NV NV - Steven Koecher, 30, Henderson, 13 Dec 2009 - #22

[Caffeine]

I believe the guns were in the truck with him. maybe they could search his house because of the location he was pulled over in? Or previous charges? Idk

I guess with guns and marijuana in the car and a prior history with LE, a warrant may have seemed like an appropriate idea however one way or another they overstepped their boundaries, which is unfortunate because obviously there was some shady stuff going on at one point with this individual...

 

[carbuff]

I guess with guns and marijuana in the car and a prior history with LE, a warrant may have seemed like an appropriate idea however one way or another they overstepped their boundaries, which is unfortunate because obviously there was some shady stuff going on at one point with this individual...

Yeah, precisely. They could have followed the rules and still found what they needed.

 

[Laughing]

Yeah, precisely. They could have followed the rules and still found what they needed.

and IIRC this was before Steven disappeared, so we all figure he'd be safe now & we would never have heard of him!

 

[carbuff]

and IIRC this was before Steven disappeared, so we all figure he'd be safe now & we would never have heard of him!

[emoji22]

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[CONCRNED CTZN]

One thing I keep going back to here, and whether or not it's even an important detail; I don't know...is the conversation between Steven and a church mate (GW, I think?) early Sunday morning before he disappeared.

They two of them spoke of church events in Utah and Steven was quite willing to help and volunteered to leave NV and head back home to assist for an event later in the morning. His help wasn't necessary but he still was willing to drive a few hours back and lend a hand.

In retrospect, it seems like whatever he was doing at the time in NV wasn't all that pressing as he was ready to drop everything and come back to UT to help for an unspecified amount of time. So with that said, I don't really feel he necessarily needed to be in Henderson at an exact time. There seems to be some flexibility with what he was doing as he didn't seem to have any qualms heading back home.

I'm starting to think him passing the camera at almost exactly 12 noon is just a fluke and his business there didn't need to be a specific time, but perhaps just a window, be it that afternoon or any time later in the day.

Not that it gives any real insight as to what happened, but it is interesting to me that around 8 am that morning he was in a position to return to Utah without really compromising his activities in NV.

GW's response of "do whatever you are doing"...was always such a weird thing to say in my mind. And phone records show GW was only a few miles away from SK when the convo took place. And GW was in his seat at church at 12 when SK was walking in front of the camera. Therefore, GW was already on his way to St. George ready for church when he called and asked SK to cover?! (Maybe the convo was totally different than he states.) AND we were never really told what GW was doing in Vegas the night before. Always seemed strange. GW also stated to a reporter he helped search SK's apartment. If you look back I've raised this a few times, but I'm the only one bothered by him.


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[Caffeine]

GW's response of "do whatever you are doing"...was always such a weird thing to say in my mind. And phone records show GW was only a few miles away from SK when the convo took place. And GW was in his seat at church at 12 when SK was walking in front of the camera. Therefore, GW was already on his way to St. George ready for church when he called and asked SK to cover?! (Maybe the convo was totally different than he states.) AND we were never really told what GW was doing in Vegas the night before. Always seemed strange. GW also stated to a reporter he helped search SK's apartment. If you look back I've raised this a few times, but I'm the only one bothered by him.


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Their conversation is interesting to me for a few reasons. First, it's unusual to me that he and Steven both just happened to be in the Vegas area at the same time and yet he never bothered to ask Steven why. It sort of gives the impression that neither of them were particularly close, maybe nothing more than church acquaintances.

If I recall correctly the call was really short. He asked Steven for help, quickly realized it wasn't possible for him to do so and seemingly ended the call quickly without any further talk. There doesn't seem to be any curiosity or personal talk going on just "Oh, you aren't close enough to make it make in time? OK bye."

There's definitely something odd about it, considering GW made a point to seem involved in helping search for Steven later on, at least helping around his apartment.

But also what stands out it to me is Steven's total willingness to travel back to Utah that morning. Obviously he wouldn't have made it back in the time frame GW was looking for, but he seemed completely OK with leaving the area to help out with church. With that said, had he did leave for Utah he certainly wouldn't have been in Henderson at exactly 12 noon, so I'm starting to think that time isn't quite as significant as once believed.

 

[swjaxon]

I decline to read back over to find the post, sorry, but a reporter following the LL's story indicated that charges were "thrown out." Maybe the prosecutor's office noticed a problem with the search....

