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 . 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. Saxton rallied the Pueblo community and led her own searches for her missing daughter around the city. 13M subscribers Kelsie Schelling goes to see boyfriend, never seen again: Part 3 Schelling left work and headed to Pueblo, Colorado, where her boyfriend Donthe Lucas asked her to meet. It was just so emotional for everybody, for both sides, Saxton said. Lucas was sentenced to. I'm really grateful to know that we know the answer, Saxton said. Lucas had pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges. 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.". 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. When Suhr was back on the witness stand Wednesday, she said Lucas proposed to her, who took the ring, but said she would have to think about it. 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). In August of 1995, a local film crew in Arlington, Texas was doing a documentary on single mothers in welfare trying to get jobs. Saxton still doesn't have all the answers she's searched tirelessly for. 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. Suhr also testified that Lucas would break down and cry whenever he talked about Schelling he had nothing to do with her disappearance. It reaches the surface, he said. Resolved: Release in which this issue/RFE has been resolved. Just had to make sure I was right. 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. If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. It made me sick. Then, Suhr said something unexpected happened with Lucas: her undercover relationship with him blossomed into romance. They found out that hed withdrawn $400 from her bank account. It is still an open case. Kelsie Schelling went missing in Pueblo, Colorado back in February 2013 after she went to tell her boyfriend Donthe Lucas that she was pregnant Schelling's body has never been found but she. Its been over eight years since Laura Saxtons 21-year-old pregnant daughter Kelsie Schelling vanished. 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. We also spoke to Martinez's cousin exclusively. So be ready., At 9:19 p.m., Schelling texts Lucas to say that shes in Monument. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Then you can take her back home., Sara Lucas allegedly responded: What happened? and, Are you OK? to which Lucas responded, Yeah. It was just a special bond that we formed. 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. She said she received text messages, but they were curt and short, which was unlike Kelsie. 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. Thus, today, at the age of 28, Donthe Isiah Lucas, or inmate 190792, is incarcerated in the Centennial Correctional Facility in Canon City. Testimony in the trial is set to resume Tuesday, with Schelling's older brother, Colby Schelling, on the witness stand. Dont worry about me. Scheels says, yes! She drove to Pueblo that night to meet him, explaining that he had told her to come. She said shed have to think about it and drove home. Schelling's body hasn't been found. It said, Where are you? I've been here over an hour just waiting." Schelling didn't show up to work on Feb. 5, and a worried co-worker tried calling her. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Feb. 4, 2013, was the last time Schelling was seen. The Pueblo landfill said there was evidence of a car at the dump and Lucas' cell phone data suggest he could have been there the night of Feb. 4, 2013. Binet asked Lucas if he had any idea where Schelling might be, to which Lucas replied: Honestly, Im not too sure. She said they dated for a year when, on his porch, he started hyperventilating and crying. 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 various experts on evidence found in her vehicle. He testified to various tests he ran on around 45 items of evidence. She texts him at 11:18 p.m., saying she has arrived at the meeting spot. 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. A recording of their conversation was introduced as evidence. . Police could not definitively say he was Lucas. Saxton said she remembered asking investigators if these items were in the vehicle when it was recovered and she was told they were not. You couldn't see what kind of vehicle, you couldn't tell who was in the car, Pueblo police Capt. At 1:28 a.m., Schelling tells Lucas, I wont tell you anything about the baby. 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. Tate said Schellings medical records did not indicate she was at any risk of a miscarriage. Police decided then that they would write an arrest warrant for the robbery to catch him before he left town. Pueblo County District Attorney Jeff Chostner said investigators received a tip Lucas may be trying to skip town. She was reportedly on her way from Denver to Pueblo to discuss the pregnancy with Lucas. A murder conviction without a body is an instance of a person being convicted of murder despite the absence of the victim's body. Dont text me. Lucas also told police that he and Schelling went to the Walmart to get snacks before she made the drive back to Denver. 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. 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. I didn't want to get in any deeper than I had already gotten into.. I plan to make things work. 