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

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  • #101
I don't know any more about the searches, than anyone else.

Fairy1 had a chance, when she was at the press conference, to talk privately with someone "in the know" (not LE, not family). ATVs were used to search gullies, the foothills were searched by air, and many many people (locals/church members) walked the area. The family walked the golf course. The family started knocking on neighborhood doors even before LE and the missing persons people got involved.

We also have learned that after the area's heavy rains, drainage outlets and flood channels were checked.

I think the chance is very good that he's out there, somewhere. Did he walk and walk and walk, further than searchers have safely gone? Since the phone messages were checked early on Dec 14th, was he outside in that freezing night, huddled up in a small crevice or wind shelter? (In many cases of hypothermia, remains are in hidden places and only discovered when animals scatter bones and personal items.) Sad.

Yes, we'd all rather believe he's somewhere else, living another life (the only happy alternative). But I believe someone crafty enough to do that, who is also trying to prove something, would send some signal to his family. That hasn't happened.

Yes, if he was exposed and inadequately clothed, he might have squeezed himself into a small space trying to keep warm. And those clothes are not going to stand out. It would be possible to walk right past him and not see him. :(
 
  • #102
I have not been here for a couple of days. I was feeling discouraged, and puzzled. But I am back. I want Steven found. So many of you, have put in so much time and respect for Steven.

I just think of one my kids. they are all married and gone, but if on of them were gone, I would people helping me.

I hope LE, has really done some deep investigating in the Henderson neighborhood. Someone has some info. And into the vehicle with the realator. That vehicle and Steven there, is just too much of a coincidence. My goodness, that neighborhood needs a intense search, and investigation.

Years ago,when we lived in St. George a young woman was missing. She was last seen with a young man (married) visiting from SLC. He was staying at his grandparents(they were gone for the season). The police came to question him, never got a search warrant. His wife came down a few days later. She found the dead body in a trunk. he made her go help burt the body. Threatened her with her life. Six months later, she broke down, and went to the police. They found the body. To this day, I think of what that family went through. Maybe if they would have searched the home, she would be with us today.
 
  • #103
Someone in the neighborhood is either lying or they don't know SK was at their house. I think the connection is in the area of where the car was. He parked there and went to someone's house and left in their car. He went to see someone visiting the neighborhood, or he visited someone directly who lives there. Whatever it was they aren't talking.
 
  • #104
The latest issue of Vanity Fair has an excellent article about a young man who struggled to find his niche.

The article (actually a book excerpt) has a bit of a surprise in it....although it will be obvious to some before it's revealed.

For some reason, the article reminded me somewhat of Steven. A bit of a misfit, but who was wealthy enough to find his own way in the world.
 
  • #105
Someone in the neighborhood is either lying or they don't know SK was at their house. I think the connection is in the area of where the car was. He parked there and went to someone's house and left in their car. He went to see someone visiting the neighborhood, or he visited someone directly who lives there. Whatever it was they aren't talking.

Or, more likely, they were gone by the time the neighborhood residents were talked to.

IF he went there to meet someone (either to disappear or as an unintentional criminal), I doubt that person had a real connection to the neighborhood.
 
  • #106
I'm sorry - but I have to disagree. I'm an "ordinary" person and have lived here for nearly 35 years and I have never been a victim of a crime. I work on the Strip and live in the burbs and nothing bizarre has ever happened to me.

Where are you getting your information?


Your personal experience only underscores my point. Many ordinary people live in Vegas and nothing ever happens to them.

However, there are a lot of industries in Vegas and Nevada in general that are high-crime related, from drugs to prostitution to gambling. The crime statistics for Vegas make this point. These industries make for a mecca for groups like the Hell's Angels, which have just been busted for getting jobs at Salvation Army so they could get all the donated guns. This also makes for crimes like a young mother walking her baby being attacked and the baby murdered by a battle ax wielding psycho who ran out of an ordinary suburban home. Nevada is last or near last in so many indicators of quality of life concerned with violence - domestic violence, drugs, child abuse - and this means that while someone like Steven is wandering around what seems an ordinary neighborhood, he has a higher chance of wandering into something unsavory.

