CO CO - Kelsie Schelling, 21, pregnant, Pueblo, 4 Feb 2013 *Arrest* #2

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Seattle1 said:
Nobody was bulled into court! The suit and countersuit were dismissed.

Family denies role inSchellingdisappearance
Click to expand...
Ive worked in government, trust me the squeaky hinge gets the grease, when you have appeals and lawsuits higher managers get involved and they have you do stuff they wouldnt normally have you do. Id be surprised if those lawsuits didnt have an effect..
 
Replying to
@ColetteBordelon
The defense wants context. How’d the hair get into the car? Is it from a living person, or a deceased one? How long has the hair been in there? The questions go on. #KelsieSchelling #DontheLucas

4:16 PM · Mar 1, 2021 from Pueblo, CO

Replying to
@ColetteBordelon
And, the hair found on the front passenger floor mat of #Schelling’s car matched the buccal swab of Sara Lucas, #DontheLucas’ mom.
@KOAA

4:14 PM · Mar 1, 2021

Replying to
@ColetteBordelon
END: One of the hairs found in the trunk of #Schelling’s car matched up with her mom’s buccal swab, meaning it *could belong to #Schelling.
@KOAA

4:06 PM · Mar 1, 2021 from Pueblo, CO·
 
Donthe Lucas trial: Experts testify in Kelsie Schelling disappearance

Mar 1, 2021

A damaged lock at a Pueblo landfill and the possibility the landfill was used to dispose of a body kicked off Monday’s proceedings in the first-degree homicide trial of Donthe Lucas.

[..]

Monday morning, the court heard from Kim Pearce, the lead office administrator for the Southside Landfill, who testified that between 5 p.m. Feb. 5 and 5:30 a.m. Feb. 6, an unknown person damaged a padlock that secured an entrance gate to the landfill off Highway 78.

The landfill is a short distance from the Regency neighborhood where Lucas was living with his grandmother on Manor Ridge Drive. Earlier in the trial, cell phone experts testified Lucas’ phone pinged off a tower in the area of the landfill the night of Feb. 5.

[..]

Following testimony about the landfill, the court heart from several local law enforcement officers who gathered physical evidence in the case, beginning with the discovery of Schelling’s 2011 Chevy Cruze at St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center on Feb. 14, 2013 and spanning to as recently as January 2019.

Nikki Thomas, a sergeant at the Pueblo Police Department who spent 18 years as a crime scene investigator, explained her efforts to investigate and document evidence in Schelling’s vehicle.

She said the vehicle was examined from top to bottom and swabs were taken from several areas of the interior and exterior of Schelling’s car, including door handles, gear shifts and others.

She also said four of the vehicle’s floormats were collected as evidence and two white-colored stains visible in the trunk were swabbed and sent to a lab for testing.

The results of the tests were not revealed Monday before the lunch break, but Thomas said no blood or other biologic evidence was of a homicide was observed during her search.

[..]
 
Colette Bordelon @ColetteBordelon 1h
END: One of the hairs found in the trunk of #Schelling’s car matched up with her mom’s buccal swab, meaning it *could belong to #Schelling. @KOAA

Colette Bordelon @ColetteBordelon 1h
Not entirely sure what to expect in court tomorrow - but I imagine more testimony regarding all of the evidence admitted today could be coming. I’m live at 6 on @KOAA , and will be live on Facebook later tonight. @KOAA

[URL='https://twitter.com/ColetteBordelon']Colette Bordelon @ColetteBordelon 1h
The defense wants context. How’d the hair get into the car? Is it from a living person, or a deceased one? How long has the hair been in there? The questions go on. #KelsieSchelling #DontheLucas[/URL]
Colette Bordelon @ColetteBordelon 1h
And, the hair found on the front passenger floor mat of #Schelling’s car matched the buccal swab of Sara Lucas, #DontheLucas’ mom. @KOAA
 
 
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Kasia Kerridge TV24m

SCHELLING/LUCAS TRIAL DAY 9 (2/2): CBI testified taking DNA samples from Donthe Lucas, Sara Lucas (his mother), one of his younger sisters and Laura Saxton (Kelsie's mom).
A forensic examiner explained today how mothers and their children have the same mitochondrial DNA.
4 strands of hair were reportedly found in Kelsie's car, two in the trunk, two in front passenger floor area. Forensic examination found one strand matched that of Laura Saxton, which could also match Kelsie. Another strand matched that of Sara Lucas, which could also match Donthe.
Also, a fairly big update: After hearing dozen of witnesses, Kelsie's team said they are expecting to wrap up possibly by Thursday. Once that happens, Lucas' team will take over testimonies.
 
