Torres, continuing his testimony from Friday, began the fourth day of the trial by detailing alleged text exchanges between Lucas and Schelling on the night of Feb. 3 and the day of her disappearance Feb. 4, breaking them down minute-by-minute and hour-by-hour as the conversation unfolded. They never found anything on those searches. There were some clothes, Kelsies car, and the defendants backyard, but the key pieces of evidence were cell phone data. Since the trial is over, and Kelsie still hasn't been found I've just felt very, very lost and very empty, Saxton said in the week following the trial. She texts again at 11:24 p.m., saying Where are you? I have found that if you do it the right way, justice finds its own way. Asked by Binet if he had any idea where Schelling might be, Lucas replied, Shes been saying shes going to go back to California and get her job and get back with her ex-boyfriend.. On the day she reportedly disappeared, GPS on her phone showed it traveled to the same location in Pueblo as Lucas' phone. Colette Bordelon reports that the District Attorney has confirmed to her that Martinez was going to testify for the prosecution this week that Lucas confessed to her that he killed Schelling. He believes her murder does have to do with the #DontheLucas trial, even though Denver police have said they believe there's no connection. The messenger claimed they needed $50,000 in cash to help Schelling escape. Stop acting like you cant do it. Schelling's body has never been found. We wont speak of it again. Text messages show he first instructed her to go to a specific Walmart on the south side of town. Kelsie Schelling was over the moon. They quickly learned about Lucas relationship with Suhr, and a crucial bit of information that he had revealed to her. The Pap smear was abnormal, Tatesaid, seemed to show that Schelling might be at risk for cervical cancer and could possibly have had human papillomavirus (HPV), warranting a follow up evaluation. kelsie schelling murder, mollie tibbetts murder, true crime series. I never was.. Megan Lancaster, then 25, had disappeared just months after Schelling. Read More: Where is Kelsie Schellings Mother Now? In the texts, Lucas implies Schelling had asked him to come to her OBGYN appointment the following day the day of her disappearance saying he wanted to go with her and noting it seemed like Schelling wanted him to go. When the time came, Saxton even took the stand against her daughters killer. [He said] that [she] was his best friend and he had nothing to do with it, and then he would just shut down and start crying hysterically and get upset, Suhr said. Fixed: Release in which this issue/RFE has been fixed.The release containing this fix may be available for download as an Early Access Release or a General Availability Release. Prosecutors said he also admitted to that in 2017. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Kelsie Schelling was only 21 years old when she vanished. Resolved: Release in which this issue/RFE has been resolved. Thankfully I had a great team. Lucas said hed informed Schelling during their visit that he did not want to be in a relationship with her. After a few weeks, they met in person. 21-year-old Kelsie Schelling was two months pregnant when she drove from Denver to Pueblo to see her former boyfriend Donthe Lucas. The burden of proof is on the government, former Pueblo public defender Lisa Wayne told 20/20. So it's simply messaging in a very strong way to the jury, They haven't done it. Donthe was found at DIA. It was years before he went to trial for Schellings murder. Her body has never been found. I have no idea about no Megan or no kidnapping or anything like that, the man told 20/20. I had no clue anybody was supposed to be exchanging nothing for a human being If I did know, I would not have been involved in this situation.. Now that she is gone, Ive had to turn into a fighter, Saxton told 20/20.. Schellings car was discovered more than a week after her disappearance without a trace of the young expectant mom. Prosecutors also argued Lucas constantly used Schelling for money, her apartment in Denver and her car, claims the defense didnt deny. However McCarthy said, there was no deals made about charges he would get to plead to, time he would get to serve. In December 2017, investigators believed they finally had enough evidence to charge Lucas with the first-degree murder of Schelling, even though her remains have, as of this report, not been recovered. By Feb. 7, Saxton said her calls to Schelling were going directly to voicemail. As a mom, I couldnt even begin to fathom