This is not intended to reflect poorly on all the ordinary Nevadans leading ordinary lives there - I used to be one. And I do know more than one Nevada city well. But the point wasn't based on my experience; no crimes ever happened to me either.

The point was just that there are places where we are at increased risk, whether we know it or not. Add to that bad luck, or an higher trust of strangers, and bad things can happen.
 
  • #107
These industries make for a mecca for groups like the Hell's Angels, which have just been busted for getting jobs at Salvation Army so they could get all the donated guns.

Actually, the Las Vegas Sun
story suggests something else: they were going after ALL valuables, not just guns.

Quote from article: "Donated furniture, vehicles, firearms and household items from the Salvation Army were seized from the clubhouse this morning, police said. No arrests have been made but the investigation is ongoing."

THAT particular crime exists, in some level, at nearly every large thrift store. "Plants" volunteer and skim off the antiques, selling them directly to dealers, on eBay or on craigslist. Not everything you donate gets to where you think it does. I've donated things to the DI that disappeared before they ever got to the intended area....even when I personally handed them to the person in charge of the "collectibles area" with information attached.

I personally think Vegas loves its "shady" reputation and advertises the fact ... so when crimes are reported, they are looked upon as worse than if they'd occurred in another city.

There's been many arrests in "pure" St George Utah recently related to drugs and prostitution. Utah has severe gang and drug problems; I'd feel just as safe in Vegas as in most Utah cities.
 
  • #108
There's plenty of crime in Vegas, to be sure. I just want to point out that murder victims (and not just here) are generally living high-risk lifestyles. They're not nice, innocent Mormon guys lured to the city by some random murderer in a retirement community.

By the same token, lots and lots of people come to Vegas specifically to disappear. And I would venture to say, plenty of those people are nice, innocent Mormon guys.
 
  • #109
Where is Steven Koecher?
UPDATED: MAR 18, 2010 7:31 PM EDT

With help from people online, a timeline of Koecher's activities has developed, adding more layers to the mystery.

http://www.lasvegasnow.com/global/story.asp?s=11852528

Laytonian have you seen this up-dated article, a link to your time line is in it, as well as a lot of what you wrote.
 
  • #110
  • #111
Where is Steven Koecher?
UPDATED: MAR 18, 2010 7:31 PM EDT

http://www.lasvegasnow.com/global/story.asp?s=11852528

Laytonian have you seen this up-dated article, a link to your time line is in it, as well as a lot of what you wrote.

I think what he's quoted, is merely what we've requoted from the original news and what the family has told us. I'm just a compiler; I can't take credit for much.

I'm just thrilled he's updated the original story AND I hope it's in tomorrow's newspaper (not just the online edition).

Go Jaxon Go!
 
  • #112
There's plenty of crime in Vegas, to be sure. I just want to point out that murder victims (and not just here) are generally living high-risk lifestyles. They're not nice, innocent Mormon guys lured to the city by some random murderer in a retirement community.

By the same token, lots and lots of people come to Vegas specifically to disappear. And I would venture to say, plenty of those people are nice, innocent Mormon guys.

I think people go to **other cities** to disappear, not necessarily Vegas. It's just that Vegas was the closest target for Steven (who didn't realize he could easily have disappeared in SLC's or St George's "other Utah").

Heck, for as slow as the sightings come out of St George, he might as well have left his car in the ward parking lot...... ;)
 
  • #113
I think what he's quoted, is merely what we've requoted from the original news and what the family has told us. I'm just a compiler; I can't take credit for much.

I'm just thrilled he's updated the original story AND I hope it's in tomorrow's newspaper (not just the online edition).

Go Jaxon Go!

lasvegasnow.com is the online version of the local CBS news affiliate - KLAS. I doubt it will be in the paper, but at least it's getting some attention.

Right on!
 
  • #114
Where is Steven Koecher?
UPDATED: MAR 18, 2010 7:31 PM EDT



http://www.lasvegasnow.com/global/story.asp?s=11852528

Laytonian have you seen this up-dated article, a link to your time line is in it, as well as a lot of what you wrote.

You guys are good. You've found one of the problems with our website. Whenever a story is edited, it bumps back up to the top of the list.

No real update, I just noticed a typo and fixed it. But I am working on an update (nothing you guys don't already know, I think), so stay tuned.

