After all, this way, there would be no physical evidence left behind. OK. Walker said domestic violence, broadly speaking, addresses patterns of coercive control where one person in a relationship maintains power over the other. Saxton also pleaded with police to not stop searching for her daughter's body, so she can have a proper burial. And I can get her back, Kadie Lancaster told 20/20. What if he really does have her and I can bring her home?. PUEBLO, Colo. (KKTV . Lucas and Schelling continue to exchange texts throughout the day of Feb. 4, beginning before her OBGYN appointment. There's no single person other than the defendant in 2017, who's saying that [Schelling] was into drugs and that she was a party girl, McCarthy said. Lucas said hed informed Schelling during their visit that he did not want to be in a relationship with her. You dont have to have a happy little family with me. That's just 100% clarification that some dirt bags out there are trying to get money off of these poor families.. While this text was being sent, Torres said Schellings phone was pinging off of a cell tower within the area of Canon National Bank, where Donthe Lucas was seen on camera withdrawing $400 from Schellings bank account while driving her 2011 Chevy Cruze. We know that that's his thoughts and feelings about it. Donthe Lucas was charged with killing his 21-year-old girlfriend, Kelsie Schelling, who was pregnant at the time. Im not going today, Lucas allegedly responded. He said theyd spoken early that morning when Schelling arrived in Pueblo and their interactions continued through the following morning. Either make things work with me or walk away.. 2023 Telepictures Productions Inc. 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). Their lock to their front gate into the dump had been tampered with., It caught my attention when I grabbed the lock in my hand, and I said, Well, somebody tried to get in here overnight, Guadalupe Maestas, a worker at the landfill, told 20/20. Thats what came to my mind right away.. Sinnema said Lucas told him that Schelling returned later that morning, again to discuss their relationship. [That was] where he seemingly intended to board a flight to Tucson, and the concern was once he got to Arizona that he may take other efforts to meet friends in Mexico.. I know that my testimony could potentially help take him down, and that was realistically why I wanted to testify, she said. 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. 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. The next day, Schellings father tried to get in touch with her and received a strange text waving him off. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. You heard from Detective Kevin Torres how important the first 48 hours of an investigation are, and this defendant had 264, Chostner told the jury in closing arguments. Schelling replied that she did want Lucas to accompany her to the doctor until I realized thats the last place you wanted to be.. Before 6 p.m., Torres said Schelling texted Lucas, Then step up and make a relationship with me work. When the time came, Saxton even took the stand against her daughters killer. Still A Mystery. Laura Saxton, Schelling's mom, took the stand again and testified that Schelling's car was never in California. There are also limits on the number of people who can be in the courtroom because of the COVID-19 pandemic. For Lauras part, the case doesnt end with the verdict. Schelling's body hasn't been found. Sinnema said he spoke to Lucas that evening and Lucas told him Schelling had come to see him in the early morning hours of Feb. 5. Lucas had pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges. So-called jailhouse snitches are often considered to be not credible as jurors often ask what that witness may have received in return for testifying. Re-examine a current true crime case where unanswered questions remain and the mystery is still unraveling. Schelling was reportedly traveling from Denver to Pueblo to talk to Lucas about the pregnancy. But Tate said they would never perform a biopsy on a pregnant woman and said even if Schelling did have HPV, its a common diagnosis about 15 percent of women have HPV at any given time. He also told Suhr that a man he did not know picked Schelling up the last time he saw her. It's still an open case. But tragically, Kelsie Schelling went missing soon after she revealed her pregnancy to her partner, Donthe Lucas. He said they got in an argument and he exited her vehicle, but Schelling stayed in Pueblo that night. Schelling disappeared almost six years ago when she was heading to see Lucas in Pueblo. In addition to this, Schelling's phone records indicated a call was made from her cell to a woman who Schelling reportedly didn't know, and whom Lucas was romantically involved with even though Lucas could not explain the call. Eric Bravo said. However, due to technical difficulties, nobody in the public or the reporters pool could see or hear what was said or asked. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? I knew once her car was found that something horrible had happened, because there's just no way that she would've gone somewhere and left her car, Saxton said. I deliberated on it and I looked at the practicalities of it, Chostner said. Initially, their relationship seemed idyllic. From the. There was no sign of her in the apartment, and that's when we called the Denver police.. Therefore, after many delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he stood trial for the same in early 2021. Her friend was also in communication with Schelling's mom, Laura Saxton. We did not have a body that would've told us location No modus operandi of how she died. I ethically believe that Donthe Lucas killed Kelsie Schelling, and I think we have the evidence to prove it.. She was happy. A recording of their conversation was introduced as evidence. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. (viaABC News). I just get mad and I dont want to fight with you. Messages on Schelling's phone showed she texted Lucas that she was pregnant, and his replies indicated he was unhappy. There are no cameras allowed in the building and no live reporting from the courthouse. You dont have to marry me. Pueblo County District Attorney Jeff Chostner said investigators received a tip Lucas may be trying to skip town. It was the most emotional moment in the courtroom today by far, watching a mother look at these remnants of her daughter. Binet said, Not that I remember.. Police decided then that they would write an arrest warrant for the robbery to catch him before he left town. No one had been charged two years after Schelling disappeared and, because authorities had not found a body, it was still classified as a missing persons case. Thus, today, at the age of 28, Donthe Isiah Lucas, or inmate 190792, is incarcerated in the Centennial Correctional Facility in Canon City. If Police could not definitively say he was Lucas. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Born February 18, 1991, the 21-year-old from Denver, Colorado, was eight weeks pregnant when she decided to visit her boyfriend, Donthe Lucas, at the Home of Heroes in Pueblo. "Kelsie Schelling was feloniously killed when Donthe Lucas committed first-degree murder, second-degree murder, or manslaughter against Kelsie and Sara Lucas and Lucas acted as. That's direct evidence.. 2023 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. Doctor's records confirmed that she was eight weeks pregnant, with the presumed father being. Lucas said they met up again the following morning and that he brought Schelling to Parkview Medical Center, where she went inside the hospital and emerged a short time later, saying Im not pregnant. Then you can take her back home., Sara Lucas allegedly responded: What happened? and, Are you OK? to which Lucas responded, Yeah. Dont worry about me. More women ice fishing? On Feb. 4, 2013, Saxton said she called Kelsie's phone several times but didn't get an answer. Kelsie Schelling, 21, vanished in February 2013 shortly after finding out that she was eight weeks pregnant. She texts again at 11:24 p.m., saying Where are you? You couldn't see what kind of vehicle, you couldn't tell who was in the car, Pueblo police Capt. 4:34. He was sentenced immediately after the verdict by the judge to life in prison without parole. No blood was detected in #Schelling's car. The lead investigator on the case from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation believes Schelling was strangled by Lucas after he lured her down to Pueblo. Law enforcement finally turned Schellings missing persons case into a criminal case. They dated on and off while there, and after two years, they both decided to leave the school. They planned to meet but at the last minute, Wilkins told Saxton she was in the hospital and could not come. Youre good. Su gemela permanece en grave estado, Ahora puedes vivir en un crucero por US$ 30.000 por ao. Schelling tells Lucas, Im not going to come get you so we can fight all day., He responds: I dont want to fight at all I want to give you this.. 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. She said based on her evaluation, Schelling was, in fact, pregnant at the time of her disappearance. Ultimately, after hearing the prosecutors say that the most intimate and personal way to extinguish a life is wrapping two hands around a persons neck gripping their trachea, restricting their air, restricting their oxygen, the jury agreed with their arguments. Dateline's new documentary series "The Last Day" premiered this week with an episode about the killing of 20-year-old Iowan Mollie Tibbetts. 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. There were some clothes, Kelsies car, and the defendants backyard, but the key pieces of evidence were cell phone data. The Denver Police Department has said that they don't believe her death was connected to the trial. Saxton said she asked him to track the number and that he said he would, but, of course, he never did, Saxton said. After 13 days of trial, the defense surprised many when they announced they would not call any witnesses and immediately rested their case. Im very grateful that our paths crossed and God took us to this moment.. You can use the money and fill the car up…. PUEBLO The Pueblo murder trial of Donthe Lucas, who is accused of murdering his pregnant ex-girlfriend 21-year-old Kelsie Schelling in 2013, continued Wednesday following testimony from. . He said he wouldnt be surprised if she was out in California already or was on her way there. Lucas Defense: This is a reach the biggest reach in Pueblos history.. Circumstantial and forensic evidence are prominen Investigators have said he took $400 out of her account on that day. 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. It said, Where are you? : The UN in Libya; 3. Schelling, 21, was eight weeks pregnant at the time of her disappearance, according to news reports. The person you may send to pick up the cash at a particular location may know nothing about what the scam is.. She said she doesn't have her phone, and she said she'll be getting ahold of you.. 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," the man told "20/20.". "We're doing everything in our power. Lucas told Binet he and Schelling had not been on the best terms in recent months, as they wanted different things. The story was featured in the international media, including on America's Most Wanted, [2] before her body was found near a lake in Missouri on June 6, 2007. She wanted to see what I was going to do if I was going to leave her, try to help her, a whole bunch of crazy stuff., He said Schelling visited him around 2 a.m.Feb. 5, after shed driven to Pueblo and met him near his grandmothers house. Criminal defense attorney Danielle Iredale joins host Ana Garcia. Donthe was found at DIA. Even thinking about it now that we have the guilty verdict, [there is] just so much still to do to find Kelsie and bring her back to the family.. On 4 February, Kelsie got confirmation of her pregnancy from her doctor and sent the scan pictures to Lucas. Schelling's body has never been found, but she is presumed dead. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines | KRDO Jobs | FCC Applications |, KRDO FCC Public File | KRDO FCC Applications, Breaking News Updated June 10, 2022 ABC's '20/20: Kelsie Schelling,' as the title suggests, is an episode that chronicles the 2013 disappearance and murder of 21-year-old Kelsie Schelling from Denver, Colorado. 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. Then, prosecutors played Lucas interrogation tape for the jury. Kelsey Ann Smith (May 3, 1989 - June 2, 2007) was an Overland Park, Kansas teenager who disappeared on June 2, 2007 and was murdered that evening. Suhr said she never fell in love with Lucas and never saw him again, only reaching out to him to tell him she was ending their relationship. Her last confirmed text message was sent to Lucas at 11:18 p.m. The person sending the messages says I know where Megan is. Severe Weather For that reason, little DNA evidence was presented. She also informed us that Donthe admitted to her to being the one on the video dropping Kelsie's car off at [the] hospital.. Though Lucas has been sentenced to life behind bars for her murder, the exact location of Schellings remains have not been revealed and Saxton still hasnt been able to lay her to rest. Kelsie Schelling was only 21 years old when she vanished. The prosecution asked Binet if Lucas had told Sinnema in their Feb. 9 conversation about Schelling calling him from the private number that same day. Kelsie Schelling was over the moon. Chieftain reporter Zach Hillstrom can be reached at zhillstrom@chieftain.com or on Twitter @ZachHillstrom, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. That Saturday morning, Saxton said her whole world just unraveled., All of her friends started contacting us saying, We've been trying to reach Kelsie and we can't reach her, Saxton said. But their star witness, who would have allegedly testified that Donthe confessed the killing to her, couldnt make it to court as she was shot to death just days before. I grabbed my mother very tight and held her very close, Kelsies brother, Colby Schelling, said. MORE:Lucas trial day 3: Kelsie Schelling's friends continue testimony, cellphone records discussed. The homicide trial of Donthe Lucas, accused of first-degree murder in the 2013 disappearance of his pregnant girlfriend, Kelsie Schelling, resumed Monday with the testimony of Colorado Bureau of Investigation Agent Kevin Torres. PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- Years after Donthe Lucas' arrest following the disappearance of his pregnant girlfriend, Kelsie Schelling, jurors are hearing the case against him in court Wednesday.Lucas is accused of killing Schelling and has been charged with first-degree murder. Saxton said the messenger told her Lucas had sold her daughter into sex trafficking. A jury. Schelling,. 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. Authorities reviewed that admission, along with text message records, surveillance video and 60,000 pages of investigative material to determine whether there was enough evidence to prosecute Lucas. 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.. Please enter valid email address to continue. She said she received text messages, but they were curt and short, which was unlike Kelsie. Kelsie Schelling with her mom Laura Saxton. Her. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here. 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. Hear from those closest to the victims, including family, friends, local journalists and law enforcement. I'm really grateful to know that we know the answer, Saxton said. Criminal defense attorney Danielle Iredale joins host Ana Garcia. It said, "Where are you? Apart from that, there is also CCTV footage that shows him driving Kelsies car and withdrawing $400 from her bank account the morning after she vanished. Johnston also uses iek's combination of . She said the plan, orchestrated by one of her close friends, was to get close to Lucas. It's not guilty. So it's a strong message.. While in custody, Lucas admitted to police that he picked up Schellings car and dropped it off at the hospital. Torres said in the surveillance video showing the cash withdrawal, Schelling cannot be seen in the vehicle. In closing arguments, lead prosecutor Michelle Chostner ensured the jury had a clear understanding of the time Kelsies killer had to get rid of evidence or to clean things up. Lucas claimed he and Schelling then went to the South Side Walmart so Schelling could grab some snacks before driving back to Denver. Although some initially believed it seemed suspicious that Martinez died just before her testimony, investigators determined the shooting was completely unrelated to the trial. Editor's note: A previous version of this story said Rivera testified that Lucas specifically admitted to killing Kelsie Schelling. I mean, I could barely function.. Lucas appears to have asked Schelling to come down to Pueblo after she got off work the evening of Feb. 3, and expresses disappointment she will not drive down. Tatesaid her evaluation of Schelling showed no indication of prior pregnancies, miscarriages of abortions. Saxtons hope was for answers. He testified to various tests he ran on around 45 items of evidence. She said that domestic violence does not always escalate from mental and emotional abuse into physical abuse, but said changes in power dynamics such as a new pregnancy could lead to an escalation of abuse. Weeks passed until police learned they needed to move quickly to catch Lucas. Lucas was sentenced to. Schellings family offered $50,000 for information about her disappearance and set up a Facebook page called Help Find Kelsie.. Kelsie's mother Laura Saxton can barely hold back the tears. The argument between Schelling and Lucas, according to the exchanged texts as recounted by Torres, continued into the early morning hours of Feb. 4. 0:00. On Dec. 1, 2017, two weeks after his arrest for the robbery, Lucas was arrested and charged with first degree murder.

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