Saxtons hope was for answers. During the holiday season in 2012, Schelling surprised her family with news that she was pregnant. Still A Mystery. 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 the State Department of Corrections records, because Donthe is to spend the rest of his natural life behind bars, his estimated sentence discharge date is December 31, 9998. It said, "Where are you? Former jail inmate says Donthe Lucas claimed Kelsie Schelling - KRDO Lucas, according to Torres recap of the text exchange, replied, Cool, then said he wished Schelling didnt have to work that evening. Saxton still doesn't have all the answers she's searched tirelessly for. Its getting harder to come back, I dread the trips but I know I have to do it, she said. Hours later she vanished. The white stain in #Schelling's car was negative for saliva. 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. Ive been here over an hour just waiting., Schelling didnt show up to work on Feb. 5, and a worried co-worker tried calling her. For a full recap of Day 10 in the trial, click here. Laura Saxton Her last confirmed text message was sent to Lucas at 11:18 p.m. He comes off so lost and hurt. @KOAA. What if she is still out there somewhere? Saxton said. That's direct evidence.. She used to work out there and she lived there for a while. 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. 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. Suhr said she always knew what she was doing, trying to gather information about Schelling, and never fell in love with Lucas. This led them to believe Lucas had murdered Schelling, and disposed of her body there, though her remains have never been found. 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. Terms of Use | Donthe Lucas was found guilty of murdering his then-pregnant girlfriend, Kelsie Schelling, in 2013. I mean, who wants that for their child to be the final resting place? In December 2019, the judge postponed the trial until May 2020, as a new lawyer joined the defense team. DENVER - A Pueblo County jury found Donthe Lucas guilty Monday of first-degree murder in the 2013 death of his girlfriend, Kelsie Schelling, after just a few hours of deliberations. XLSX www.oupjapan.co.jp Lucas told Binet he and Schelling had not been on the best terms in recent months, as they wanted different things. However, Kadie, Megan Lancasters sister-in-law, did make her meeting. Chostner says there was more evidence to work with in 2017 versus 2013, and enough that gave him the confidence to press charges. In the recording, Lucas tells Binet the last time he heard from Schelling was the previous day, Feb. 9. However, even when the two moved away to pursue their respective careers, they continued dating up until the moment Kelsie disappeared. No blood was detected in #Schelling's car. Chieftain reporter Zach Hillstrom can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @ZachHillstrom, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Just had to make sure I was right. We wanna bring her home with us, her and Cadry both. [3] Overview [ edit] He inferred that Schelling had lied about being pregnant numerous times in the past to try to, make me stay with her and keep talking to her or whatever.. In late 2017, there was another huge development. If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. @KOAA, Kelsie Schelling's mother is called to the stand again. The trial, which began in February, was delayed multiple times, most recently due to someone in the courtroom testing positive for COVID-19. (PDF) Abandoning Art in the Name of Art: Transpositional Logic in Her. It was like standing on the precipice of a cliff and looking down, Chostner said. Kelsie Schelling, 21, vanished in February 2013 shortly after finding out that she was eight weeks pregnant. I moved the car, Chostner said. I'm never going to recover without getting her back, Saxton said. Schelling replied that she did want Lucas to accompany her to the doctor until I realized thats the last place you wanted to be.. Lucas was sentenced to. Though Schellings family got the verdict they wanted, they were still unable to bring her home for a proper burial. (1) 2021 TV-14. Documentary films The Invention of Marxism: How an Idea Changed Everything Christina Morina (Professor of Modern and Contemporary History, Professor of Modern and Contemporary History, Bielefeld University) . He said that Schelling had called him early that morning from a private number and said he told Schelling she needed to get in touch with her family members because they were worried about her. Murder of Kelsey Smith - Wikipedia Sinnema said Lucas told him that Schelling returned later that morning, again to discuss their relationship. Without a body or any direct evidence that tells us something happened to her, [changing the case] to a homicide, it may happen one day, but right now we haven't had any evidence to reclassify it, former deputy Pueblo police chief Andy McLachlan said. They found out that hed withdrawn $400 from her bank account. Emails the messenger had sent proved to be untraceable and an FBI analysis of their Facebook page revealed they used an IP address in Russia. 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. I mean, I could barely function.. The clip that I played at the beginning of my closing was his phrase to detectives. Opening statements were set to begin just after 8 a.m. Wednesday, and. 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. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Torres detailed a text from Lucas to Schelling just before noon that said, Um, yeah you can if you werent scared to get fired. 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.. Donthe Lucas. The car was moved from that location the following morning, then showed up at St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center Feb. 9. JDK-8141210 : Very slow loading of JavaScript file with recent JDK It's not guilty. So it's a strong message.. Their argument continued through texts beyond 4 a.m. MORE:Lucas trial day 1: Former inmate testifies Lucas admitted guilt to the murder, Later that morning, Torres read texts from Schelling to Lucas that said, Im sorry for hanging up on you over and over. Ryan Rivera, a former Pueblo County Jail inmate and a friend of Lucas, also testified. Dan is a reporter with the 13 Investigates team. Watch Still A Mystery - Season 1 | Prime Video - amazon.com KRDO NewsChannel 13 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation. Schelling,. As difficult as it was, its not impossible. But at 11:10 p.m., Lucas had still not arrived at Walmart. During the interview, Lucas admitted to moving Schelling's car specifically, driving it from the Walmart where they were supposed to meet to a nearby medical center where it was later found. Re-examine a current true crime case where unanswered questions remain and the mystery is still unraveling. Though it was likely frustrating and painful for Kelsies family, he believes it led to a successful conviction. Prosecutors said he also admitted to that in 2017. While in jail for this offense, Lucas told an inmate about his involvement with Kelsie Schelling, saying no one would ever find her body (via KRDO). Experts testify Tuesday on various evidence found in Schelling's car - KOAA If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. (Schelling's family denies claims that she ever engaged in the use of illegal substances, per ABC News). 