ETA: Yes, LasVegasNOW is the online home of KLAS-TV, but I work exclusively on the website.
 
  • #115
You guys are good. You've found one of the problems with our website. Whenever a story is edited, it bumps back up to the top of the list.

No real update, I just noticed a typo and fixed it. But I am working on an update (nothing you guys don't already know, I think), so stay tuned.

ETA: Yes, LasVegasNOW is the online home of KLAS-TV, but I work exclusively on the website.


Jaxon -- one thing you can fix, if you mention Steven's trip to Ruby Valley: it had to have been on Dec 10th.
Steven's churchmembers didn't mention, until the first week of February, that he'd been at temple ceremonies in St George on Dec 9th.

No way he could have driven back to St George in time, the receipts all make sense AND we found weather history showing that the threatening storm Mrs N mentioned, came in on the 11th, not earlier.

BTW, fix typos all you want. Once a week. ANYTHING to crowd those examiner.com sensationalized stories off the top of Google News.
 
  • #116
You guys are good. You've found one of the problems with our website. Whenever a story is edited, it bumps back up to the top of the list.

No real update, I just noticed a typo and fixed it. But I am working on an update (nothing you guys don't already know, I think), so stay tuned.

ETA: Yes, LasVegasNOW is the online home of KLAS-TV, but I work exclusively on the website.

I am glad it had a typo, LOL. Anything to get Steven's name to more people.
Glad to hear you are working on an update. Thank you for that.
 
  • #117
Jaxon -- one thing you can fix, if you mention Steven's trip to Ruby Valley: it had to have been on Dec 10th.
Steven's churchmembers didn't mention, until the first week of February, that he'd been at temple ceremonies in St George on Dec 9th.

No way he could have driven back to St George in time, the receipts all make sense AND we found weather history showing that the threatening storm Mrs N mentioned, came in on the 11th, not earlier.

BTW, fix typos all you want. Once a week. ANYTHING to crowd those examiner.com sensationalized stories off the top of Google News.

I remember running that by the family and thought they had a receipt for the 9th. I'm not totally sure tho. I'll check my notes.

I hate examiner articles. Nothing worse than a bunch of untrained people writing stories with no regard for the rules. I'm actually astonished they haven't been sued by now.
 
  • #118
I am glad it had a typo, LOL. Anything to get Steven's name to more people.
Glad to hear you are working on an update. Thank you for that.

No problem. It's my job.

A coworker swung by my desk and pointed the typo out. It wasn't huge, but I went through it with a fine-tooth comb. Seeing it almost caused my head to explode.
 
  • #119
I remember running that by the family and thought they had a receipt for the 9th. I'm not totally sure tho. I'll check my notes.

I'm sure that's what she told you, because that's what she and Mrs N decided was the date, three weeks after Steven disappeared, when the original Dec 8th guess didn't work out. There actually are no receipts dated Dec 9th -- only debit card records that may post immediately or later. As far as we know (at least has not been revealed to us), no one has ever contacted the retailers for their cash register data (retrievable) or the credit card companies to get the actual date/times on the purchases.

NOW, it's obvious that he could have left in the evening of Dec 9th, after the temple ceremonies, to go to Ruby Valley. But it's near-impossible for him to have left Ruby Valley at 1pm PST on Dec 9th, and arrive back in St George (via I-80 and I-15) in time to rent his temple clothing and perform temple ceremonies at 6:30pm MST. He'd have had to average about 127 miles per hour all the way (541 miles).

I've run this by Steven's cousin, as well as a member of the N family, and they've agreed it makes the most sense. None of them knew that Steven had been to the temple on the evening of Dec 9th, either.

BUT....I also realize that you probably have to take Mrs K's word over ours on this matter.

I hate examiner articles. Nothing worse than a bunch of untrained people writing stories with no regard for the rules. I'm actually astonished they haven't been sued by now.

...and never try contacting one of them, to tell them that the source they've used to mix two cases together, misquoted statements from a press conference that the source did not attend. Suddenly, they'll want to interview you so they can use you to create their next story. Refuse.
 
  • #120
I think they showed him himself coming into the store so he could have an idea of how the quality of what he would be looking at...and he didn't even recognize himself. That makes the most sense.
 
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