NV NV - Steven T. Koecher, 30, Henderson, 13 Dec 2009 - #18

[laytonian]

You're absolutely right. Based on all we've learned about Steven, I just can't see him with a "getting even" attitude. But then, I'm not sure we really know the extent of the discord between him and his folks prior to his going missing. It may have been more serious than we know - at least to Steven.

Absolutely. There's no more phone calls between them, after the disagreement. Some texts were sent very late at night afterwards, but went unanswered.

What we know about him, is primarily from his family.
We've had some insights from at least one friend, which told us things that either the family didn't know about....or didn't want to mention.

I may be very very wrong, and this applies to ANY case: the most important clues, may be the "absolutely very worst things" someone knows about the missing person ...and maybe those things have been shared with LE and the PI. Those things are none of the public's business - nor ours.

 

[Desertwind]

I follow this thread all the time, though I don't post. But I'm feeling brave today. I've always felt that Steven walked away. I think he left the car there, so that his family could either sell it to repay some of his obligations, or return it. My gut feeling is that he felt he failed them, that he didn't measure up, and so he chose to find a new life elsewhere. If his last discussions with his family were less than pleasant, i.e. "I got a call about your rent, etc" he may have just decided he'd fix the issue as best he could.
I also think that there may be an alternative lifestyle issue, and that he is not certain that his family would be able to deal with it. One reason that this keeps popping up for me is that his family has said, "no matter what, we love you" type comments. This leads me to beleive they may think the same thing, that he has wrestled with demons other than employment.

 

[carbuff]

If you're angry and/or hurt, clear to the bone .... do you really care?

We know both Steven and Rochelle had disagreements before they left.

I don't know what was going on in either Steven or Rochelle's head, but I can say from personal experience that when you're already depressed, and not seeing things clearly because of that, if you get a tough emotional blow, you tend to think it's the end of the world. It can be a blow that you would ordinarily shake off, but when you're already down and hurting, it can leave you feeling like you have nothing worth living for -- like all the things you valued were nothing but a sham -- and like there's no hope for it ever getting better.

And the big one -- you don't worry about what the people you leave behind might think, because you think they don't care. You think they'll be happier with you gone.

Mostly, though, you just want the pain to stop.

 

[shefner]

I follow this thread all the time, though I don't post. But I'm feeling brave today. I've always felt that Steven walked away. I think he left the car there, so that his family could either sell it to repay some of his obligations, or return it. My gut feeling is that he felt he failed them, that he didn't measure up, and so he chose to find a new life elsewhere. If his last discussions with his family were less than pleasant, i.e. "I got a call about your rent, etc" he may have just decided he'd fix the issue as best he could.
I also think that there may be an alternative lifestyle issue, and that he is not certain that his family would be able to deal with it. One reason that this keeps popping up for me is that his family has said, "no matter what, we love you" type comments. This leads me to beleive they may think the same thing, that he has wrestled with demons other than employment.

Great post, Desertwind....keep being brave! Your views closely match my own.

 

[laytonian]

I follow this thread all the time, though I don't post. But I'm feeling brave today. I've always felt that Steven walked away. I think he left the car there, so that his family could either sell it to repay some of his obligations, or return it. My gut feeling is that he felt he failed them, that he didn't measure up, and so he chose to find a new life elsewhere. If his last discussions with his family were less than pleasant, i.e. "I got a call about your rent, etc" he may have just decided he'd fix the issue as best he could.
I also think that there may be an alternative lifestyle issue, and that he is not certain that his family would be able to deal with it. One reason that this keeps popping up for me is that his family has said, "no matter what, we love you" type comments. This leads me to beleive they may think the same thing, that he has wrestled with demons other than employment.

...and there's also the "he's a man's man" comments, which are designed to remind everyone that there's no room for an alternative lifestyle.

I agree, that would be THE reason for leaving.
Steven disappeared after a very tumultuous time in Utah, for those struggling with identity issues.

ETA:
Please don't be so silent.
We need great minds, great ideas...to join the other great people here

 

[believe09]

Welcome Desertwind!!!! Thank you for a very thoughtful post.

 

[Fairy1]

I follow this thread all the time, though I don't post. But I'm feeling brave today. I've always felt that Steven walked away. I think he left the car there, so that his family could either sell it to repay some of his obligations, or return it. My gut feeling is that he felt he failed them, that he didn't measure up, and so he chose to find a new life elsewhere. If his last discussions with his family were less than pleasant, i.e. "I got a call about your rent, etc" he may have just decided he'd fix the issue as best he could.
I also think that there may be an alternative lifestyle issue, and that he is not certain that his family would be able to deal with it. One reason that this keeps popping up for me is that his family has said, "no matter what, we love you" type comments. This leads me to beleive they may think the same thing, that he has wrestled with demons other than employment.

Very happy to have you here and hope you stay with us!

I feel the same way you do.

 

[laytonian]

KTNV.com is reporting that a man's body has been recovered from Corn Creek, NW of Vegas.