We previously heard testimony about how tidy/orderly Kelsie kept her condo. I have little doubt that she would treat her vehicle any differently.

IMO, if hair fibers matching female, Lucas DNA was found inside Kelsie's vehicle, I believe the sample would be recent or about Feb 4-5, 2013.

I really can't think of any honorable reason for S Lucas hair to be found inside Kelsie's vehicle.
She already testified that she never saw Kelsie when she was last in Pueblo.

MOO
 
Refreshing from a prior post for news that most likely never made it into evidence for the trial:

Nov 19, 2015

Saxton's life changed forever on February 4th of 2013. Her daughter, Kelsie Schelling, disappeared. That night, Kelsie headed to Pueblo to visit her boyfriend, Donthe Lucas. Just that morning Schelling confirmed she was two months pregnant with their child.

"We know that she and Donthe met," said Saxton. "He has admitted that they met, but what transpired after is where the lies begin and where the statements don't match the physical evidence that we have."

[..]

Because the courts in our area don't give someone the right to sue over a botched police investigation, a magistrate judge is recommending the case against the police officers be thrown out. Still, it gives insight into what Laura Saxton believes happened to her daughter.

In the lawsuit, Saxton states the last text message Kelsie ever sent was to Donthe Lucas at 12:32 in the morning on February 5, 2013 asking where he was and quote "complaining that she had been waiting for over an hour for him."

According to the lawsuit, the next morning Donthe "withdrew $400 cash from the ATM" with Kelsie's card.

The lawsuit claims Donthe then parked Kelsie's car at the Walmart on West Northern Avenue in Pueblo. Video released by the Pueblo Police Department shows a person driving Kelsie's car out of the Walmart parking lot. It was found more than a week later parked at St. Mary Corwin hospital.

Months later, Laura Saxton's lawsuit claims a Pueblo landlord who was renting to Donthe's mother found her apartment abandoned and trashed. When he went to replace the carpet, the lawsuit claims the bottom was "soaked" with what "appeared to be blood."

[..]

11 News anchor Dianne Derby asked Pueblo Deputy Chief Mike Bennett about those claims. When asked if his department ever retrieved that carpet from the landlord Bennett replied, "That's what I meant when I said there is some misinformation going around involved in this case. I'm aware of all of those tips, our detectives are aware of all of those tips. As I said, all tips that we are aware of have been followed up thoroughly."

Unsolved: Mother's Search For Missing Daughter Kelsie Schelling
 
More back story that probably did not make it into evidence...

SchellingLawsuit_Watermarked.pdf

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLORADO

Civil Action No. 15-cv-255

LAURA SAXTON and
DOUG SCHELLING, as the surviving parent of Kelsie Schelling, decedent.

Plaintiffs,
v.

DONTHE LUCAS,
SARA LUCAS,
VIVIAN LUCAS,
DAWN SHAY LUCAS,
DETECTIVE NEAL ROBINSON, in his individual capacity,
SERGEANT KEN ESPINOZA, in his individual capacity,
DEPUTY POLICE CHIEF ANDREW McLACHLAN, in his individual capacity, and
CITY OF PUEBLO, COLORADO,

Defendants.
 
Seattle1 said:
Alleged texts with prostitutes discussed at Donthe Lucas trial

2/26/2021

Former Pueblo Police Department Detective Neal Robinson continued to testify Friday and read text messages allegedly sent by homicide suspect Donthe Lucas in the days following the 2013 disappearance of Kelsie Schelling.

[..]

Prior to Robinson’s reading of the texts, 10th Judicial District Judge Thomas Flesher informed the jury that the prosecution was recounting Lucas’ texts to show Lucas’ frame of mind in the days after Schelling’s disappearance, as well as to establish a possible motive for her murder.

Robinson testified Thursday that in the early morning hours of Feb. 5, just hours after Schelling arrived in Pueblo to see Lucas, Schelling’s phone dialed Reeves’ phone, though Reeves testified Thursday she had never met Schelling and that their only common acquaintance was Lucas.

[..]

