NV NV - Steven T. Koecher, 30, Henderson, 13 Dec 2009 - # 9

[hollyblue]

I haven't posted here in a long time,because I had nothing valuable to add to the discussion.I have been reading, though. So it looks like Steven's family might finally get to bring him home.I do hope so. I just want to say that I am so impressed with the posters here ; some highly competent, smart people worked on this search.

If this tip does lead to Steven, I personally will always believe that he was lured and harmed. Absent some rock solid forensic evidence which proves otherwise,that is my belief....

I tend to agree with you. I have always wanted to think Steven just decided to go live his own his life...maybe the music. I will say, if he did commit the desparate act of suicide, I will be very upset.

 

[hollyblue]

I think that's a valid thing to check on. They'd at least have tail numbers or (whatever you call it) that automatic transponder record, even if no flight plan was filed.

I'm no pilot, but I think all pilots have to have a flight plan logged. Now who they take along on a flight....I have no idea.
Lay, do we know the exact time of that last ping on the 14th?
I've never been to LV, but I live in the SW and we get very high winds frequently. (Especially with the change of seasons) His wallet, papers, etc could just now be blowing in to a populated area to be found. JMO

 

[Lato]

I don't like to dwell on suicide, but if that happens to be the case, I would think that
a note in Steven's handwriting...like in his apartment or in his car....OR...indications in his journal or on his computer may have been held by the family (my thoughts only) - hoping that he could be found alive before anything bad happened.

Then if some of his belongings were found in the desert, this may be why the PI feels
that the search is for remains.

 

[hollyblue]

OK, let's suppose that.

How did they make contact?

Why would he check his voicemails from the airport area "very early" in the morning?

The plane would already have had to be waiting AND fueled, because fueling is only open at that airport from 0530 to 2130.

Why wait so long, to fly out, since Steven was "available" at noon? Why have Steven wait 12 hours, before taking him away?

A scenario like this is obviously one of the few that allows us to imagine Steven is still alive, and it's heartwarming. I can understand why you propose that. But (and this is ONLY me), I always see logic flaws.

The main logic flaw?

Why not just pick Steven up at his home in St George, and take him away from the St George airport...so close to where he lived?

I would think a person who owned a plane would have it checked out and refueled for the next flight after he landed.
An explanation for the time lapse before take off could be having lunch and then socializing for awhile in Vegas. Whatever form that socialization might be.....gambling, taking in a sports game, etc.

 

[webrocket]

I would think a person who owned a plane would have it checked out and refueled for the next flight after he landed.
An explanation for the time lapse before take off could be having lunch and then socializing for awhile in Vegas. Whatever form that socialization might be.....gambling, taking in a sports game, etc.

yes, and depending on whether they met before, an introduction would be nice.

 

[hollyblue]

I don't like to dwell on suicide, but if that happens to be the case, I would think that
a note in Steven's handwriting...like in his apartment or in his car....OR...indications in his journal or on his computer may have been held by the family (my thoughts only) - hoping that he could be found alive before anything bad happened.

Then if some of his belongings were found in the desert, this may be why the PI feels
that the search is for remains.

Could be Lato, but if foul play, the perp could have taken his belongings to another location......just to rid of them and not leave a trail to the actual location of the body. But still a good reason for the search there.

 

[webrocket]

I don't like to dwell on suicide, but if that happens to be the case, I would think that
a note in Steven's handwriting...like in his apartment or in his car....OR...indications in his journal or on his computer may have been held by the family (my thoughts only) - hoping that he could be found alive before anything bad happened.

Then if some of his belongings were found in the desert, this may be why the PI feels
that the search is for remains.

I doubt that Lato simply because they had the journal from day 1 it seems and nothing caused this amount of alarm. Also the computer was searched at least a month ago (maybe my timing is off) and there was no action taken then either.

I would think someone would have known about the ping a long time ago. It might just be a case of putting two and two together - maybe SOMETHING on the hard drive plus the ping.