"It is unknown how long he has been missing for, or what exactly he was doing in Corn Creek but it is popular with hikers."

 

[Fairy1]

KTNV.com is reporting that a man's body has been recovered from Corn Creek, NW of Vegas.

"It is unknown how long he has been missing for, or what exactly he was doing in Corn Creek but it is popular with hikers."

Wow. Not familiar with Corn Creek. Off to see where that is!

 

[Fairy1]

Info on Corn Creek:

http://www.localhikes.com/Hikes/CornCreek_4120.asp

 

[laytonian]

Info on Corn Creek:

http://www.localhikes.com/Hikes/CornCreek_4120.asp

I plugged those coordinates into google maps, and came up with this: Desert National Wildlife Range Rd.

It's almost as far out of town to the NW, as Sloan was to the SW.

And what ever happened with the Cedar City remains?

 

[Fairy1]

I plugged those coordinates into google maps, and came up with this: Desert National Wildlife Range Rd.

It's almost as far out of town to the NW, as Sloan was to the SW.

And what ever happened with the Cedar City remains?

Yes - it's like the opposite of where Steven's car was found.

But....did you see the Mormon references regarding Corn Creek?

It's interesting....

Cedar City, jawbone @ Lake Mead, body in burning car @ I-15 & Sloan.....etc.

 

[laytonian]

Yes - it's like the opposite of where Steven's car was found.

But....did you see the Mormon references regarding Corn Creek?

It's interesting....

Cedar City, jawbone @ Lake Mead, body in burning car @ I-15 & Sloan.....etc.

There's a lot of Mormon in Vegas; Brigham Young tried to take the area over, a few years after settling in SLC and St George.

Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Nevada -

 

[Fairy1]

There's a lot of Mormon in Vegas; Brigham Young tried to take the area over, a few years after settling in SLC and St George.

Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Nevada -

Yes - there is a very strong Mormon presence in Vegas - no doubt. No signs of Brigham on the Strip - but there is a lot of history here - something in which we know Steven was interested.

These remains sound like a more recent missing person to me, but we shall see.

 

[cats5vegas]

Info on Corn Creek:

http://www.localhikes.com/Hikes/CornCreek_4120.asp

I do know Corn Creek. (I live in LV and my boyfriend lives in Indian Springs, so I pass Corn Creek Road every weekend.) There's a small community with a few homes. Beyond that, there is a small visitor area (accessible to passenger vehicles),at the entrance to the Desert National Wildlife Range. The DNWR area requires a 4WD or at least a high clearance vehicle. There was a man missing there last year up in the mountains. It was suspected that he went up there to commit suicide, but he was never located.
NV NV - Michael Doane, 47, Indian Springs, Jan 2009 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

 

[laytonian]

I just heard back from the family.

They're going to have a private family remembrance.

Rather than a vigil, they'd like everyone to take a bit of time at noon, Dec 13th, to think of Steven.

....and maybe, if you can find time to do something nice for someone else that day, do it "for Steven".

 

[laytonian]

I do know Corn Creek. (I live in LV and my boyfriend lives in Indian Springs, so I pass Corn Creek Road every weekend.) There's a small community with a few homes. Beyond that, there is a small visitor area (accessible to passenger vehicles),at the entrance to the Desert National Wildlife Range. The DNWR area requires a 4WD or at least a high clearance vehicle. There was a man missing there last year up in the mountains. It was suspected that he went up there to commit suicide, but he was never located.
NV NV - Michael Doane, 47, Indian Springs, Jan 2009 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

This would be the strongest possibility.

I remember now, that when carbuff and I were putting "similar cases" together, we left Doane off the page because there was direct evidence of a suicide.

ETA:
I've added him to "similar cases".
He's older, but since we really don't know the circumstances of Steven's disappearance.....well.....

 

[carbuff]

This would be the strongest possibility.

I remember now, that when carbuff and I were putting "similar cases" together, we left Doane off the page because there was direct evidence of a suicide.

ETA:
I've added him to "similar cases".
He's older, but since we really don't know the circumstances of Steven's disappearance.....well.....

We also left him off because he's quite a bit older. i think there were at least two others who were known to have left with guns and suicidal intentions who aren't on the list. And if I recall correctly, we also didn't include anybody who went missing outside the immediate Las Vegas area. Lake Mead, for instance.

 

[laytonian]

We also left him off because he's quite a bit older. i think there were at least two others who were known to have left with guns and suicidal intentions who aren't on the list. And if I recall correctly, we also didn't include anybody who went missing outside the immediate Las Vegas area. Lake Mead, for instance.

We did....and then, later, after we weren't sure exactly where Steven disappeared from, I added some of the others in.

Despite the many reported missing, there's really few men missing from the area, long-term. I guess that's a good thing.

 

[laytonian]

Erick Wales' parents are confirming that Erick is alive and well, and established in "another location".

SanDiego.com.

See the comment on the Find Erick Wales Facebook page.