JMHO YMMV

Here's the deal with the case I'm talking about (stolen Porsche): LL was initially charged federally, but a motion to dismiss was filed due to an overreaching search warrant and it was granted. From there, the Utah County prosecutors pursued LL locally and secured (I believe) a plea. Give me a bit and I'll get all the federal court documents together.

EDIT: I only have a copy of the Motion to Suppress handy on the computer I'm on. But here it is. The court granted this motion and dismissed the case.

EDIT #2: Here's the original report that precipitated the investigation and federal charges filed against LL. This is the first time these have ever been made public. As you can see, the investigation was ongoing when SK went missing, yet the LL was immediately "cleared" by LE.

 

[carbuff]

I wonder if they had LL under surveillance.

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[Caffeine]

Here's the deal with the case I'm talking about (stolen Porsche): LL was initially charged federally, but a motion to dismiss was filed due to an overreaching search warrant and it was granted. From there, the Utah County prosecutors pursued LL locally and secured (I believe) a plea. Give me a bit and I'll get all the federal court documents together.

EDIT: I only have a copy of the Motion to Suppress handy on the computer I'm on. But here it is. The court granted this motion and dismissed the case.

EDIT #2: Here's the original report that precipitated the investigation and federal charges filed against LL. This is the first time these have ever been made public. As you can see, the investigation was ongoing when SK went missing, yet the LL was immediately "cleared" by LE.

Wow. That's some pretty compelling stuff.

@swjaxon

I believe you mentioned before he's still in jail, correct? When was he officially sentenced and how long is he serving in prison for this?

It's seems quite likely there's a big tangled web here and even if LL isn't directly involved it seems like it's quite possible he got the ball rolling for Steven to perhaps get involved in something that was way over his head.

 

[swjaxon]

I believe you mentioned before he's still in jail, correct? When was he officially sentenced and how long is he serving in prison for this?

If I'm not mistaken, his major charges got dropped, so he ended up only getting convicted of low-level stuff. He has never gone to prison and has been out and about for a long, long time.

 

[Laughing]

Wow. That's some pretty compelling stuff.

@swjaxon

It's seems quite likely there's a big tangled web here and even if LL isn't directly involved it seems like it's quite possible he got the ball rolling for Steven to perhaps get involved in something that was way over his head.

Compelling and tangled, indeed!

LL knows much that he isn't sayin'.

 

[Laughing]

:bump:

 

[Laughing]

:bump:

:bump:

 

[Fairy1]

Worth keeping an eye on:

https://www.reviewjournal.com/crime/human-remains-found-in-desert-near-pahrump/

The Nye County Sheriff’s Office alerted the Metropolitan Police Department of the human remains about 1:40 p.m., Metro officer Jay Rivera said. They were found just outside Pahrump, near Wheeler Pass Road in Clark County, he said.

“Obviously it’s been out there for a while,” he said.

 

[WesternArtist]

I know this is one of those cases with some very serious, invested and knowledgable sleuthers. I am far from that for this case. I tried searching to see if this has been considered but I couldn't find it -could the disappearance of Steven Koecher be connected to the disappearances of Jeramy Burt 2007 http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...rt-35-Boise-11-Feb-2007&highlight=jeramy+burt and Ahren Barnard 2004 http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...d-35-Boise-4-Dec-2004&highlight=ahren+barnard from Boise? The main POI in those cases relocated to St. George at some point after Jeramy's disappearance. She allegedly started dating her now ex-husband there before moving to St. George. She now runs a lawn care company that does Christmas decorations: http://honeybeelawncare.com/ The disappearances of Barnard and Burt were both suspicious considering their possible testimony against the POI in various cases. Her ex-husband down in St. George is/was an attorney. Could Koecher have had any involvement in a legal case? Was the Christmas decoration company ever identified?

On a side note, it looks like Keocher and GW were both from Northern Utah, originally (I found where GW got a speeding ticket in Idaho in 2005). Burt was originally from American Falls in Eastern Idaho. I'm really sorry if this possible connection has already been thoroughly exhausted. I did try to see if it had before posting.

 

[snowleopard]

If you search Mr Barnard and the name of Jeramy's attorney/poi there is an interesting thread with 'context'. Thanks WA!

 

[timsmith]

Just bumping for Steven. I’ve thought about him on and off since I first saw the Disappeared episode in the spring of 2011. Each one of us has wondered about what happened to him. Was he accidentally killed, murdered, or ended his life in the desert? Each one of those scenarios seems likely and unlikely at the same time.