Lucas' communication with Schelling's family on Feb. 9
Several of Lucas’ texts read by Robinson to the jury Friday were sent and received on Feb. 9, the same day when Schelling’s mother, Laura Saxton, contacted Lucas to inquire if he’d seen or heard from Schelling.

Saxton called Lucas that morning and subsequently sent several texts telling Lucas the family was worried and was contacting police.

Shortly after, cell phone data records show Lucas texted Schelling’s phone multiple times, saying that her family was worried and was thinking of involving police.

Robinson testified that prior to the Feb. 9 text exchanges, Lucas and Schelling’s phones had not communicated with each other since Feb. 5.

[..]

He [Lucas] later texted Saxton again, Robinson said, saying he had spoken with Schelling over the phone and that she said she was “OK” but that her phone was broken, which is why she was having trouble communicating.

[..]

Lucas then indicated to Saxton he believed Schelling was traveling back to California.

Robinson read a text that said Schelling was going to head back to California, where she’d previously lived, to resume working for her old employer at a tanning salon and get back together with her ex-boyfriend, Christopher Raybon.

Raybon also testified Friday, saying he had met Schelling at school in Oceanside, California and that they dated for a couple of months. He said Schelling moved back to Colorado after the semester ended and they spoke through text a handful of times in the following months, but never spoke about rekindling their relationship.

[..]

Lucas' alleged texts with love interest and prostitutes
Robinson also read several texts the evening of Feb. 9, to Reeves and several unknown numbers seemingly trying to solicit sex.

[..]

In cross examination, Tameler asked Robinson if there was ever any indication Lucas actually met with the “parties offering services” to Lucas through text, and Robinson said there was not.

Defense questions the thoroughness of the investigation
Tameler asked Robinson about a tip police received in which the tipster referenced a possible suspect who may have killed “that Kelsie girl.”

Robinson testified that the individual in question was spoken to and led police on a search of the South Side landfill that resulted in some cow bones being discovered.

[..]

Both the tipster and the individual identified in the tip have since died.

Robinson was also asked by Tameler if police found any evidence of bloodletting events at the two residences where Lucas was living at the time — he spent most of his nights at his grandmother’s residence on Manor Ridge Drive and most days at his mother’s address on Toronto Place — or within Schelling’s vehicle.

[..]

But five days passed before any Pueblo police officer stepped foot in the Manor Ridge Drive home, Robinson said, giving ample time for a potential crime scene to be cleaned.

Robinson also confirmed to Deputy District Attorney Kyle McCarthy on redirect that there are other ways a person can be murdered that do not result in a bloodletting event, such as a strangulation.

Lucas' mother and grandmother take the stand
Friday afternoon, the court heard briefly from Vivian Lucas, Donthe Lucas' 94-year-old grandmother whom he was living with on Manor Ridge Drive on the night of Schelling’s disappearance.

Schelling met up with Donthe at an intersection near Vivian Lucas’ home on the night of her disappearance, where she and Donthe would often meet.

Vivian Lucas was asked by prosecutors if she remembered a report she made to Binet, of Denver PD, saying she saw Donthe in the garage of her home around 4 a.m. Feb. 5 and that he told her was looking for something and instructed her to go back to bed.

[..]

Binet, who testified earlier in the case, again took the stand and a recording of his phone conversation with Vivian Lucas on Feb. 11 was played for the court.

In it, Vivian Lucas can be heard saying, “I just got up at 4 o’clock in the morning and went to the bathroom and when I came in my grandson was coming in the garage.

“I said, ‘What are you doing up this early?’ And he said, ‘I’m looking for something in the garage.’”

Donthe Lucas' mother, Sara Lucas, also took the stand, testifying about her communication with Schelling and her son surrounding Schelling’s disappearance.

Sara Lucas testified that she had only met Schelling once while she and Donthe were dating and that the meeting took place several months before Schelling’s disappearance.

She said she had met Schelling, unbeknownst to Donthe, at a park behind her residence on Toronto Place.

[..]

She said she created a secret text box in her phone where she would communicate with Schelling because Schelling had asked her not to save Schelling’s number in her phone, as she didn’t want Donthe to know they were communicating.

But in another recording by Binet played for the court, Sara Lucas was heard saying she had created the secret text box because Donthe did not want her talking to Schelling.

[..]

