NV NV - Steven T. Koecher, 30, Henderson, 13 Dec 2009 - #19

[Fairy1]

You can't rent a PO Box without photo ID -- but it'd probably take a warrant to open up the records (they're considered federal, privacy act related).

The University Parkway runs between I-15 north into Orem (which is next to Provo). Along the way are fast food and chain restaurants, car dealers, moderate-priced motels, In-N-Out Burger at the corner with Street. Diagonally across the State & University Parkway intersection is University Mall...with the post office at the east end, across the street.
Total distance maps to 2.9 miles.

BUT....right at I-15 and University Parkway is Utah Valley University, a large state college. It's the more "liberal" college in the county (as opposed to BYU). There'd be lots of students in the immediate area.

If this is Steven, I sure wish he'd just drop a dime.

Would you happen to know if there are any homeless services in the area?

 

[laytonian]

Would you happen to know if there are any homeless services in the area?

I had to Google. It looks like the Utah County homeless shelter (Food and Care Coalition) is in Provo -- and its location maps out to about 6 miles from the two Orem sightings.

I'd think, IF this is Steven, that he's avoided homeless shelters. With all of the current financial difficulties, they're trying to shift medical and dental to Medicaid (and they can't do that, without ID).

 

[Fairy1]

I had to Google. It looks like the Utah County homeless shelter (Food and Care Coalition) is in Provo -- and its location maps out to about 6 miles from the two Orem sightings.

I'd think, IF this is Steven, that he's avoided homeless shelters. With all of the current financial difficulties, they're trying to shift medical and dental to Medicaid (and they can't do that, without ID).

Maybe he's doing odd jobs to make his way home??? Seems like he would be that kinda guy.

 

[laytonian]

The Ogden newspaper (the Standard-Examiner) has an excellent article this morning. CLICK HERE to read it.

In it, we learn that the family immediately rushed down to Utah County to check out the "sighting".

The family recently went through Steven's bible, and found the notes to a speech he gave in church just before he disappeared.
"(Steven) described his home life as being happy, supportive, loving and peaceful," Rolf Koecher said.

(Is this is the same speech that was described as "halting", by one of his fellow churchmembers?) I'm not sure how someone's home life could be considered "supportive", when you're living alone.

????

 

[Mia]

I'm glad the family is still actively looking for clues and found some of Steven's writings, but I wouldn't put much stock into notes from a speech he gave at church. Of course in a speech he is going to say his life is peaceful and happy and his family is supportive; unlikely he'd say he was in turmoil, or suicidal, or living a double life, even if he were. Again though, I'm so pleased to see Steven continually mentioned in the news. Like others on here, although I often read other threads I keep coming back to Steven's - his thread is my 'base' on Websleuths. You guys are also continuing to do a terrific job - congrats to Laytonian for the mention in the recent article. You deserve it!

 

[sbakker]

I am glad that people are still so wanting Steven to be found. People that do not know him, but have come to know him through this awesome website. I surely have gained some friendships of people that are so caring. I am so amazed, for the time and com-passion people put into this case.

I look at Steven's small circle of friends, not many social activities, and not much work. I am not saying that he was boring, but not a party animal. It still makes ME feel, who ever harmed him;it was someone he knew. Someone he trusted.

I am not ruling out that maybe he walked away, (and I do hope that is the case) but I feel he was harmed by someone that knew him. Someone he was going to meet, and have a fun time with.

Who were his friends? Who did he do social things with? Were they church members? Wasen't that his "social " life?

It seems as though, if it was harm that happened to Steven, it would narrow the case down. For his computor did not show anything. He did not have a big social life (we know about). Not a large group of friends, and not many employers.

Did the St. George or LV police departments take this case serious? Or isa it going to be a coldcase, that in a fewe years they may reopen?

 

[laytonian]

I am glad that people are still so wanting Steven to be found. People that do not know him, but have come to know him through this awesome website. I surely have gained some friendships of people that are so caring. I am so amazed, for the time and com-passion people put into this case.

I look at Steven's small circle of friends, not many social activities, and not much work. I am not saying that he was boring, but not a party animal. It still makes ME feel, who ever harmed him;it was someone he knew. Someone he trusted.

I am not ruling out that maybe he walked away, (and I do hope that is the case) but I feel he was harmed by someone that knew him. Someone he was going to meet, and have a fun time with.

