Police found surveillance video showing Lucas driving her car at an ATM 12 hours after Schelling arrived in Pueblo. It's not guilty. So it's a strong message.. Lucas was sentenced to life in prison without parole. 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 it was likely frustrating and painful for Kelsies family, he believes it led to a successful conviction. Tatesaid her evaluation of Schelling showed no indication of prior pregnancies, miscarriages of abortions. Binet asked Lucas if there was any chance Schelling might have left her phone with him. This verdict came after the prosecutors shined a light on Donthes relationship with Kelsie and argued that he lured her to Pueblo to kill her after learning about the pregnancy. 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 . Lucas was arrested on Feb. 15, 2013 for felony identity theft for using Schellings debit card. She said the plan, orchestrated by one of her close friends, was to get close to Lucas. He has this way about him that makes you feel so sorry for him. As he told Sinnema, Lucas told Binet the last time hed seen Schelling was Tuesday, Feb. 5. The search for Tibbetts and the . In this week's True Crime Daily Podcast: An update to the Colorado cold case murder of missing pregnant woman Kelsie Schelling (1:50). Schellings family offered $50,000 for information about her disappearance and set up a Facebook page called Help Find Kelsie.. Editor's note: A previous version of this story said Rivera testified that Lucas specifically admitted to killing Kelsie Schelling. She texts him at 11:18 p.m., saying she has arrived at the meeting spot. Police could not definitively say he was Lucas. Feb. 4, 2013, was the last time Schelling was seen. Her mother said she wonders what would have become of her life. This article has been updated, and we apologize for the error. She called from a private number. Schelling disappeared almost six years ago when she was heading to see Lucas in Pueblo. @KOAA. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Sinnema said Lucas told him that Schelling returned later that morning, again to discuss their relationship. Laura Saxton fought tirelessly for justice in the case of her missing pregnant daughter. You ready for a smoke and a pancake?, Hell yeah. I just get mad and I dont want to fight with you. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Saxton still doesnt have all the answers shes searched tirelessly for. On February 4, 2013, 21-year-old Kelsie Schelling . She said shed have to think about it and drove home. 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. Asked about the conversation he allegedly had with Schelling the prior day, Feb. 9, when she called him from a blocked number, Lucas said the conversation was very short and consisted of Schelling yelling at him and telling him not to leave her voicemails. Colorado Bureau of Investigation's Forensic Scientist Collin Knaub takes the stand next and has worked for CBI since 2010. Last month, a woman considered as the star witness to be called by the defense was murdered in Denver. Schelling's body has never been found. After Sinnema, the missing persons case was referred to Ted Binet, a DPD detective with the missing and exploited persons unit. Yet, there was still someone else who said Lucas had confessed vital information: Lauren Suhr. Just wait and see for yourself, Lucas allegedly says in the texts. I will support you whether Donthe is in the picture or not in the picture. D. Reaction to proposed dangerous dog ordinance, Assault weapons ban introduced in Colorado legislature, Commercial fire on South Academy Boulevard, Pueblo man sentenced to 11 years for armed robbery, Challenge course open at Lake Minnequa Park, Best athletic wear for kids joining baseball and, How to watch all the Oscar-nominated movies in style, Best smart home devices for older users, according, Infants death linked to contaminated breast pump,, CAT scan: Pet goes through X-ray machine at Virginia, Man suffers life-threatening injuries in Pueblo shooting, Deputy identified in deputy-involved shooting, CMZoo needs your help winning national award, Hidden Gem: Ice wall near Colorado Springs. Love you, Sara Lucas said. 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 . She was like, Stop calling me. Help Find Kelsie/Facebook. They found out that hed withdrawn $400 from her bank account. 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.". Lucas pleaded not guilty to the murder charges in August 2018, and the judge set a trial date for 2019. He said theyd spoken early that morning when Schelling arrived in Pueblo and their interactions continued through the following morning. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 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. Around the same time, texts were also being exchanged from Lucas and Schellings phones. Police say her death does not appear to be related to the trial, but instead a possible result of domestic violence. I'm really grateful to know that we know the answer, Saxton said. Introduction: Managing the World; 1. Schelling texted Lucas at 8:50 p.m., saying, Im coming now. Saxton still doesn't have all the answers she's searched tirelessly for. By taking this avowal seriously, Adrian Johnston nally claries the philosophical project underlying iek's eorts. 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). There are also limits on the number of people who can be in the courtroom because of the COVID-19 pandemic. An officer stated that they believed Donthe strangled Kelsie. So be ready., At 9:19 p.m., Schelling texts Lucas to say that shes in Monument. Lucas pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in August 2018. Laura Saxton, Schelling's mom, took the stand again and testified that Schelling's car was never in California. Its really hard to find words to use for it, because its so awful. Morning Forecast However, even when the two moved away to pursue their respective careers, they continued dating up until the moment Kelsie disappeared. Resolved: Release in which this issue/RFE has been resolved. Torres said texts showed Schelling eventually agreed to come to Pueblo. I still have nowhere to go to take her flowers, to go sit and talk with her, take her balloons on her birthday, go to her on the holidays. 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. It reaches the surface, he said. 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.. Contests & Promotions, 2023, Pikes Peak Television, Inc. Colorado Springs, CO, USA, Divide mother missing for two years, family begging for any information, One man injured in shooting on Pueblos east side Friday afternoon, El suicidio de un menor argentino conmueve a Espaa. 4:34. Schelling,. Emmanuel Chandler was arrested for Martinez's death. We know that that's his thoughts and feelings about it. The theory would explain the lack of a murder weapon. 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. 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. Im sorry for hanging up on you … I truly am. Schelling's body has never been found. 21-year-old Kelsie Schelling was two months pregnant when she drove from Denver to Pueblo to see her former boyfriend Donthe Lucas. