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

[carbuff]

Thank you and good luck to the people who are helping in this. I wish I could be there, but it's kinda far from New England...

 

[carbuff]

The fact that LE is not involved and hasn't discouraged the search, like in the case of SP, makes me think they believe Steven committed suicide. Having inexperienced, volunteer searchers tromping around leads to a serious risk of contaminating the crime scene, unless of course, they don't believe a crime was committed.

If the area is right next to the airport, can't they do some fly overs? Wouldn't someone have seen him by now? MOO

Bodies are not as easy to find as we tend to think they are. New bones look more like branches than like bones. Clothes weather to colorlessness quickly -- and Steven's were already desert-colored. People don't take up much space. If he went out walking and had an accident, he might have crammed himself into a narrow crevice or under a ledge trying to keep warm.

You could probably walk within ten feet of four-month-old remains clad in neutral clothing and not even notice them unless you were looking straight at them and knew what you were looking for.

 

[Canyon1]

Bodies are not as easy to find as we tend to think they are. New bones look more like branches than like bones. Clothes weather to colorlessness quickly -- and Steven's were already desert-colored. People don't take up much space. If he went out walking and had an accident, he might have crammed himself into a narrow crevice or under a ledge trying to keep warm.

You could probably walk within ten feet of four-month-old remains clad in neutral clothing and not even notice them unless you were looking straight at them and knew what you were looking for.

Yes! Not to mention that wind would blow sand over any remains, and scavengers would scatter them. They could be washed down gullies, in crevices... I was on a search once with 100+ people and trained search dogs looking for remains less than two weeks old. We spent three full days in undeveloped wilderness and never found him. He is still missing some 8 years later. It's hard to grasp the vastness and emptiness and the sheer improbability of finding something unless you've spent time in the back country.

 

[carbuff]

Yes! Not to mention that wind would blow sand over any remains, and scavengers would scatter them. They could be washed down gullies, in crevices... I was on a search once with 100+ people and trained search dogs looking for remains less than two weeks old. We spent three full days in undeveloped wilderness and never found him. He is still missing some 8 years later. It's hard to grasp the vastness and emptiness and the sheer improbability of finding something unless you've spent time in the back country.

That's hard, looking and not finding. We did find the hunter we were looking for -- but only because he was conscious enough to call for help. Several us had walked past him and not seen a thing.

 

[laytonian]

Yes! Not to mention that wind would blow sand over any remains, and scavengers would scatter them. They could be washed down gullies, in crevices... I was on a search once with 100+ people and trained search dogs looking for remains less than two weeks old. We spent three full days in undeveloped wilderness and never found him. He is still missing some 8 years later. It's hard to grasp the vastness and emptiness and the sheer improbability of finding something unless you've spent time in the back country.

I'm glad you reminded us of that case, I thought about it when this story hit the news a few days back.

 

[laytonian]

....we can't announce or recruit for searches here, that are not sanctioned by LE.

I'm working with the family right now, to see if we can get something sanctioned. Until then, please use your good memories and a certain web page.

 

[hollyblue]

....we can't announce or recruit for searches here, that are not sanctioned by LE.

I'm working with the family right now, to see if we can get something sanctioned. Until then, please use your good memories and a certain web page.

You've already announced it. Shhhh. Don't say anything.

 

[RubyRed]

I checked the timeline and just seeing in print "Reliable information has been developed that may lead to the recovery of Steven's remains.", has me so saddened . I knew eventually it might come to this, but goodness it is difficult to read it.

 

[laytonian]

I checked the timeline and just seeing in print "Reliable information has been developed that may lead to the recovery of Steven's remains.", has me so saddened . I knew eventually it might come to this, but goodness it is difficult to read it.

It was difficult to type that, but I just couldn't say "Steven's body".

"Remains", to me, means he's gone elsewhere.

 

[Canyon1]

That's hard, looking and not finding. We did find the hunter we were looking for -- but only because he was conscious enough to call for help. Several us had walked past him and not seen a thing.

Yes, that was a hard one. And I had met the guy that we were searching for a couple of times. We also had some like the one you mention, and those put you on cloud nine for days. Oh how I will be crossing my fingers, thinking good thoughts and praying that Steven will be found one way or another this weekend.

