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

[carbuff]

I initially thought he was involved with drug running (a "mule," probably) but everybody seems so sure he's a good young man, religious and clean-living, and would never do anything like that...

 

[Lato]

fasteddy4....the real strength of the opinion you received today is that it is coming from someone who is local to the event. A psychologist in New York or in Florida would not be able to tune in like this lady apparently did. Thank you and your friend.

 

[laytonian]

[/B]

Good idea, I looked it up to see what you meant. That could be totally possible, it is so similar. Are you thinking there was one in SCA? or is that not connected. Are we all starting to think someone made him disappear. ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacrament_meeting

I was just wondering if maybe it was mentioned...and got confused. Now that we know it's only on Sunday, though, doesn't fit.

 

[dovebar]

I think many of us, had the same thoughts as your friend. I do not believe Steven committed suicide either. I do not think he ran away. i do think he was involved in something, he knew he should not have been.

I do think his boss needs to be looked at further, along with GW, and the ex roomate.
I did find it very strange, that there was not calls from friends on his phone.

He may have been making deliveries for someone, and did not even know what he was delivering. His boss may have had him deliver things, Steven thinking it was part of the business, not knowing what he was delivering. His boss may have given him "GOOD TIPS" for delivering money to people he was buying from-just a thought.

Another thing that is on my mind, is when GW posted a few weeks back on his Facebook, that he was at a "alltime low". I think about that often. And then replying to somone, that he hoped to tell them all about it one day.(Do not know exact words. if someone does, could you repeat it?)

Just a few of my thoughts.

I too think it is possible that he was being used and didn't know it. I know someone who was asked to make cash deliveries by his boss, who was a legitimate businessperson and it turned out to be bribes and payoffs. The person was clueless. This is why I asked a few pages back about the gas stations we know he stopped at. Were they right off the freeway? Or were they a bit farther into towns, indicating he made stops that no one has reported.

If you look at what has been happening with illegal trafficking of Native American artifacts, a huge case now in Utah with three people killing themselves (two suspects and the FBI informant), you see well-respected people in the small town communities involved in a dirty trade that they thought of as just something they were raised doing. Steven may have had no idea what he was mixed up in.

I too find the GW conversation with Steven strange, and I think they might each have known what the other was doing in Vegas on a Sunday morning.

And I agree that the house in Anthem was probably being used by someone, with the owners having no idea what their renters or family members were up to. Many of these homeowners live out of state - Hawaii, New York, Florida.

I still think he was looking for a job offer when he went to Ruby Valley. Why call attention to the fact that you're in the area if you're delivering drugs? It's not like he bumped into that family at the Elko Smith's. He went to the ranch.

But I think pursuing a job offer in Henderson or a sketchy job possibility got him into a situation, perhaps even one he announced he was uncomfortable with, and they didn't let him leave.

I also still think it's possible that he was going to try to collect money from the roommate. Remember that this is St. George rent, so we are not talking $10,000 he needed. He might have been told to meet someone to pick up money he thought he was owed, and instead, got himself killed. That's why I asked upthread whether the landlords expected him to cover the roommate's unpaid rent or whether the roomie owed him. No one has seemed to answer that in the press.

 

[webrocket]

I personally do not believe Steven was doing anything criminal. Among the ideas that have been floated about in that category include drug running, immigrant smuggling and now artifact trafficking.

If he was doing something illegal, he had to be the world's dumbest criminal. Not in the sense of getting caught, but making NO money at all from it.

 

[laytonian]

I initially thought he was involved with drug running (a "mule," probably) but everybody seems so sure he's a good young man, religious and clean-living, and would never do anything like that...

You did.

I've always thought he could have been led astray (and Naegle basically told us that it was possible, moreso than him cooking up a briliant and devious disappearance plan).

Crime victim or self-harm are my own personal scenarios. In fact, I still think there's a chance the car-drop was in that location because he knew he'd be gone at least overnight. But not using his own car.

 

[Lato]

Just received via Google email notice....

Police: Reward offer draws some tips

http://www.clippertoday.com/view/fu...e-tips?instance=secondary_stories_left_column

 

[laytonian]

I personally do not believe Steven was doing anything criminal. Among the ideas that have been floated about in that category include drug running, immigrant smuggling and now artifact trafficking.

If he was doing something illegal, he had to be the world's dumbest criminal. Not in the sense of getting caught, but making NO money at all from it.

What if he was working off a debt, or being paid at the end of the planned errands?

There's one (probably two) people he came into contact many times in the few months before he disappeared, with drug records.

 

[laytonian]

Just received via Google email notice....

Police: Reward offer draws some tips

Davis County Clipper

(fixed nonworking link -- I HOPE!)