His case hits some of us a little close to home than others. I know that I can relate. I did everything right in life, such as a college degree, volunteer work in another country, and being friendly to others just to end up jobless and moving from place to place in difficult living situations. Even visiting family can be painful when those who worked half as hard and don’t attend any church services get better jobs and lifestyles while gossiping and throwing curveball words about my life at me. It can be painful.

Anyway, I have thought about how Steven’s life would have been like had he never gone to Henderson. Granted, I would never have known that he existed, since the Disappeared episode was my introduction to him. Would he have a decent job today? Would he be married with kids? I’d like to think so. I never knew him, but in a strange way, can sense what his day to day life was like in the late fall of 2009: his frustration, depression, eagerness to work again, emotional pain when waking up and going to bed, viewing a dwindling bank account hoping that the new year will be better, etc.

Where ever Steven is, I hope he is well. If he has passed away, the world lost a valuable soul. I am certain though that the next world is much better. As time goes on, it is important to keep his memory alive. Eight years doesn’t have the same significance as ten, fifteen, or twenty, but hopefully each one of us can think about him on December 13 and say a prayer or light a candle or both. God bless you Steven and your family, friends, and supporters on Websleuths.

 

[fridaybaker]

I can't get over the odd long-range driving trips in the month before his death. Why wouldn't he mention it to anyone? On the one hand, he didn't seem to be hiding it (stopped at the friend's house); on the other, he didn't mention it. Such a coincidence that this driving happened so close to his disappearance.

I've never thought this before, but the landlord having an RX delivery service (if I recall correctly) is also coincidental. Did he agree to make some "deliveries" of whatever for him? What other reason????

Then, why on earth would the LL be calling him early in the morning after they'd already had a payment plan or such in place? Methinks he is the key here.

 

[Fairy1]

8 years later and still thinking of you, Steven. Wherever you are, I hope you're at peace.

 

[fridaybaker]

Just bumping for Steven. I’ve thought about him on and off since I first saw the Disappeared episode in the spring of 2011. Each one of us has wondered about what happened to him. Was he accidentally killed, murdered, or ended his life in the desert? Each one of those scenarios seems likely and unlikely at the same time.

His case hits some of us a little close to home than others. I know that I can relate. I did everything right in life, such as a college degree, volunteer work in another country, and being friendly to others just to end up jobless and moving from place to place in difficult living situations. Even visiting family can be painful when those who worked half as hard and don’t attend any church services get better jobs and lifestyles while gossiping and throwing curveball words about my life at me. It can be painful.

Anyway, I have thought about how Steven’s life would have been like had he never gone to Henderson. Granted, I would never have known that he existed, since the Disappeared episode was my introduction to him. Would he have a decent job today? Would he be married with kids? I’d like to think so. I never knew him, but in a strange way, can sense what his day to day life was like in the late fall of 2009: his frustration, depression, eagerness to work again, emotional pain when waking up and going to bed, viewing a dwindling bank account hoping that the new year will be better, etc.

Where ever Steven is, I hope he is well. If he has passed away, the world lost a valuable soul. I am certain though that the next world is much better. As time goes on, it is important to keep his memory alive. Eight years doesn’t have the same significance as ten, fifteen, or twenty, but hopefully each one of us can think about him on December 13 and say a prayer or light a candle or both. God bless you Steven and your family, friends, and supporters on Websleuths.

I do think that SK felt under tremendous pressure to be married and have a great career, etc., due to him having "checked all the right boxes". It's such a shame, though. Some of the very best people in life never marry, never have wonderful jobs, never have many, if any, friends, etc. Those things simply can't be expected. It's such a mystery, and so sad, to me that anyone expects such.

My experience in life, having been graduated from college, coming from a good family, doing charitable work, etc., is that life if FULL OF PAIN. Simply full of it. I always hope to have enough money to live on -hopefully one day more than that- but it's never occurred to me that I should expect to have such. That I should expect to be married and have children or any of the other wonderful advantages the world sometimes has to offer. (Eventually, I did marry, but very late in life, and I'm just incredibly grateful for that.) I look back at all the Catholic Saints who were....SAINTS.... and led absolutely miserable temporal lives. In fact, so many times in life, the very best people are made even better people by horrific circumstances. Of course, I can certainly understand frustration on SK's part, but to have the expectation of steady, good pay; marriage; friends; etc., is simply unrealistic.

I do think he was likely somewhat depressed, but none of the evidence seems to point to suicide, and from everything I've read about him, even if depressed, would be more likely to retreat from the sources of reminder of his situation (family/friends) and to tackle the money problem with more gusto/ingenuity, etc. I really don't think he committed suicide but, rather, met some unsavory character(s).