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Laura Saxton and her daughter Kelsey Schelling's story is of a never-ending quest for justice. According to ABC News, Kelsey was 21 years old and eight weeks pregnant when she disappeared on February 4, 2013, after driving from Denver to Pueblo, Colorado, to meet her boyfriend, Donthee Lucas.
The circumstances surrounding Kelsey's disappearance put things into perspective. A lot has changed for Laura. Laura Saxton currently lives in Yuma, Colorado, and works as a designer at Purple Butterfly Decor.
The Dateline: Secrets Uncovered episode titled The Night Kelsey Disappeared focuses on Kelsey Schelling's case and is scheduled to air on Oxygen on January 22, 2025, at 8 pm ET.
The disappearance of Kelsie Schelling
According to Westworld, Kelsie's last confirmed contact was with Lucas, who had encouraged her to visit him. When Kelsie failed to return home after the trip, Laura became alarmed. She recalled that her friends were unable to reach Kelsie, prompting her to investigate.
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According to ABC News, Laura drove to Kelsie's apartment in Denver with Kelsie's father but found no sign of her daughter. They reported her missing to the police shortly thereafter. In the days following her disappearance, Laura received distressing messages suggesting that Kelsie was being held against her will. One message claimed that $50,000 was needed for Kelsie's safe return.
According to Westworld, as the investigation unfolded, police began to focus on Lucas as a person of interest. He initially provided inconsistent accounts of his interactions with Kelsie and claimed she had suffered a miscarriage at a local hospital—an assertion that was later disproven.
According to ABC News, the search for Kelsie intensified when her car was found abandoned in Pueblo over a week after she went missing. Surveillance footage from a Walmart showed Lucas alone in the vicinity at critical times, raising further suspicions about his involvement in Kelsie's disappearance.
According to ABC News, Laura Saxton stated that once her daughter's car was found, she knew something horrible had happened because there was no way Kelsie would have left it behind.
Laura Saxton's fight for justice
According to Denver7, Laura Saxton's fight for justice has been ongoing since the day Kelsie vanished. This is because the investigation and legal process are complex. Laura faces challenges from law enforcement in their efforts to find her daughter and expressed frustration with what she saw as a lack of urgency in the investigation.
ABC News reported that in December 2017, Lucas was charged with first-degree murder. Years of speculation and mounting evidence against him were finally enough for a court to charge him with the crime. The trial revealed several pieces of evidence linking him to Kelsey's disappearance.
This includes cell phone records and testimony from a former prisoner who claims Lucas admitted to killing Kelsey. Despite the lack of Kelsie's body, prosecutors managed to build a substantial case against him. As reported by Denver7, Laura stepped into the trial and delivered the most emotional speech about her little daughter's dreams of becoming the wonderful young mother that she wanted.
According to Denver7, Lucas was found guilty of first-degree murder in 2021 and sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole. This judgment did give some degree of closure to Laura Saxton, but Kelsey's remains are yet to be found.
Community support and legacy
According to Westworld, throughout this experience, Laura Saxton has been supported fully by friends, family, and community members rallying around her cause. She has made use of social media to continue keeping Kelsie's story alive and to raise awareness about missing person cases.
The "Help Find Kelsie" Facebook page is evidence of Laura's pursuit of justice for her daughter and networking with others in similar situations. According to her social media, specifically Facebook, she currently resides in Yuma, Colorado.
According to ABC News, Laura Saxton's advocacy extends beyond her grief; she aims to educate others about the importance of community involvement in missing persons investigations. Her resilience has inspired many who have faced their struggles with loss and injustice.
Watch Dateline: Secrets Uncovered on Oxygen on January 22, 2025, for more details on the case.