Sara Lucas testified that on the morning of Feb. 5, she was arriving at her mother Vivian’s house to pick her up.

She said as she approached her mother’s home, she noticed Schelling’s 2011 Chevy Cruze parked nearby and recognized it immediately, as she’d previously driven the vehicle with Schelling’s permission.

Upon entering Vivian's home, Sara Lucas said she confronted Donthe about Schelling being there.

“I told him I was not happy,” Sara Lucas said. “I thought that was a level of disrespect for him and her to be at my mother’s home.”

Although she noticed Schelling’s car, Lucas testified she never saw Schelling inside of Vivian’s home.

[..]

Sara Lucas said Donthe did not indicate where he and Schelling were planning on going, as far as she could remember, though she noted she did at some point tell Donthe he and Schelling might be able to get a pregnancy test by visiting Planned Parenthood.

McCarthy asked Sara Lucas if in her conversation with Donthe, he seemed nervous, anxious or upset; Sara Lucas said he did not.

But in another clip of Binet’s phone interview with Sara Lucas, she was heard telling him, “My mother asked me why I was crying I said, ‘Kelsie says she’s pregnant. She’s in your (Vivian’s) house and Donthe is acting weird. I don’t know.”

Later that day, Sara Lucas recalled Donthe asking her to pick him up from the Southside Walmart, which she did.

[..]

Tameler asked Sara Lucas if she already had a grandchild at this point in 2013, and she replied she already had two.

She said she was concerned when she found out Schelling was pregnant because she felt neither Schelling nor Donthe were ready for the responsibility of a child. But when Tameler asked her if she would have been welcoming of a third grandchild, she replied, “Very much so.”

Sara Lucas also testified that she had a very tight relationship with her son and would have noticed if he was anxious or upset, even if he didn’t bring it up to her.
Click to expand...
Wait? His mom only met Kelsie once but she’s also driven her car?
 
Seattle1 said:
More back story that probably did not make it into evidence...

SchellingLawsuit_Watermarked.pdf

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLORADO

Civil Action No. 15-cv-255

LAURA SAXTON and
DOUG SCHELLING, as the surviving parent of Kelsie Schelling, decedent.

Plaintiffs,
v.

DONTHE LUCAS,
SARA LUCAS,
VIVIAN LUCAS,
DAWN SHAY LUCAS,
DETECTIVE NEAL ROBINSON, in his individual capacity,
SERGEANT KEN ESPINOZA, in his individual capacity,
DEPUTY POLICE CHIEF ANDREW McLACHLAN, in his individual capacity, and
CITY OF PUEBLO, COLORADO,

Defendants.
Click to expand...
WOW!!!
 
Carol McKinley @CarolAMcKinley 2h
Murder trial of #DontheLucas is in its 3rd week as the prosecution grinds its way to a finish by week’s end. Monday we heard from a mitochondrial DNA expert who testified that a long brown hair found in the trunk of #KelsieSchelling ‘s Chevy Cruz was likely Kelsie’s. @ABC2020




Carol McKinley @CarolAMcKinley 2h
Lucas’ grandmother’s Pueblo backyard was dug 4-6 feet down in 2017 and all investigators found was a hair twisted around blue plastic. That hair later found to be too degraded to develop a DNA profile. #KelsieSchelling went missing in Feb 2013 - over 8 years ago.

Carol McKinley @CarolAMcKinley 16m
Turmoil in courtrm today over 1st witness in #donthelucas trial Day 10. Mercedes Woods- neighbor who got into battle with the Lucas’ family over “Kelsie Missing” posters showing Lucas address. In recess. Judge deciding whether to admit incident of Lucas mom destroying posters.
 
Last edited:
Colette Bordelon @ColetteBordelon 1m
Replying to @ColetteBordelon
Wood said she saw him in the screen door of his home on the phone. Then, she said moments later, his mom Sara Lucas pulled up and yelled at the family to stop harassing her son. Wood claims Sara Lucas almost assaulted her mother. Here's Sara Lucas on the stand last week: @KOAA


Colette Bordelon @ColetteBordelon 36s
Wood described Sara Lucas' voice as scary, mean, and harsh. "I can honestly say I was scared at that time that my mother was going to be assaulted." But the defense has Wood point out that the family stayed there for around 30 minutes, and Sara Lucas called the cops on them.


