Or maybe they found somebody in the Henderson neighborhood or elsewhere who had talked to Steven -- just because it wasn't posted on any of the websites doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

 

[Helix11]

Regarding the plasma donation centers...I am sure they are protected under HIPAA to the outside person. They are of the type of place that deals with "protected health information" on a daily basis and can't give that information out without a consent form signed by the patient. So the best we can do at these type of places would be put up posters etc. but the employees would not be able to give out any information as to whether Steven has been there donating his plasma.

 

[laytonian]

Regarding the plasma donation centers...I am sure they are protected under HIPAA to the outside person. They are of the type of place that deals with "protected health information" on a daily basis and can't give that information out without a consent form signed by the patient. So the best we can do at these type of places would be put up posters etc. but the employees would not be able to give out any information as to whether Steven has been there donating his plasma.

...but they could tell his family, per Health and Human Services.

"2. If the patient is not present or is incapacitated, may a health care provider still share the patient’s health information with family, friends, or others involved in the patient’s care or payment for care? Yes. If the patient is not present or is incapacitated, a health care provider may share the patient’s information with family, friends, or others as long as the health care provider determines, based on professional judgment, that it is in the best interest of the patient."

(There's other portions that support revealing treatment/presence to the family.)

If they can tell all of that to a family, certainly they can answer the question: "Can you tell us he's been here, and when?"

The issue here isn't WHAT'S been done medically....but only IF he's been there.

 

[laytonian]

Or maybe they found somebody in the Henderson neighborhood or elsewhere who had talked to Steven -- just because it wasn't posted on any of the websites doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

Very true. But that would have to be someone identified as a "friend" - yes?

 

[Helix11]

...but they could tell his family, per Health and Human Services.

"2. If the patient is not present or is incapacitated, may a health care provider still share the patient’s health information with family, friends, or others involved in the patient’s care or payment for care? Yes. If the patient is not present or is incapacitated, a health care provider may share the patient’s information with family, friends, or others as long as the health care provider determines, based on professional judgment, that it is in the best interest of the patient."

(There's other portions that support revealing treatment/presence to the family.)

If they can tell all of that to a family, certainly they can answer the question: "Can you tell us he's been here, and when?"

The issue here isn't WHAT'S been done medically....but only IF he's been there.

I mean, it is COMPLETELY worth a shot. The worst they will say is "I can't tell you that information." But I agree with you, if it were *my* patient and it were for his best interest, I'd do it. Speaking as a member of the health care provider family. But then, of course, I am familiar with Steven's case and understand how important it is that we know this information. I hope this brings a breakthrough for his case...

 

[laytonian]

I mean, it is COMPLETELY worth a shot. The worst they will say is "I can't tell you that information." But I agree with you, if it were *my* patient and it were for his best interest, I'd do it. Speaking as a member of the health care provider family. But then, of course, I am familiar with Steven's case and understand how important it is that we know this information. I hope this brings a breakthrough for his case...

I do, too. I just hope they (or LE) has been to those places. We're just hearing "30 bus routes" (a lot! One person is on one bus, all day???) and homeless shelters/camps.

I hope gsmith is one of the friends participating, because he was posting here from the April 16th search -- and he might be able to read our comments about plasma donation centers.

 

[carbuff]

Very true. But that would have to be someone identified as a "friend" - yes?

Well, no, not necessarily. I was thinking of just the ordinary routine tip -- "We had somebody by that name call our office about a job interview," or a waitress who served him remembering he was talking about job hunting, or the PI talked to somebody who remembered something, etc. Basically the same as the tips we already heard about only not made public.

 

[laytonian]

Well, no, not necessarily. I was thinking of just the ordinary routine tip -- "We had somebody by that name call our office about a job interview," or a waitress who served him remembering he was talking about job hunting, or the PI talked to somebody who remembered something, etc. Basically the same as the tips we already heard about only not made public.

I was just using the Tribune's definition, that it was "friends" -- but maybe they DO have separate tips about jobs?

 

[carbuff]

I was just using the Tribune's definition, that it was "friends" -- but maybe they DO have separate tips about jobs?

Or maybe it's the same thing we've gone around and around here -- that after a lot of discussion and everything his friends have concluded that's the only reasonable option.

If the reporter's information came from the friends, maybe he didn't know there was a tip behind it; maybe they didn't tell him.

 

[laytonian]

Or maybe it's the same thing we've gone around and around here -- that after a lot of discussion and everything his friends have concluded that's the only reasonable option.

Could be, but SK's mother "knows" that he'd never miss church just to go job-hunting.....while I see it as the most legitimate reason he could possibly have in his situation, to miss church.

 

[RubyRed]

One Las Vegas resident has come forward, indicating that he and two others met someone who looked like Steven at a Las Vegas Best Buy store in February. They talked with him at several points in the parking lot and observed him inside the store.
http://www.ktnv.com/Global/story.asp?S=12782708


That is quite the coincidence. Talking to him in the parking lot. Wonder what they talked about?

 

[Fairy1]

Why has this been such a mystery? And what were the conversations about?

Is this the same sighting that generated RK's visit to Vegas, to view the security tapes?
OR...did this tip just come in?

KTNV

"One Las Vegas resident has come forward, indicating that he and two others met someone who looked like Steven at a Las Vegas Best Buy store in February. They talked with him at several points in the parking lot and observed him inside the store. After looking at several photographs of Steven, they are highly confident that this person was Steven. "

ETA:
According to what Steven's father wrote in The Clipper, the late-January sighting was a Home Depot parking lot.

Maybe THIS is why there was confusion about Best Buy/Home Depot: two separate sightings? Our LV folks pointed out that there was an area of LV where Best Buy and Home Depot were right near each other.

BBM - yes - and very near the Whitney Ranch area.

I was out in that area two weeks ago, shopping and such. There are tons of shopping centers and restaurants in the area - in addition to the Best Buy and Home Depot. LOTS of people and LOTS of traffic - all the time.

I'll try to get out there again this w/e. It makes much more sense to me that he would be around there than it does to imagine him out on Craig and MLK - completely the opposite side of the valley.

 

[Fairy1]

One Las Vegas resident has come forward, indicating that he and two others met someone who looked like Steven at a Las Vegas Best Buy store in February. They talked with him at several points in the parking lot and observed him inside the store.
http://www.ktnv.com/Global/story.asp?S=12782708


That is quite the coincidence. Talking to him in the parking lot. Wonder what they talked about?

I suppose we can assume LE and/or the family are aware of what was said. But if this is the same tip that came in months ago, wouldn't they be putting some serious time in over there if it was credible? I sure would!

 

[laytonian]

One Las Vegas resident has come forward, indicating that he and two others met someone who looked like Steven at a Las Vegas Best Buy store in February. They talked with him at several points in the parking lot and observed him inside the store.
http://www.ktnv.com/Global/story.asp?S=12782708


That is quite the coincidence. Talking to him in the parking lot. Wonder what they talked about?

Why would a stranger talk to three other strangers?

To sell drugs?
To panhandle?
To pick up some day labor?
To sell...uh....shoplifted items?

They "observed him" in the store, sounds like they were somehow suspicious.

(I'm speaking of "a stranger", not Steven specifically.)