OK. First three paragraphs are "new news" --

"Police investigators from Henderson, Nev., and Sacramento, Calif., have contacted the parents of missing Steven T. Koecher following the recent announcement of a $10,000 reward for information.

The California investigators are trying to determine if Koecher is connected to an investigation there, while Nevada police report that a number of tips have been received and are being investigated.

One lead involves a reported sighting of Koecher at a Las Vegas area Home Depot in late January. Police have requested surveillance tapes from the day in question and hope that family members will be able to determine whether or not the person indicated is Koecher."

 

[carbuff]

You did.

I've always thought he could have been led astray (and Naegle basically told us that it was possible, moreso than him cooking up a briliant and devious disappearance plan).

Crime victim or self-harm are my own personal scenarios. In fact, I still think there's a chance the car-drop was in that location because he knew he'd be gone at least overnight. But not using his own car.

This just occurred to me --

If his family didn't suspect something, why was one of the first things they did to call in DRUG-sniffing dogs?

 

[webrocket]

What if he was working off a debt, or being paid at the end of the planned errands?

There's one (probably two) people he came into contact many times in the few months before he disappeared, with drug records.

In a nutshell, and I'll keep certain details to myself, I think he ran off with an older guy who promised, for the lack of a better expression, to keep him or take care of him.

 

[laytonian]

This just occurred to me --

If his family didn't suspect something, why was one of the first things they did to call in DRUG-sniffing dogs?

I'll bet it was suggested by the PIs they hired. We don't know when/where it was done.

 

[RubyRed]

I wonder what is happening in Sac.

 

[sbakker]

I personally do not believe Steven was doing anything criminal. Among the ideas that have been floated about in that category include drug running, immigrant smuggling and now artifact trafficking.

If he was doing something illegal, he had to be the world's dumbest criminal. Not in the sense of getting caught, but making NO money at all from it.

I do not think that Steven KNEW he was doing anything illegal,but he was the perfect person to be a go between. Dovebar, i do know about the artifacts investigation going on. My husband works for the Federal Government that was doing the investigating. How about the American woman, that they just found on the internet, who was withe Taliban, and her boyfriend of four years had NO CLUE she was involved.

Maybe someone Steven was working for(not suggesting who) used a business for a cover-up, to run a drug operation.

I think that we need to look at ALL pssibilities of things Steven was invoved in.

 

[fasteddy4]

(fixed nonworking link -- I HOPE!)

OK. First three paragraphs are "new news" --

"Police investigators from Henderson, Nev., and Sacramento, Calif., have contacted the parents of missing Steven T. Koecher following the recent announcement of a $10,000 reward for information.

The California investigators are trying to determine if Koecher is connected to an investigation there, while Nevada police report that a number of tips have been received and are being investigated.

One lead involves a reported sighting of Koecher at a Las Vegas area Home Depot in late January. Police have requested surveillance tapes from the day in question and hope that family members will be able to determine whether or not the person indicated is Koecher."

Is it possible that Sacramento police are now involved because of the text I sent them a few weeks ago regarding Steven's statement about possibly heading to Sacramento?

 

[laytonian]

Is it possible that Sacramento police are now involved because of the text I sent them a few weeks ago regarding Steven's statement about possibly heading to Sacramento?

Ahhhhh......I hope not. You'd think by now, they'd have an ID there.

 

[sbakker]

In a nutshell, and I'll keep certain details to myself, I think he ran off with an older guy who promised, for the lack of a better expression, to keep him or take care of him.

Webrocket, I had that happen to one of my friends kids. Everyone was so-oooo shocked. But a older man told this good-looking yioung man he would take care of him. This young man, was not accepted by peers, tried to date girls, and his relationships failed. Finally someone accepted him, he moved in with the well to do older fellow. He met the older man, just wandering the streets of SLC.

 

[fasteddy4]

Ahhhhh......I hope not. You'd think by now, they'd have an ID there.

Maybe, but the one body they discovered fifty miles from Sacramento was so burned they could not tell if it was a man or woman. So, that could definitely take some time.

 

[Mia]

Around the World Travel

Mexican Riviera Trip 2010
(Kinda looks like he was working FOR the travel agency, too - which could explain why some charges went on his personal credit card?)

Pa's Olde-Time Chocolates

Pa's website
(click all the links)

Hey Laytonian, I think I missed something. What's the significance of the above websites?

 

[sbakker]

Yes, whatever happened, I think GW and perhaps one or two of his other friends at the ward either know or suspect what happened, and are keeping it quiet. Afraid, embarrassed, think it reflects poorly on them or the ward, promised Steven they'd keep quiet...

Oh, I so agree!