All this assumes the ping was from the area of the airport, which we do not know.

 

[hollyblue]

yes, and depending on whether they met before, an introduction would be nice.

Of course. How uncouth of me. :blushing:

 

[hollyblue]

I doubt that Lato simply because they had the journal from day 1 it seems and nothing caused this amount of alarm. Also the computer was searched at least a month ago (maybe my timing is off) and there was no action taken then either.

I would think someone would have known about the ping a long time ago. It might just be a case of putting two and two together - maybe SOMETHING on the hard drive plus the ping.

All this assumes the ping was from the area of the airport, which we do not know.

Remember, in the very beginning, LE was not that responsive, and then all of a sudden they hopped to it....so what was the info, speculation or catalyst that caused this?

 

[webrocket]

Remember, in the very beginning, LE was not that responsive, and then all of a sudden they hopped to it....so what was the info, speculation or catalyst that caused this?

Well LE was there right away when they sniffed for drugs (negative). There was a press conference and then the hard drive. If they saw nothing criminal on the computer, they don't get too excited. LE is not taking the lead on this so called tip that a body is in the field so I don't know what excites the Vegas area police.

It is possible the family hired a new PI after LE said we see nothing criminal BUT you might want to check out this or that with your own resources.

 

[carbuff]

I'm no pilot, but I think all pilots have to have a flight plan logged. Now who they take along on a flight....I have no idea.
Lay, do we know the exact time of that last ping on the 14th?
I've never been to LV, but I live in the SW and we get very high winds frequently. (Especially with the change of seasons) His wallet, papers, etc could just now be blowing in to a populated area to be found. JMO

No, small private planes don't have to file flight plans. It's recommended but not required. No passenger lists, either. It sometimes becomes an issue after a crash, when they aren't sure who all was supposed to be on board.

Looking closely at googlemaps, it looks like there's a dry canal or wash or something running out of the hills toward Volunteer Rd. I wonder if one of his possessions was found there. Just speculating...

 

[laytonian]

Well LE was there right away when they sniffed for drugs (negative).

They weren't "right there". That didn't happen until the car was back in Utah, when the family took Steve's car to the SLC PD (probably the closest place to them, that had drug dogs).

I've never read any confirmation that the police were even involved in the matter when the car was found, since SCA is essentially all private with that elderly patrol making sure that everything's neat and tidy. And that no noisy birds are fed.

There was a press conference and then the hard drive. If they saw nothing criminal on the computer, they don't get too excited.

Sorry, that's backwards. The computer was taken (under subpoena) about a month (or longer?) before the Feb 26th press conference.

LE is not taking the lead on this so called tip that a body is in the field so I don't know what excites the Vegas area police.

It is possible the family hired a new PI after LE said we see nothing criminal BUT you might want to check out this or that with your own resources.

I believe you're correct there. LVPD has essentially been hands-off, with Henderson PD supposedly being the lead agency. Then you've got the St George PD, and a wonderful opportunity for a three-way hands-off.

It's pretty obvious that the easy way out for LE, is to assume that he just walked away. It makes their job so much easier, and they don't have to expend as many resources. Just put him up on NAMUS (which was actually done by the Utah authorities) and be done with it.

If I were the family, I'd be hiring PIs, too. It can't be much more expensive than travelling back and forth, and losing essential family paychecks in the meantime.

 

[webrocket]

ok my sequence was off a bit. no intent to mislead. I'd NEVER do that.

I hope we learn something after this weekend's excursion to the field.

 

[laytonian]

ok my sequence was off a bit. no intent to mislead. I'd NEVER do that.

We know. But we don't know about casual observers, who might get the wrong idea. Mistakes have been made - but there's always mistakes.

I hope we learn something after this weekend's excursion to the field.

Please dear God, I hope so.

 

[hollyblue]

Well LE was there right away when they sniffed for drugs (negative). There was a press conference and then the hard drive. If they saw nothing criminal on the computer, they don't get too excited. LE is not taking the lead on this so called tip that a body is in the field so I don't know what excites the Vegas area police.