knowing that your childs out there or not out there, Suhr told 20/20 in an exclusive interview. Season 1. Those charges were later dropped when investigators found out that she would sometimes give him permission to use her bank card, and he was released. According to Lucas' account,the couple drank alcohol together and used marijuana and cocaine that night, the latter of which Lucas alleged was a surprise gift to Schelling. Morning Forecast It was tense because the time was ticking away, and the tires were turning on the road, Chostner said. He just says, If I hear from her, I'll let you know, Saxton said. On February 4, 2013, Schelling went to a local Walmart in the town of Pueblo, Colorado, where she planned to meet up with Lucas and tell him about her new pregnancy but according to interview footage taken in 2017, Lucas told investigators that the night had taken a different turn (via Fox 21 News). Opening statements were set to begin just after 8 a.m. Wednesday, and. Saxton called Lucas, asking if he knew anything about her daughters disappearance. Love you Donthe.. I love you very much and you know it. Since meeting in 2010 as students at a junior college in Colorado, Kelsie Schelling and Donthe Lucas purportedly had a fraught relationship, one which allegedly turned abusive on the part of Lucas, according to Schelling's friends and relatives (via Fox 21 News). His trial finally began in February 2021, and he was ultimately convicted of the crime, receiving a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Former FBI agent and cellular software expert Scott Eicher testified Friday that cell phone records showed Schellings movements that night -- her phone, Eicher said, left the area of her employment in Denver, traveled south on Interstate 25 and eventually arrived in Pueblo. Schelling's body hasn't been found.Opening statements were set to begin just after 8 a.m. Wednesday, and KRDO's Dan Beedie is in the courtroom gathering information as the trial takes place. I mean, it's a sad story. Its going to be OK, Saxton said she told her daughter. I was holding onto my dads hand. That was dumb and I apologize. I do not.. According to News5's Colette Bordelon, Suhr would not categorize herself as a "sex informant," which she was called by the defense. On Feb. 3 2013, text message records show Lucas had tried to convince Schelling to drive from Denver to his hometown of Pueblo, Colorado, to receive a surprise gift. After that, she moved to Washington in spring 2017 and never spoke to Lucas again. Well, there certainly were evidentiary problems, Chostner said. Walker was called as a blind expert, meaning she was not familiar with the details of the Lucas case but spoke to general trends in domestic violence cases. But it soon became clear that Schelling had disappeared without a trace and no one knew where she was. After 13 days of trial, the defense surprised many when they announced they would not call any witnesses and immediately rested their case. There was no deals like that.. If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. YouTube: Body parts found in suitcases, luggage tags lead to suspected killer; Kelsie Schelling update - TCDPOD, TRUE CRIME DAILY: THE PODCAST covers high-profile and under-the-radar cases SUBSCRIBE: APPLE PODCASTS / SPOTIFY / STITCHER / GOOGLE PODCASTS / YOUTUBE. Just wait and see for yourself, you probably wouldnt believe me if I told you anyway, so you can see for yourself.. Obviously it's an important piece of evidence that he moved the car because it shows he's covering up the crime. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. It was just so emotional for everybody, for both sides, Saxton said. Sinnema testified that Lucas never mentioned: leaving Schellings vehicle at Walmart; meeting Schelling on a side-street of his grandmothers home; Schelling staying in his home that night on Manor Ridge Drive; or using Schellings debit card. So be ready., At 9:19 p.m., Schelling texts Lucas to say that shes in Monument. Synopsis:Kelsie Schelling disappears one night after leaving work, leading family and investigators on a four-year hunt to find the pregnant 21-year-old; cell phone records reveal what happened to . Im very grateful that our paths crossed and God took us to this moment.. Late in the afternoon on March 8, a Pueblo County jury issued a guilty verdict in the trial of Donthe Lucas, who'd been charged with killing his pregnant girlfriend, Denver's Kelsie . The clip that I played at the beginning of my closing was his phrase to detectives. Donthe Lucas was charged with killing his 21-year-old girlfriend, Kelsie Schelling, who was pregnant at the time. The Denver Police Department has said that they don't believe her death was connected to the trial. Schelling left work shortly after 8:40 p.m. and drove two hours to see Lucas in Pueblo. . However, in January of 2019, both the prosecution and defense said they would not be ready to go to trial by early April 2019, because of an additional 125 witnesses who could possibly be called to testify. Schelling's body has never been found, but she is presumed dead. Suspecting foul play, police accelerated the investigation. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines | KRDO Jobs | FCC Applications |, KRDO FCC Public File | KRDO FCC Applications, Breaking News Schelling's body hasn't been found. Severe Weather On February 4, 2013, 21-year-old Kelsie Schelling . Her. It was the most emotional moment in the courtroom today by far, watching a mother look at these remnants of her daughter. Unresolved: Release in which this issue/RFE will be addressed. The prosecution argued that Lucas didnt want his pregnant girlfriend to have their unborn baby, so he plotted and killed her before it could happen. Our Colette Bordelon will be there every day and will have coverage both online and over the air. He comes off so lost and hurt. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. They instructed Saxton to bring the money to a specific McDonalds restaurant in Vancouver, Washington, and to hand deliver it to a person named Marcus who would be wearing a red hat. She said she feels some relief that Lucas won't be out on the street to manipulate any more women., Saxton hopes that people remember Kelsie Schelling as a little girl with a really big heart, a really big smile, a really big laugh, beautiful eyes, [and a] lover of animals, lover of children. Kelsie Schelling wouldve turned 30 this year. A man in Pueblo reported that Lucas and his family members had attacked him in front of the Lucas family home and stolen $1,000 from him. He was sentenced immediately after the verdict by the judge to life in prison without parole. However, 20/20 learned that in March 2013, a woman named Roxann Wilkins reached out to Schellings mother through the Facebook page, saying she used to date Lucas and he had confessed to her that he killed Schelling and where her body was. Introduction: Managing the World; 1. 2023 Telepictures Productions Inc. Lucas, according to Torres, directs her to go to Walmart. We know that that's his thoughts and feelings about it. Lucas and Schelling seem to allude to a trip Lucas was planning on taking that day, seemingly to Kansas, on which he asked Schelling to accompany him. As freshmen, while she was a psychology student, he was an athlete who dreamed of being a professional basketball player. I know that that is a long shot than anybody [sic] would even try to help us with that., Saxton said the thought of her daughters body being left there is just the worst possibility to me, because he discarded her like garbage. Yet, in November 2017, he confessed to being the one who had abandoned her vehicle at the St. Mary-Corwin hospital, where it was eventually found. S43 E19 Finding Kelsie A young woman goes missing. "We're very thankful for this outcome, but in the end I didn't get Kelsey back, and that's what I wanted more than anything," said Schelling's mother, Laura Saxton shortly after the verdict was read. Then, at 11:10 p.m., he told her to go to another location near his grandmothers house. We also spoke to Martinez's cousin exclusively. Schelling didnt show up to work on Feb. 5, and her worried co-worker Savannah Heggie tried calling her. Asked if he believed Schelling orchestrated her own disappearance, Binet said, No. At 9:56 p.m., she texts again, saying, Almost there. But I guess the relief I had knowing that it was a quick verdict, was that even if it didn't come out in our favor, this question has been decided for the community. Warner Bros. Entertainment | Police say that Lucas cell phone data shows he couldve been at the landfill that night. I wont tell you about my appointment. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website. In the recording, Lucas tells Binet the last time he heard from Schelling was the previous day, Feb. 9. Prosecutors confirmed that Wilkins and Martinez were the same person. Saxtons hope was for answers. wordlist = ['!', '$.027', '$.03', '$.054/mbf', '$.07', '$.07/cwt', '$.076', '$.09', '$.10-a-minute', '$.105', '$.12', '$.30', '$.30/mbf', '$.50', '$.65', '$.75', '$. Its been over eight years since Laura Saxtons 21-year-old pregnant daughter Kelsie Schelling vanished. Kelsie Schelling was eight weeks pregnant when she vanished. You ready for a smoke and a pancake?, Hell yeah. The lawsuit was dismissed, and shortly after, Torres took the reins of the case, meeting Saxton in September 2016. Messages on Schelling's phone showed she texted Lucas that she was pregnant, and his replies indicated he was unhappy. Family photo. Eric Bravo said. It was discovered during the trial Wednesday morning that an upcoming witness in the trial was found shot to death last week in Denver. Sinnema said Lucas also did not mention dropping Schellings vehicle off at St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center on Feb. 7. In cross examination, Tameler asked Binet if, in his time with the missing and exploited persons unit, hed encountered people who intentionally disappeared to get away from their lives, and if such people tend to make sure they dont leave indicators to where they might be going. How to Build a State? The co-worker received a text message, supposedly from Schelling, saying she wasnt having the baby anymore because it was growing in the wrong place.. The Economic Update with Tatiana Bailey Ph. Initially, their relationship seemed idyllic. Its really hard to find words to use for it, because its so awful. Privacy Policy | PUEBLO, Colo. (KDVR) After numerous delays in the trial of the man accused of killing Kelsie Schelling in 2013, Donthe Lucas was found guilty by a jury in in a Pueblo courtroom. @KOAA. However, even when the two moved away to pursue their respective careers, they continued dating up until the moment Kelsie disappeared. Just wait and see for yourself, Lucas allegedly says in the texts. Lucas also told police that he and Schelling went to the Walmart to get snacks before she made the drive back to Denver. Watch the full story on "20/20" FRIDAY at 9 p.m. Her boss called her not that long ago and offered her her job back.. I felt like I got to see a side of him that maybe most people didnt, she said. Criminal defense attorney Danielle Iredale joins host Ana Garcia. DENVER A woman found dead in Denver's Hampden South neighborhood on Feb. 25 was scheduled to testify in the murder trial of Kelsie Schelling, the Pueblo County District Attorney's Office . The defense points out that Suhr was lying to Lucas the whole time, and tried to have her admit she was having sex with him in exchange for information. By taking this avowal seriously, Adrian Johnston nally claries the philosophical project underlying iek's eorts. Though Lucas denied his involvement in anything to do with Schelling in what eventually became a criminal case, things took a turn in 2017 after local authorities brought him in for questioning, per The Pueblo Chieftain. She was like, Stop calling me. Court rules state that no outside communication can happen inside the courtroom, but we will update this article with new details when they're available. Roxann Martinez was shot and killed at the intersection of E. Kenyon Dr. and S. Wabash St. at 11 p.m. on Feb 25. In December 2017, almost four years after Schelling's disappearance, Lucas was charged with her murder. However, Lucas' defense team called the trial "the biggest reach in Pueblo's history," saying that prosecutors didn't have a weapon, cause of death, location of the murder, or location of the body. Kelsie Schelling, 21, vanished in February 2013 shortly after finding out that she was eight weeks pregnant. Four days passed after Schelling drove to Pueblo on the night of Feb. 4. He was the first person who listened to me like I wasnt a crazy person, said Laura Saxton, Kelsies mother, He gave me hope when I didnt have any.. The prosecution also used surveillance video of Lucas alone at the Walmart and cell phone data showing his location indicated he had been driving in Schellings car after she vanished. Lucas said that he would help support the baby, according to Saxton. Her mother said she wonders what would have become of her life. Testimony in the trial is set to resume Tuesday, with Schelling's older brother, Colby Schelling, on the witness stand. She did say that he called once from jail, but they ultimately never spoke again. A Kelsie Schelling opust domov a u se nikdy nevrt lo o hroznou nehodu, nebo nco dsivjho? Suhr said she always knew what she was doing, trying to gather information about Schelling, and never fell in love with Lucas. The defenses strategy, though, was to contend how this case was the biggest stretch in Colorado history as there was no body, no crime scene, and no DNA evidence against Donthe. She said shed have to think about it and drove home. His book charts the interlinked ontology and theory of subjectivity constructed by iek at the intersection of German idealism and Lacanian theory. Saxton said the messenger told her Lucas had sold her daughter into sex trafficking. Tatesaid her evaluation of Schelling showed no indication of prior pregnancies, miscarriages of abortions. The suit criticized the way the investigation was handled but was ultimately dismissed. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. You dont have an obligation to me. Suhr testified that Lucas had admitted to her that he was the mysterious figure seen picking up Schellings car after it sat overnight in a Walmart parking lot and that he had also dropped the car off at the hospital. Sara Lucas says she only met her son's girlfriend. In cross-examination, Lucas attorneys sought to discredit Walkers testimony by pointing out she has testified for prosecutorial bodies about trends in domestic violence more than 75 times in the past, and only testified on behalf of the defense in one prior case. He admitted to those text messages, Pueblo Assistant District Attorney Kyle McCarthy said. They began to suspect the text messages werent coming from Schelling at all. At 11:14 p.m., he changes plans and tells Schelling to meet him, where you usually do, seemingly referring to an intersection near his grandmothers home where Schelling had picked him up on previous occasions. Kelsie Schelling (credit: CBS) When she disappeared in February 2013, Schelling was pregnant and was reportedly travelling from Denver to Pueblo to talk to Lucas about it. That man, Donthe Lucas, was convicted for her murder and sentenced to life in prison on Monday. Weeks passed until police learned they needed to move quickly to catch Lucas. Lucas pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in August 2018. CBS4 was on scene in 2017 when investigators dug up the yard of a home where Lucas used to live. Kelsie Schelling disappeared after driving down from Denver to Pueblo on February 4th, 2013. In September 2016, a stressed and worried mother, Laura Saxton, reached out to him, hoping to reinvigorate the case of her missing daughter, Kelsie Schelling. A murder conviction without a body is an instance of a person being convicted of murder despite the absence of the victim's body. After Torres, the prosecution called to the stand Jennifer Walker, the executive director of the Crisis Center a nonprofit organization in Douglas County that address domestic violence. Though it might have taken four years for Donthe Lucas to be arrested and charged for the murder of Kelsie Schelling in December 2017, there were a number of observations made by those who knew the couple that raised a few flags. You can use the money and fill the car up…. That's direct evidence.. Torres is largely credited for compiling the case to arrest him. Thus, today, at the age of 28, Donthe Isiah Lucas, or inmate 190792, is incarcerated in the Centennial Correctional Facility in Canon City. No blood was found on two knives collected. Pueblo County District Attorney Jeff Chostner said investigators received a tip Lucas may be trying to skip town. Suhr messaged Lucas on Facebook saying she was new to the Pueblo area and that she was looking to meet new people. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play. In most scams, they're compartmentalized, Garrett said. No one.. Attorney Becky Briggs, part of Lucas defense team, grilled Tateabout Schellings medical history and asked Tateabout what was referred to by a medical assistant as a worrisome Pap smear at Schellings appointment. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? The man claimed he was lured online into a supposed jewelry venture, and that he was told to pick up the money and wire it to someone hed never met. Her phone, according to Torres and Eicher, was also never recorded as having left Pueblo. Ryan Rivera said that Lucas once told him while they were about to play a game of cards that investigators would never find Schelling's body. @KOAA, Kelsie Schelling's mother is called to the stand again. She'd driven down from Denver to Pueblo to meet her boyfriend Donthe Lucas, who had. The prosecution asserts Kelsie was killed sometime between midnight the night of Feb. 4 and before 3 a.m. the morning of Feb. 5. 20/20 was there when Marcus went to collect the cash in 2015 -- with Lancaster and an undercover reporter using a hidden camera and microphone. Forget Im pregnant, seriously., Just before 3 a.m., according to Torres testimony, Schelling texted Lucas, You dont have to be in a relationship with me.
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