Who were his friends? Who did he do social things with? Were they church members? Wasen't that his "social " life?

It seems as though, if it was harm that happened to Steven, it would narrow the case down. For his computor did not show anything. He did not have a big social life (we know about). Not a large group of friends, and not many employers.

Did the St. George or LV police departments take this case serious? Or isa it going to be a coldcase, that in a fewe years they may reopen?

As much as I'm sick of hearing about "S&S", the accusations from the P family (which DID start back in February) put emphasis on this case.

As we've seen confirmed in the past few days, LE did go over SK's banking and phone records to see if there was an "S&S" connection -- and that would have meant they identified everyone on all calls each made, back quite awhile. It also fit into the time that SK's computer was taken for forensics.

So maybe the Ps did do Steven's case a favor, by forcing LE to at least look at things closely...for awhile.

NOTE:
I updated the 2010 page of the timeline yesterday, adding the news stories that have legitimate information. (I avoided the sensational stories about the S&S theory, because they're nonproductive at this point.)

 

[seekingsusan]

"Early the next morning, Koecher's cell phone was used to check voicemail and picked up on a tower near US-95 and Russell Road. The phone apparently stayed at that location, communicating with that tower for more than two days before going dark. It is the last location Koecher can be connected to."

Why do I not remember knowing this? Did I miss this a some point or is this new info? If his phone was there for two days...it could still be there (keeping in mind "there" is a relative term and "there" could be a rather large area.) Crazy, I just don't remember discussing this fact....

http://www.8newsnow.com/story/13642095/searching-for-the-missing-people-of-las-vegas

 

[Fairy1]

"Early the next morning, Koecher's cell phone was used to check voicemail and picked up on a tower near US-95 and Russell Road. The phone apparently stayed at that location, communicating with that tower for more than two days before going dark. It is the last location Koecher can be connected to."

Why do I not remember knowing this? Did I miss this a some point or is this new info? If his phone was there for two days...it could still be there (keeping in mind "there" is a relative term and "there" could be a rather large area.) Crazy, I just don't remember discussing this fact....

http://www.8newsnow.com/story/13642095/searching-for-the-missing-people-of-las-vegas

Now that you mention it - I don't recall hearing the phone pinged from there for two more days! We did know about the US-95 (which is really the 515 there) and Russell Road ping. But two days? I don't recall that either! Then again, I couldn't tell you what I had for lunch yesterday!

Calling laytonian.........Did we know that???

 

[webrocket]

news to me. I think had we known that speculation would have been on what he was doing there for two days.

I did a google map search of that intersection where the tower was and the major N-S road to the east of Arroyo Grande Blvd is N. Stephanie Street. looks like alot of places to eat on that street.

 

[believe09]

I think it is new information from the investigation, although it is not new to LE or possibly family. He could have thrown his phone out of the window and it pinged until the battery died...

 

[laytonian]

"Early the next morning, Koecher's cell phone was used to check voicemail and picked up on a tower near US-95 and Russell Road. The phone apparently stayed at that location, communicating with that tower for more than two days before going dark. It is the last location Koecher can be connected to."

Why do I not remember knowing this? Did I miss this a some point or is this new info? If his phone was there for two days...it could still be there (keeping in mind "there" is a relative term and "there" could be a rather large area.) Crazy, I just don't remember discussing this fact....

http://www.8newsnow.com/story/13642095/searching-for-the-missing-people-of-las-vegas

It IS stated a bit differently that we've previously known -- but I read it as swjaxon having access to more detailed information, than previously.
In any case, all the incoming calls after 7:04am on Dec 14th 2009, were "tower hits" (on the same tower). We knew that.

The only thing that surprised me, was the possibility that the phone could have stayed live for that long, since I can't see an opportunity for it to be charged past Dec 12th. But 12V (automobile) cell phone chargers are cheap; he could easily have had one, and charged the phone on the morning of Dec 13th.

All I can make of it, is that the phone was disposed of...and it leads me to think he did walk away.

 

[laytonian]

news to me. I think had we known that speculation would have been on what he was doing there for two days.

I did a google map search of that intersection where the tower was and the major N-S road to the east of Arroyo Grande Blvd is N. Stephanie Street. looks like alot of places to eat on that street.