Colette Bordelon @ColetteBordelon 2m
DAY 10 of the #DontheLucas murder trial: Before the jury entered today, there was a heated discussion between the judge, prosecution, and defense regarding Mercedes Wood, who would be the first witness called to the stand today. @KOAA



Colette Bordelon @ColetteBordelon 8m
Before Wood took the stand, we knew she lived in the same neighborhood as the Lucas family from Feb. 2013 through the end of the year. The people wanted Wood to testify about a search in April of 2013, and an incident about missing posters for #KelsieSchelling. @KOAA


Colette Bordelon [URL='https://twitter.com/ColetteBordelon']@ColetteBordelon [/URL]7m
The prosecution claims the incidents show affirmative moves by Lucas and his mother to make the investigation more difficult, or thwart efforts to find #Schelling. @KOAA

Colette Bordelon [URL='https://twitter.com/ColetteBordelon']@ColetteBordelon [/URL]7m
The prosecution talked about an incident where Sara Lucas was seen by Wood tearing down posters that simply said "missing person" with a picture of #Schelling. Apparently, there was no information about #Lucas on the flyers.
@KOAA

[URL='https://twitter.com/ColetteBordelon']Colette Bordelon @ColetteBordelon 7mThe defense said that insinuating Sara Lucas as a sort of "co-conspirator" would be "new" for the jury, and that the prosecution "certainly didn't ilicit any of that information whe she [Sara Lucas] was on the stand. @KOAA[/URL]

Colette Bordelon @ColetteBordelon 1m
Replying to @ColetteBordelon
The defense also said Wood's testimony will speak more to Sara Lucas' actions than to Donthe's, and will confuse the jury. "Your honor, to allow that in does raise the danger of unfair prejudice."
@KOAA

Colette Bordelon @ColetteBordelon 54s
Ultimately, after closing the courtroom for around 20 minutes, the jury enters around 9:45 and Wood takes the stand. She only testifies to one of the incidents: when she and her family hung up missing posters for #Schelling near the #Lucas residence. @KOAA
 
Last edited:
Brandon Thompson [URL='https://twitter.com/BThompsonNews']@BThompsonNews [/URL]8m
Two witnesses so far in the Lucas trial today: an FBI agent and someone who lived in the neighborhood near Sara Lucas's Toronto place home. It's day 10 for the trial of Kelsie Schelling's accused killer. She was 21 and pregnant when she went missing in 2013.


Brandon Thompson [URL='https://twitter.com/BThompsonNews']@BThompsonNews [/URL]5m
Replying to @BThompsonNews
Next was FBI agent Rene Vonderhaar. She was part of the FBI teams to search Vivian Lucas's (Donthe's Grandmother s) backyard as well as Kelsie's car. At Vivian's home, they dug up about three feet of a garden bed because it looked disturbed, but nothing turned up.

[URL='https://twitter.com/BThompsonNews']Brandon Thompson @BThompsonNews [/URL]5m
So far its not clear if any thing was found in Kelsie's car during that search. Both searches took part in October of 2013.
 
Colette Bordelon [URL='https://twitter.com/ColetteBordelon']@ColetteBordelon [/URL]9m
Replying to @ColetteBordelon
Then, a retired FBI Agent took the stand, who led two searches in October of 2013 on #Lucas' grandmother's backyard, and on #Schelling's car. They dug up the flower bed in the backyard, but found nothing. @KOAA


Colette Bordelon [URL='https://twitter.com/ColetteBordelon']@ColetteBordelon [/URL]7m
This agent was trained to search for evidence, saying she was taught to never forget "people don't want you to find this evidence." Heading back inside the courtroom now. Will update on lunch. #KelsieSchelling #DontheLucas @KOAA
 
Carol McKinley[URL='https://twitter.com/CarolAMcKinley']@CarolAMcKinley[/URL]

Turmoil in courtrm today over 1st witness in #donthelucas trial Day 10. Mercedes Woods- neighbor who got into battle with the Lucas’ family over “Kelsie Missing” posters showing Lucas address. In recess. Judge deciding whether to admit incident of Lucas mom destroying posters.

Replying to
@CarolAMcKinley
Wood testifies to the poster incident, but outside, she tells me she was so afraid of the Lucas family, police escorted her back and forth from school for her 7th grade year, "the worse year of my life."
@ABC2020

9:31 AM · Mar 2, 2021
 
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