NV NV - Steven T. Koecher, 30, Henderson, 13 Dec 2009 - # 3

[believe09]

Laytonian, would you check with Naegle and see if anyone checked the casinos for markers or video?

 

[laytonian]

K checked the timeline-it is not clear. I will wait to hear an answer from CC's question about how/when the family entered the vehicle.

BTW-what's the prevailing theory about where Steven spent the evening of the 12th? He left home at 1030PM or so and headed out. He had pillows and blankets in his car. What is a likely place for him to pull over and sleep between ST George and Henderson, locals??? Not only that, he needed a place to freshen up.


Wonder if he held a marker at any of the casinos? this would be another reason he was low on cash.

All we know is that the family "rushed to Las Vegas" when they heard Steven was missing.
You're right -- we need to know from WHERE (and when) he was first reported missing.

BUT....what stands out to me, is that his boss got the phone call, and (apparently) didn't think to notify anyone. If someone worked for/with me, and I'd not seen them doing their job and suddenly, I get a call saying that their car has been abandoned for two days, I'd be making some calls!

I'll ask the casino questions, INCLUDING Mesquite.

 

[renn3434]

I'd read through those posts several times, and never saw an image of the car, as it sat abandoned in that cul-de-sac. Just the videos, and a picture of a generic car that resembles his.

I've really missed something, haven't I?

Oh well.

I think the picture of the car was from a newspaper article as it now sits in his parents drive way. I've never seen a picture of the car as it sat in the cul-de-sac.

 

[Fairy1]

Laytonian, would you check with Naegle and see if anyone checked the casinos for markers or video?

I work in the gaming industry and checked within my company - covers a LOT of properties. I couldn't find anything at all. It's a pretty good indication to me that he's not a player. The surveillance tapes would only be kept for 7 days - per gaming regulations.

 

[ahhmoy]

I'm confused. Who is this? TIA.

The roommate.

 

[Fairy1]

Guys - I really almost hate to bring up another possible theory (particularly this one), but then I can't believe I didn't think of this before!

Hilldale, UT and Colorado City, AZ are primarily where the FLDS polygamist folks are located - not too far from Mesquite. I'm at work and can't get Mapquest to work - or I'd tell you exactly how far.....

I've seen many of these folks in the St. George area over the years and wonder if there's any way Steven may have been lured by them!

Now I have to get back to work!

 

[laytonian]

K checked the timeline-it is not clear. I will wait to hear an answer from CC's question about how/when the family entered the vehicle.

BTW-what's the prevailing theory about where Steven spent the evening of the 12th? He left home at 1030PM or so and headed out. He had pillows and blankets in his car. What is a likely place for him to pull over and sleep between ST George and Henderson, locals??? Not only that, he needed a place to freshen up.


Wonder if he held a marker at any of the casinos? this would be another reason he was low on cash.

Hmmm....
We have a cell phone ping off the "Overton tower" on the 12th, and a gasoline purchase in Mesquite in some order, on that day. The Mesquite tower can "ping" on the fringes of Overton; is it possible the Overton tower does the same in Mesquite?

There are several casinos in Mesquite (one place we know he was, on the 12th). You could easily sleep in your car there, and freshen up as needed.
You can also do as much gambling there, as you can in Vegas.

You could even look for a job there, or hand out flyers in Mesquite.

More questions added.

 

[laytonian]

The roommate.

We're positive that this person in Illinois, is the same person as in St George, Utah?

 

[dreamweaver]

http://clippertoday.com/view/full_s...Inside-Story---Thousands-have-come-to-our-aid?
snippet.. bbm
We arrived there within hours, only to discover that police in St. George (where my son was living) and Henderson didn’t take things very seriously at first. Our first days consisted of a lonely vigil as we went door-to-door, searching the neighborhood by ourselves.

By the next week, however, mighty forces came to our aid. Both Henderson and Las Vegas Metro Police launched an all-out armada, combing the area with searchers on ATVs plus police dogs, and even a helicopter in the air. They scoured ravines, ditches, drainage channels, tunnels and other rough terrain.

Police and volunteers from the Nevada Center for Missing Loved Ones simultaneously conducted a door-to-door search of the neighborhood around where my son disappeared, talking with people and leaving flyers at hundreds of homes. The next day, they did it again.

much more at link...
Sorry if this has been posted before, just wanted to clarify what all the family has done.

 

[laytonian]

I think the picture of the car was from a newspaper article as it now sits in his parents drive way. I've never seen a picture of the car as it sat in the cul-de-sac.

Thanks.

If we had an "as found" image, it might answer some questions.

I guess I watch too many Forensic Files, but the only thing I'd have done, was taken the key and popped the trunk open to make sure no one was in there...and then called the police. Or called them first and had them do that.

 

[laytonian]

http://clippertoday.com/view/full_s...Inside-Story---Thousands-have-come-to-our-aid?
snippet
Sorry if this has been posted before, just wanted to clarify what all the family has done.

They've done a lot (no one is saying that they haven't). We're just trying to ferret out the little details.

For instance, it says "the police called them" and told them the car was found abandoned.

Yet, we've always been told it was the HOA who left a message on their phone on the 16th, the message was retrieved on the 17th, and it really doesn't say when Steven was actually reported as missing to LE.

Man....more questions.

 

[Helix11]

"BUT....what stands out to me, is that his boss got the phone call, and (apparently) didn't think to notify anyone. If someone worked for/with me, and I'd not seen them doing their job and suddenly, I get a call saying that their car has been abandoned for two days, I'd be making some calls!"--Laytonian from a page back or so...