Don't forget swjaxon's map of the phone pings: HERE.

I don't think he was in possession of the phone, after that last voicemail check. No one he wanted to talk to was calling; just LL and TH bugging him over and over and over. He may have just tossed the damned thing, out of frustration.

Also, we have to remember what else we learned over the past year:
1--A Z residence in a nearby trailer park (at that time). Mile or two away.
2--Sin City's great sleuthing at the Circle K (Greyhound terminal) which is only 4 miles away from that last tower hit. (Remember, Sin City confirmed there's no Greyhound passenger manifest, you don't need to show ID unless you're picking up a "will call" ticket, etc.)
3 - The phone was dead for about 4 hours after the car was parked, then magically came alive in the Whitney Ranch area.
4 - An N family just across Anthem Parkway, on a similarly-named street to what SK walked down.

I have to admit I didn't do a very good job in Vegas last week (but had some good distractions!)
--Forgot to check out the possibility of getting lost trying to find an N residence on the similarly-named street across Anthem Parkway.
--I didn't scope out the Whitney Ranch area.

 

[believe09]

Personally, I find it a slightly more hopeful sign...that he tossed the phone and went on his way...clearly with help.

 

[laytonian]

Personally, I find it a slightly more hopeful sign...that he tossed the phone and went on his way...clearly with help.

Me, too. I haven't always believed it, but after we located the Pecos Tower for swjaxon's map - the phone's movements were clear. I no longer thought the tower hits were random; I saw a pattern.

I know his family believes a job appointment "went wrong", but how?

One reason they think it was a job appointment, is because his LinkedIn page says "Las Vegas Metro" -- but I tested that, months ago. I signed up for LinkedIn and gave a St George zip code. My profile also came up as "Las Vegas Metro".

It's good that his parents are starting to read his papers.

 

[webrocket]

Personally, I find it a slightly more hopeful sign...that he tossed the phone and went on his way...clearly with help.

yes, the same guy (er, person) he met up with in SCA at noon drove east. they had a meal, hit the sack early. SK woke up the next morning, checked voicemail then ditched the phone (with it still on apparently) before starting the first full day of his new life, unburdened by the culture he left behind in UT.

 

[laytonian]

yes, the same guy (er, person) he met up with in SCA at noon drove east. they had a meal, hit the sack early. SK woke up the next morning, checked voicemail then ditched the phone (with it still on apparently) before starting the first full day of his new life, unburdened by the culture he left behind in UT.

I believe, if he left on his own, he left totally on his own.

It's not that far to the Walgreen's store, where one can call a cab.
All it would have taken is a bus out of town, the next morning. Maybe a cheap smartphone.

Did he have a helper? Maybe, but I doubt if the helper is still with him....UNLESS he's living a quiet life with that person, in his home area, undiscovered. OR...unless he had been with that person for a long time, with the association between them somehow hidden and undiscovered.

All of those phone checks LE and the family made, were (obviously) to no one else who's "missing".
None of those phone checks turned up a criminal linkage.

If we're going to go down the "left with someone else" path, we need the same kind of linkage as we'd need to a criminal act.

 

[Lato]

Okay....if we think he left with someone...who? If his paperwork or phone or computer do not show "who" in headlines, does someone from St. George know "who"?

Has the person who knows something about SKs disappearance already decided to keep it quiet...from family, friends and LE. Would lying to LE maybe put him or her in jail? Is it too late for that person to
come forward?

......I think more about "why".....why was he there? Does anyone in St. George know "why"? Have
they kept this information from everyone? That is a very hard thing to do. Is it too late to come forward?

 

[believe09]

Adults can walk away from their lives and families. There is not a thing that is illegal about it. And technically, LE cannot tell the family of the missing adult that they have found him if they have, because this person is of age.

SK would be removed from NCIC probably and that is how you would know he has been found.

As for an accomplice in leaving-see above. It is not a crime to help someone leave their life. I suppose if it were someone close to SK they could be charged with obstructing an investigation if they knowingly pointed LE in another direction...but the chances are slim any jurisdiction would pursue it.

If he walked away, it was with good reason. If he intentionally hid his exit plan, well that was the point if he didnt want to be found, right?

 

[believe09]

I think if he walked away it was with help and he was advised by someone who had some experience at helping people hide. JMVHO.