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. Lucas also admitted to Suhr that he was the person seen in the Walmart surveillance footage and that he moved the car to St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center. It's a sad situation that didn't have to end up like this if he had just let her come home.. There was no deals like that.. It was years before he went to trial for Schellings murder. Feb. 4, 2013, was the last time Schelling was seen. 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. Watch the full story on "20/20" FRIDAY at 9 p.m. Im not going today, Lucas allegedly responded. During the holiday season in 2012, Schelling surprised her family with news that she was pregnant. 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. Eighteen hours later, an unknown man is seen getting in the car and driving away. Saxton said she told Lucas that she didn't care if they were together or apart, but she told him "there is a child involved now." 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. At 9:56 p.m., she texts again, saying, Almost there. Eric Bravo 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). She confirmed for us Donthe admitt[ed] it was him in the Walmart surveillance video that [he] had dropped Kelsie's car off and then returned the next day and picked it up, Torres said. Then in October 2015, Saxton had a new possible lead. 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. When the time came, Saxton even took the stand against her daughters killer. Cadry -- that was the name she was going to give the child, Colby Schelling said. (viaABC News). 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. 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. Saxton never met with Marcus at the McDonalds after Vancouver Police backed out of their involvement, believing it to be a scam. After a few weeks, they met in person. Great now., Sara Lucas asked Donthe, Shes not pregnant?, He responded: Nothing. Donthe Lucas (credit: Pueblo Police Dept. 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. Wish you would have told me you knew it was very likely to happen so I could be prepared. I know that my testimony could potentially help take him down, and that was realistically why I wanted to testify, she said. 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. Daily Briefing 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. 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 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. / CBS Colorado. Love you, too.. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website. They planned to meet but at the last minute, Wilkins told Saxton she was in the hospital and could not come. She wanted to be a mom.. There are also limits on the number of people who can be in the courtroom because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. She received a Facebook message from a person who claimed to be a woman but wanted to remain anonymous, and claimed to have information about Schellings disappearance. Michelle Chostner, the lead prosecutor in Schellings case, confirmed that investigators interviewed Martinez but could not comment on anything that wasnt admitted in trial. Police found surveillance video showing Lucas driving her car at an ATM 12 hours after Schelling arrived in Pueblo. She said she first reached out to him on Facebook and they exchanged numbers. 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 mother said she wonders what would have become of her life. Roxann Martinez, 31, was found dead on Feb. 25 from a gunshot wound and her death has been classified a homicide. It's not guilty. So it's a strong message.. KRDO NewsChannel 13 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation. Saxton got choked up when identifying her daughter's birth certificate, passport, and an expired passport from when #Schelling was "just a little girl." She regularly made the 220-mile drive from her home in rural Yuma, Colorado, to Pueblo. The defense pushed a narrative that Schelling was addicted to drugs. 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. Schelling, 21, was eight weeks pregnant at the time of her disappearance, according to news reports. Suhr said she always knew what she was doing, trying to gather information about Schelling, and never fell in love with Lucas. She filed a lawsuit against the Pueblo Police Department in the years after 2013 as the frustration grew from a lack of answers. Colorado Bureau of Investigation's Forensic Scientist Collin Knaub takes the stand next and has worked for CBI since 2010. After their talk, he said, he believed Schelling left town. Then, in December 2020, the murder trial was set to start on Jan. 25, 2021. We didn't have any of that.. One text from Schellings phone to Lucas at 11:56 a.m., said After u get that money pick me up and stay out of my life!, Another, sent at 11:59 a.m., said, You can bring my car to Denver tonight. Saxton said she asked him to track the number and that he said he would, but, of course, he never did, Saxton said. 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. 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. 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. She said Tuesday in 2016 she was trying to gather information from Lucas about Schelling. 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. 