I quoted that text because I think this guy is pretty important too and we haven't even been thinking about him. His lack of urgency is suspicious to me. Do we know that Steven got along with his boss? Could there have been tension between the two of them because of the money situation? If Steven was hurting for money, it's likely his boss was struggling also. What do you guys think?

 

[ms_writer]

Guys - I really almost hate to bring up another possible theory (particularly this one), but then I can't believe I didn't think of this before!

Hilldale, UT and Colorado City, AZ are primarily where the FLDS polygamist folks are located - not too far from Mesquite. I'm at work and can't get Mapquest to work - or I'd tell you exactly how far.....

I've seen many of these folks in the St. George area over the years and wonder if there's any way Steven may have been lured by them!

Now I have to get back to work!

I really don't think so. The polygamist groups already find every excuse to excommunicate young, male members so that they keep a higher woman-to-man ratio, and ensure that the older men get their pick. It's to keep the young women from pairing off with the (IMO) more desirable mates of their own age. If Steven were a woman, I'd be all over this angle!

 

[laytonian]

"BUT....what stands out to me, is that his boss got the phone call, and (apparently) didn't think to notify anyone. If someone worked for/with me, and I'd not seen them doing their job and suddenly, I get a call saying that their car has been abandoned for two days, I'd be making some calls!"--Laytonian from a page back or so...

I quoted that text because I think this guy is pretty important too and we haven't even been thinking about him. His lack of urgency is suspicious to me. Do we know that Steven got along with his boss? Could there have been tension between the two of them because of the money situation? If Steven was hurting for money, it's likely his boss was struggling also. What do you guys think?

We don't know how many other "independent contractors" this guy had working for him.

Questions added.

 

[CONCRNED CTZN]

K checked the timeline-it is not clear. I will wait to hear an answer from CC's question about how/when the family entered the vehicle.

BTW-what's the prevailing theory about where Steven spent the evening of the 12th? He left home at 1030PM or so and headed out. He had pillows and blankets in his car. What is a likely place for him to pull over and sleep between ST George and Henderson, locals??? Not only that, he needed a place to freshen up.


Wonder if he held a marker at any of the casinos? this would be another reason he was low on cash.

Woudn't the pings from Webbs call and from the Bishopric help us get an understanding of this?

 

[swjaxon]

Hi folks. Just trying to keep up... I'd like to offer a couple of perspectives/answers to questions that caught my eye.

Hi SWJaxon,
Not so much that he was lured to a suburb to sightsee ; but, he went there for a reason. I was speculating that he could have been lured there by someone on the pretext of looking at a room for rent.

If Steven really did meet someone in the Anthem area, it is strange that no one has ever come forward and said that he had say, a job interview, or was looking to rent room in their home. It is telling.

I don't disagree with you here. I doubt men are being lured, but I think he went to that neighborhood for a reason other than dumping his car. It's an exceptionally inconvienent location. I think the answer to this case lies in that neighborhood.

Hilldale, UT and Colorado City, AZ are primarily where the FLDS polygamist folks are located...

I have spent years covering the FLDS and consider Utah polygamy groups one of my areas of expertise. The FLDS definently doesn't recruit. While he might have been lured into other groups, I suspect that's a longshot -- especially for a single man.

 

[laytonian]

Woudn't the pings from Webbs call and from the Bishopric help us get an understanding of this?

You just reminded me of something!

Cellphone batteries run down more quickly, when you are roaming AND use more power when you're in a low-signal area.

We don't know when he started driving on the 12th, but he pings near Overton, buys gas in Mesquite, shops at Kmart, pulls into his place for about 30 minutes then leaves again.

Then he's in Vegas (per his own reports) at 7:57am, and is last seen four hours later.

THEN, his phone calls his voicemail on the 14th.

What's the most likely scenario for that long battery life?

Was he turning the phone on and off?
Not on the morning of the 13th, when he received calls.

Did he have an extra cellphone battery or a car charger?

Was he home, charging his phone? (Just because the neighbor saw him leave at 10:30, doesn't mean he didn't come home.)

Was he somewhere else, where he could charge the phone?

 

[laytonian]

Hi folks. Just trying to keep up... I'd like to offer a couple of perspectives/answers to questions that caught my eye.

I don't disagree with you here. I doubt men are being lured, but I think he went to that neighborhood for a reason other than dumping his car. It's an exceptionally inconvienent location. I think the answer to this case lies in that neighborhood.

....or, IF he went there on purpose, the answer may lie with the person who met him there, and drove him away.

I think it's equally possible that he parked there at random. It's inconvenient and hard to find, if you're looking for it. But if you're on Anthem Parkway, take a right turn and a left, you end up in that cul de sac.

 

[renn3434]

....or, IF he went there on purpose, the answer may lie with the person who met him there, and drove him away.

I think it's equally possible that he parked there at random. It's inconvenient and hard to find, if you're looking for it. But if you're on Anthem Parkway, take a right turn and a left, you end up in that cul de sac.

The problem I have always had with him meeting someone in a car is that he waited in his car until EXACTLY 12:00. Whenever I meet someone at a given time and location someone always gets there first. Usually whomever gets there first calls the other one and says "are you here yet." Since there are no records of calls I believe he was meeting someone that he had a noon appointment with at a specific house. Now they may have left from the house in another car together but I don't think two cars met there and left.

 

[laytonian]

The problem I have always had with him meeting someone in a car is that he waited in his car until EXACTLY 12:00. Whenever I meet someone at a given time and location someone always gets there first. Usually whomever gets there first calls the other one and says "are you here yet." Since there are no records of calls I believe he was meeting someone that he had a noon appointment with at a specific house. Now they may have left from the house in another car together but I don't think two cars met there and left.

What if the other driver, was driving a cab?

You call them, tell them what intersection you're at, and it's up to them to figure out where you are, and to pick you up.