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. Disturbing Details About Kelsie Schelling's Partner And Murderer - MSN You dont have to have a happy little family with me. The defense also had Walker confirm that she could not tell the jury whether the trends she discussed were present in Lucas and Schellings relationship and could not say if any specific acts of domestic violence took place between them. 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 dont feel right. There are no cameras allowed in the building and no live reporting from the courthouse. Suhr also testified that Lucas would break down and cry whenever he talked about Schelling he had nothing to do with her disappearance. It's still an open case. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Four days passed after Schelling drove to Pueblo on the night of Feb. 4. Suspecting foul play, police accelerated the investigation. Her boss called her not that long ago and offered her her job back.. 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. Eric Bravo took over the case with the help of Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) agent Kevin Torres. Donthe Lucas in court for Kelsie Schelling's murder. Her body has never been found. In partnership with Lauren Suhr, a young single mother who didnt know Kelsie Schelling or her family, was so moved by Schellings story that she decided she would try to get information on Schelling, on her own initiative, from Donthe Lucas. Schelling left work shortly after 8:40 p.m. and drove two hours to see Lucas in Pueblo. 'The Last Day,' Dateline's new documentary series, premieres with ABCs 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. Dont worry. Her mother said she wonders what would have become of her life. 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. After Sinnema, the missing persons case was referred to Ted Binet, a DPD detective with the missing and exploited persons unit. KELSIE SCHELLING: Donthe Lucas found guilty in murder trial for death / CBS Colorado. The website gives the following. Walker said domestic violence, broadly speaking, addresses patterns of coercive control where one person in a relationship maintains power over the other. She was reportedly on her way from Denver to Pueblo to discuss the pregnancy with Lucas. Obviously it's an important piece of evidence that he moved the car because it shows he's covering up the crime. Schelling, 21, went missing in 2013 after driving from Denver to Pueblo to see Lucas. He has this way about him that makes you feel so sorry for him. New5's Colette Bordelon reports that the District Attorney has confirmed that Martinez was going to testify for the prosecution this week that Lucas confessed to her that he killed Schelling. One year since the disappearance of Colorado woman Kelsie Schelling, her family continues to grow desperate to find her and is asking the public for help. 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. 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. In February 2013, Kelsie Schelling was very happy to find out she was eight weeks pregnant, according to ABC News. Mom fights to bring pregnant daughter's killer to justice 8 years after Its really hard to find words to use for it, because its so awful. 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. 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. Stop acting like you cant do it. Well, there certainly were evidentiary problems, Chostner said. At 11:29 a.m. on Feb. 5, Torres said Lucas texted his mother, Going to make sure she didnt leave anything in the house. Romantic interest of Lucas' retakes stand: Lauren Suhr, who now lives in Washington but lived in Colorado Springs in April 2016, took the stand virtually again Wednesday morning. 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.. As he told Sinnema, Lucas told Binet the last time hed seen Schelling was Tuesday, Feb. 5. From the. A recording of their conversation was introduced as evidence. 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.. 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. 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 . 11:55 a.m.: Laura Saxton, Kelsie Schelling's mother, was the first witness called to the stand by prosecutors. His book charts the interlinked ontology and theory of subjectivity constructed by iek at the intersection of German idealism and Lacanian theory. The community organized search efforts to try and find Schelling with her family filing a lawsuit in 2015 against the Pueblo Police Department and the Lucas family. Laura Saxton and her daughter Kelsie Schelling, who vanished in 2013. I never was.. 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. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. In May 2016, just after 20/20 covered Schellings case, Pueblo Police Capt. Deputy District Attorney Kyle McCarthy then skipped ahead to the communications exchanged the following day and asked Torres to read from texts that allegedly were exchanged between Donthe Lucas and his mother, Sara Lucas. So, lets find out more about where he is today, shall we? On Feb. 5, Lucas said the two of them were together, but video from the Walmart cameras show only one person, who police believe was Lucas, getting out of the car. You can use the money and fill the car up…. Unresolved: Release in which this issue/RFE will be addressed. CBS4 was on scene in 2017 when investigators dug up the yard of a home where Lucas used to live. 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 . Leave me alone, Lucas said. Criminal defense attorney Danielle Iredale joins host Ana Garcia. 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. In August of 1995, a local film crew in Arlington, Texas was doing a documentary on single mothers in welfare trying to get jobs. She questioned her daughters boyfriend Donthe Lucas on the phone herself, organized community searches as the case went cold and followed up on leads through the Help Find Kelsie Facebook page -- including one that claimed the young expectant mother was still alive. Later, when Schelling's car was recovered, Lucas' DNA and a strand of his mother's hair were discovered inside. Kelsie Schelling Murder: Donthe Lucas Trial Set To Begin Monday Schelling and Lucas met at Northeastern Junior College in 2010. Criminal defense attorney Danielle Iredale joins host Ana Garcia. Though Lucas had also previously denied having Schelling's cell phone, a comparison of his own cell phone records to hers later helped police uncover video evidence at a landfill that matched Lucas' general location at the time, per ABC News. Her last confirmed text message was sent to Lucas at 11:18 p.m. Her beloved daughter disappeared less than two weeks before her 22nd birthday on February 4, 2013. Donthe Lucas Now: Where Is Kelsie Schelling's Ex Today? - Heavy.com I had information that Donthe was leaving Pueblo with members of his family and was heading to [Denver International Airport], Pueblo County District Attorney Jeff Chostner said. I have nothing. I was holding onto my dads hand. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. She said shed have to think about it and drove home.