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BOUNTIFUL — With just one plug, hundreds of little lights turned a single Christmas tree outside a Bountiful home into a beacon of hope Tuesday night.
For Deanne Koecher, that hope has been going on for two years now: December 13, 2009 was the last time anyone saw her son, Steven Koecher.
"It's been a long two years. But with all of you, with all you've done these last two years, you've made it bearable," Deanne Koecher told family and friends who had gathered for the tree-lighting.
The last-known image of Steven Koecher was captured on a home security camera as he walked through a neighborhood in Henderson, Nev. Then he just disappeared.
"The worst thing is that there are no answers," said Dallin Koecher, Steven's brother. "If we could find one little clue, if it just gives a little bit of closure, that would be great — or at least explain why he was there, what he was doing."
Steven Koecher lived in St. George. His family thinks he was in Henderson looking for work. They searched the area several times, even police got involved, but to this day they have no clue where he went.
"It's hard to think somebody could just disappear in this day and age," Dallin Koecher said. "And with this technology, you can't just disappear without leaving some trail; and that's the most dumfounding thing I can think of."
It's hard to think somebody could just disappear in this day and age. And with this technology, you can't just disappear without leaving some trail; and that's the most dumfounding thing I can think of.
–Dallin Koecher, Steven's brother
Just before he disappeared, Steven Koecher told his mom it would be nice to put lights in their outside tree for Christmas. So that's exactly what she does, and keeps it lit until the bulbs burn out.
"And that's what we're going to do. We're just going to keep that as our symbol," Deanne Koecher said.
Steven Koecher was talked about briefly during the "Dateline NBC" special on Susan Powell last week. Steven Powell, Susan's father-in-law, suggested Steven Koecher ran off with Susan, but there has never been any evidence of that.
KSL News asked Deanne Koecher if seeing that suggestion on TV made her mad. She said no — even though it's completely ridiculous, at least it got her son's face on national TV. She's hoping maybe someone out there recognizes him.
If you have any information related to Steven Koecher's last-known whereabouts and disappearance, contact St. George police at 435-627-4950.
Email: acabrero@ksl.com