It is possible the family hired a new PI after LE said we see nothing criminal BUT you might want to check out this or that with your own resources.

I was just thinking the family may have divulged a piece of information that might have sparked the first search and a few inquiries..

I believe the PI came on board after an offer of a pro bono and probable frustration if LE found no need for further investigation because lack of evidence of foul play.

 

[hollyblue]

No, small private planes don't have to file flight plans. It's recommended but not required. No passenger lists, either. It sometimes becomes an issue after a crash, when they aren't sure who all was supposed to be on board.

Looking closely at googlemaps, it looks like there's a dry canal or wash or something running out of the hills toward Volunteer Rd. I wonder if one of his possessions was found there. Just speculating...

I'm amazed at this info....that's a little unsettling in post 911. I would think they would have to atleast say where they are going for a destination or just for a few hours joy flying around LV. Oh my.

 

[hollyblue]

Lay: What was the deal with the subpoena for the computer? I don't recall that every being explained?

 

[fasteddy4]

Got the info about the search on Saturday morning. Don't know if any of you will be there but I will be. And I will give everyone a complete report whenever I get back. Since the search is supposed to be done by noon, I would expect my post to be done some time in the early afternoon Saturday. So, you can all look for that.

As for the airport discussion on here, since I live closer to the Henderson Executive Airport than anyone here, I can tell you that for a plane to take off or land after midnight there is very, very, very unusual. I live approximately two miles NNW of the airport and I am directly in the flight path. More than once a G-5 has buzzed my house on its way in or out of the airport. I have seen planes in the sky at night taking off and landing but late at night, like after midnight, very unusual. So, if Steven did catch a flight out of there after midnight, it would be on a flight that normally does not happen. And I think that makes the entire scenario highly unlikely.

Plus, the airport is not really that busy. As you can see from a map, it is somewhat out of the way and really is not that convenient to get to. And many private planes fly in and out of McCarran, the major airport in Vegas. Plus, there is the North Las Vegas Airport which does a lot of business.

Like I said, the odds of Steven catching a flight after midnight from the Henderson Executive Airport are like 1 in a million.

 

[laytonian]

As for the airport discussion on here, since I live closer to the Henderson Executive Airport than anyone here, I can tell you that for a plane to take off or land after midnight there is very, very, very unusual. I live approximately two miles NNW of the airport and I am directly in the flight path. More than once a G-5 has buzzed my house on its way in or out of the airport. I have seen planes in the sky at night taking off and landing but late at night, like after midnight, very unusual. So, if Steven did catch a flight out of there after midnight, it would be on a flight that normally does not happen. And I think that makes the entire scenario highly unlikely.

Thank you.
One big reason night flights are unusual, is that flight services close at night. The airport itself is 24/7, but you can't get services or fuel ... so a late-night flight has to be planned in advance. If you have to go out and fuel up in the daytime, you might as well fly out then.

http://www.hnd.aero/
FBO (Fixed Base Operator/all aircraft services) 0500-2200 Year Round (5:00am-10pm)
Fueling 0530 - 2130 (5:30am-9:30pm)
Airport Open 24 Hours (24/7) :smile:

Can't wait for your report.

 

[Fairy1]

I'm amazed at this info....that's a little unsettling in post 911. I would think they would have to atleast say where they are going for a destination or just for a few hours joy flying around LV. Oh my.

My company owns several private planes, so I called our Aviation Division peeps this afternoon to get the scoop.

If a plane is using instruments on a flight, they must file a flight plan. If they're flying visually, they don't have to. They also don't have to provide a complete passenger manifest. This is why so often, when a private plane goes down, it can take a while to determine who was on board.

I also know that private terminals in different cities have restrictions on the hours planes are allowed to take off and land. I don't know about Henderson.

And to webrocket - thank you for the BDW line today. I was LMAO!