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, Opening statements in murder trial begin in case of Kelsie Schelling's disappearance, Donthe Lucas murder trial will begin Wednesday, Long-awaited murder trial to begin in the case of Kelsie Schelling's disappearance, Previous coverage: The Kelsie Schelling Case. For that reason, little DNA evidence was presented. They quickly learned about Lucas relationship with Suhr, and a crucial bit of information that he had revealed to her. Saxton also pleaded with police to not stop searching for her daughter's body, so she can have a proper burial. Colette Bordelon also spoke to Martinez's cousin, who said he believes her murder does have to do with the trial. Next on the witness stand was Kathleen Tate, a medical doctor who handled Schellings original OBGYN visit on Feb. 4. Then, in December 2020, the murder trial was set to start on Jan. 25, 2021. Weeks passed until police learned they needed to move quickly to catch Lucas. Criminal defense attorney Danielle Iredale joins host Ana Garcia. The clip that I played at the beginning of my closing was his phrase to detectives. I have to go to the doctor. During the hearings, while the defense called upon no witnesses, the prosecutors invited Kelsies friends, family members, investigators, along with other experts to take the stands and highlight how Donthe could have slain Kelsie. 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. "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. Shortly before noon, other texts are exchanged between Lucas and Schellings phones, which the prosecution alleges were not actually sent by Schelling. The defense in Lucas' trial rested on Monday without calling any witnesses. [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.. 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. However McCarthy said, there was no deals made about charges he would get to plead to, time he would get to serve. She said she received text messages, but they were curt and short, which was unlike Kelsie. Its going to be OK, Saxton said she told her daughter. The 21-year-old from Colorado had already announced to family and friends that she was expecting, and she and her parents had even begun picking out baby names. The suit criticized the way the investigation was handled but was ultimately dismissed. Didnt expect to feel like this now.. Dan is a reporter with the 13 Investigates team. 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. In December 2017, almost four years after Schelling's disappearance, Lucas was charged with her murder. According to News5's Colette Bordelon, Suhr would not categorize herself as a "sex informant," which she was called by the defense. In this week's True Crime Daily Podcast: An update to the Colorado cold case murder of missing pregnant woman Kelsie Schelling (1:50). Silly, she was so silly., I miss being silly with her, Saxton added. If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. 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. Dont text me. 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. : The UN in Libya; 3. I deliberated on it and I looked at the practicalities of it, Chostner said. The trial, which began in February, was delayed multiple times, most recently due to someone in the courtroom testing positive for COVID-19. Our Colette Bordelon will be there every day and will have coverage both online and over the air. 1 In February 2013, Kelsie Schelling was very happy to find out she was eight weeks pregnant, according to ABC News. After years of waiting for him to go on trial for her disappearance, the disturbing details about Schelling's relationship with Lucas were finally revealed more than eight years later during a Colorado court trial in 2021, with Lucas charged with her murder. Chieftain reporter Zach Hillstrom can be reached at zhillstrom@chieftain.com or on Twitter @ZachHillstrom, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The Economic Update with Tatiana Bailey Ph. Lucas also told police that he and Schelling went to the Walmart to get snacks before she made the drive back to Denver. That's direct evidence.. Walker said there are several different ways domestic violence offenders controls their victims -- through financial abuse, leveraging family dynamics, such as the presence of children, threats and intimidation and withholding emotional support. She definitely had that phone with her, Lucas said. 3 p.m.: Laura Saxton, Kelsie Schelling's mother, recalled the last time she saw her daughter, which was eight years ago as of Tuesday. Eric Bravo took over the case with the help of Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) agent Kevin Torres. Prosecutors told jurors, "This is not a missing persons case it is a homicide case," before saying that they are certain they'll be able to prove she was killed. Donthe took that away from me.. Oh my god, Torres said Sara Lucas replied. 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. Warner Bros. Entertainment | Apparently she had a miscarriage yesterday.. In December 2019, the judge postponed the trial until May 2020, as a new lawyer joined the defense team. Donthe was found at DIA. No blood was found on two knives collected. Saxton testified that she wasn't happy with the Pueblo Police Department's investigation, saying they weren't willing to coordinate with her on searches to try and find Kelsie. He said he wouldnt be surprised if she was out in California already or was on her way there. You couldn't see what kind of vehicle, you couldn't tell who was in the car, Pueblo police Capt. It was like standing on the precipice of a cliff and looking down, Chostner said. Eric Bravo said. It was just a special bond that we formed. Lucas said that he would help support the baby, according to Saxton. Around that time, Torres said, is when Schellings car was parked at the South Side Walmart, as evidenced by surveillance video of the parking lot. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. 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. Lucas tells her to, Just stop wasting time and come.. The jury found Lucas guilty of first-degree murder in a verdict that was delivered just after 4 p.m. Monday. We didn't have any of that.. But Lucas claimed when they spoke later, Schelling ended up telling me shes not pregnant. I didn't want to get in any deeper than I had already gotten into.. It said, "Where are you? Lucas told Binet he and Schelling had not been on the best terms in recent months, as they wanted different things. Lucas insisted to the man, who later testified about the incident in court, that he wouldn't be convicted of that crime but in the end, it seemed to seal his fate. Prosecutors confirmed that Wilkins and Martinez were the same person. That's just 100% clarification that some dirt bags out there are trying to get money off of these poor families.. She gave an emotional and powerful testimony emphasizing to the jury her daughter Kelsie really wanted to have her child. Schelling left work shortly after 8:40 p.m. and drove two hours to see Lucas in Pueblo. I never want to give up on trying to bring her home. she said.