 

[carbuff]

It was difficult to type that, but I just couldn't say "Steven's body".

"Remains", to me, means he's gone elsewhere.

I think he'd see it that way too. He just went on ahead to wait for his family there.

 

[webrocket]

I am thinking if they got a tip, a perp has told someone something. I doubt the perp would call in a tip. If it was suicide no one would know he was there , that is if he is.

I still find this tip bizarre.

It is possible that if someone murdered Steven, he had a slip of the mouth and someone reported it, but you would think that lead would be given to police and not the PI. The purported perp is not likely to call in a tip.

I suppose it is possible that someone knew Steven was suicidal and finally decided to open up. I have not seriously considered suicide as the choice of location is just baffling, when he could have jumped off many a roadway in the mountainous west. Why drive to SCA then walk to a field near an airport? Way too much work for someone checking out.

It is perhaps more likely that something was found on his hard drive that connected Steven to the airport. That would be a 180 from the public comments that nothing explained what he was doing in SCA that day.

 

[hollyblue]

I still find this tip bizarre.

It is possible that if someone murdered Steven, he had a slip of the mouth and someone reported it, but you would think that lead would be given to police and not the PI. The purported perp is not likely to call in a tip.

I suppose it is possible that someone knew Steven was suicidal and finally decided to open up. I have not seriously considered suicide as the choice of location is just baffling, when he could have jumped off many a roadway in the mountainous west. Why drive to SCA then walk to a field near an airport? Way too much work for someone checking out.

It is perhaps more likely that something was found on his hard drive that connected Steven to the airport. That would be a 180 from the public comments that nothing explained what he was doing in SCA that day.

If they found his remains near the airport, I don't think it's a suicide. JMO

 

[Fairy1]

I still find this tip bizarre.

It is possible that if someone murdered Steven, he had a slip of the mouth and someone reported it, but you would think that lead would be given to police and not the PI. The purported perp is not likely to call in a tip.

I suppose it is possible that someone knew Steven was suicidal and finally decided to open up. I have not seriously considered suicide as the choice of location is just baffling, when he could have jumped off many a roadway in the mountainous west. Why drive to SCA then walk to a field near an airport? Way too much work for someone checking out.

It is perhaps more likely that something was found on his hard drive that connected Steven to the airport. That would be a 180 from the public comments that nothing explained what he was doing in SCA that day.

I think the tip is odd too, WR. But we shall see. They obviously seem to have something credible to go on. If it appeared to be foul play, LE would be involved and the search would have already been done.

 

[webrocket]

If the PI came into possession of a hot tip of a crime scene corpse, why would he NOT share it with LE? as mentioned by others, these search parties could damage a crime scene in the process of their search.

 

[Fairy1]

If the PI came into possession of a hot tip of a crime scene corpse, why would he NOT share it with LE? as mentioned by others, these search parties could damage a crime scene in the process of their search.

I agree. And if they're not 100% sure they're looking for the remains of a suicide victim, it's very risky to conduct this type of search, IMO. We already have compromised searches of Steven's car and home. To compromise a possible crime scene would be a travesty.

 

[RubyRed]

We have wondered why no searches were being conducted. Now the family is going to search and that is being questioned. The family can't just sit back and hope someone stumbles across him, that may never happen. It seems like the family is da#ned if they do, and da#ned if they don't.

 

[webrocket]

At the risk of sounding cynical, is there any indication of who is partaking in this search? I mean is it the ward people from St. George?

The reason I ask this was that in thread #8 I said this about the St. George crowd:

These people he used to associate with closed rank when Steven disappeared and almost none express any concern for Steven.

Now out of nowhere a tip comes in and people want to all get involved? Are they busing them in from the singles ward now?

 

[RubyRed]

I am sure they will be told what to do if they come across evidence. So as not to do what these people did in the link Laytonian provided. They took the skull to police.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/...-found-in-Olympus-Cove-area.html?s_cid=rss-30

 

[pudd]

Laytonian, I was just over checking through the pages you have up about Steven, and although it's premature to consider the whole business nearly finished, I really wanted to say what a great job you (and those who contributed) did collating and organizing and analyzing the info. Seriously, I think you/we did a great job sleuthing, but thank you again for your organizational skills and dealings with the family. You rock!