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. Prosecutors called Ryan Rivera, who testified that when he was in jail with Lucas, Lucas claimed that investigators would never find Schelling's body and that they would never convict him. Kelsie Schelling disappeared after driving down from Denver to Pueblo on February 4th, 2013. Then, he proposed to her. She definitely had that phone with her, Lucas said. Schelling disappeared almost six years ago when she was heading to see Lucas in Pueblo. Schelling, and Hegel. 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. Prosecutors confirmed that Wilkins and Martinez were the same person. Back in 2013, Kelsie Schelling felt like she had her whole life ahead of her. Its been over eight years since Laura Saxtons 21-year-old pregnant daughter Kelsie Schelling vanished. Let me get her out of here. Schelling's Late Philosophy in Confrontation with Hegel Peter Dews (Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy . The court then heard from Denver Police Department officer Chad Sinnema, who gathered the initial information for the missing persons report filed by Schellings family Feb. 9. This article has been updated, and we apologize for the error. Though it was likely frustrating and painful for Kelsies family, he believes it led to a successful conviction. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here. I lied from the jump. Terms of Use | In February 2013, Kelsie Schelling was very happy to find out she was eight weeks pregnant, according to ABC News. I mean, who wants that for their child to be the final resting place? Police say her death does not appear to be related to the trial, but instead a possible result of domestic violence. Her boss called her not that long ago and offered her her job back.. Schelling's body has never been found, but she is presumed dead. The defense in Lucas' trial rested on Monday without calling any witnesses. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. I deliberated on it and I looked at the practicalities of it, Chostner said. S43 E19 Finding Kelsie A young woman goes missing. 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. Torres said in the surveillance video showing the cash withdrawal, Schelling cannot be seen in the vehicle. Colette Bordelon also spoke to Martinez's cousin, who said he believes her murder does have to do with the trial. Kelsie Schelling with her mom Laura Saxton. 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. wordlist = ['!', '$.027', '$.03', '$.054/mbf', '$.07', '$.07/cwt', '$.076', '$.09', '$.10-a-minute', '$.105', '$.12', '$.30', '$.30/mbf', '$.50', '$.65', '$.75', '$. If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. He comes off so lost and hurt. Criminal defense attorney Danielle Iredale joins host Ana Garcia. Binet said there were several red flags in Schellings case that led him to believe she was more than just missing. Goodnight., Torres said Lucas replied, Oh I know all of that … thanks for stating it for me.. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. He said Lucas confessed to the killing. Hours later she vanished. Schelling left work shortly after 8:40 p.m. and drove two hours to see Lucas in Pueblo. Kelsie Schelling's childhood rocked with emotional fallout from family split: Part 1Schelling's parents got divorced and she lived with her mother, Laura Sax. That man, Donthe Lucas, was convicted for her murder and sentenced to life in prison on Monday. It was like standing on the precipice of a cliff and looking down, Chostner said. Obviously it's an important piece of evidence that he moved the car because it shows he's covering up the crime. But Lucas claimed when they spoke later, Schelling ended up telling me shes not pregnant. Four days passed after Schelling drove to Pueblo on the night of Feb. 4. I grabbed my mother very tight and held her very close, Kelsies brother, Colby Schelling, said. She said she told her she loved her. Saxton was the first witness to testify. I just get mad and I dont want to fight with you. No one.. She used to work out there and she lived there for a while. She texts again at 11:24 p.m., saying Where are you? This led them to believe Lucas had murdered Schelling, and disposed of her body there, though her remains have never been found. Strangely enough, around the same time, the family of another missing woman 1,200 miles away in Portsmouth, Ohio, had been receiving similar messages. Though Schellings family got the verdict they wanted, they were still unable to bring her home for a proper burial. 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. She had just seen her unborn child on an ultrasound, and she sent that photo to her on-again/off-again boyfriend. MORE:Lucas trial day 3: Kelsie Schelling's friends continue testimony, cellphone records discussed. By taking this avowal seriously, Adrian Johnston nally claries the philosophical project underlying iek's eorts. Sinnema said Lucas told him that Schelling returned later that morning, again to discuss their relationship. Laura Saxton and her daughter Kelsie Schelling, who vanished in 2013. 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. Schelling, 21, went missing in 2013 after driving from Denver to Pueblo to see Lucas. The next day, Schellings father tried to get in touch with her and received a strange text waving him off. Over the course of the following weeks, she became close with Lucas and had the opportunity to speak with him about Schellings disappearance. She also said Schellings medical paperwork indicated that she self-reported discontinuing her birth control in October 2012.