The Strangest Disappearance
When a person goes missing, the tragic consequences spread far. Family, friends, even investigators, become affected by the loss. Guilt, hope, fear, panic and other emotions equally as painful inhabit every waking moment of those who are most closely impacted by the incident. For all that, there is no denying that when it is a child who disappears, or a young woman, or mother of small children, the attention given by the media is greater than it is for a person who does not pull at the nation's heartstrings. Especially, for example, a man who holds no family responsibilities.
That is why, in all probability, few readers will be familiar with the case of Steven Koecher. But while his loss might be less well known than many, it is no less tragic. Steven was thirty, single and effectively out of work. A college graduate down on his luck. Right at the bottom of the list of people who might garner pages in the media, or online. Certainly, the mysterious circumstances of his disappearance have earned his case a couple of TV outings. His disappearance has been covered on the cable TV show Investigation Discovery, and episode two of season four of the true crime documentary series Disappeared also features Steven. But compared with many missing people, his story is little told.
What happened to Steven Koecher?