I'm still having difficultly imaging PTL as the place where HE drove to early on the 18th. The Sheriff says, "We're
fairly comfortable that she drove there herself." While the lead investigator says "We
do not have anything that indicates
she did not drive there." That last statement is saying that they are proving a negative which in my line of work (auditing) I know is almost impossible to do. In fact, we can't really state in our reports that something did not occur because we have no evidence that it didn't. It's like saying 'we know they are guilty because we have no evidence they are not guilty.' LE very likely knows far more than we do, but their statements just don't give me much assurance.
That said, though, IF HE did drive to PTL, TE stated the car and surrounding area appeared to be normal per TE in an interview:
'I unlocked the car as the officer looked over everything. Its a mess, but it is Heathers mess. Probably nothing to worry about, I told him. We do a search of the surrounding area and nothing looked alarming or out of the ordinary.'
http://www.xojane.com/it-happened-to-me/heather-elvis-disappearance-terry-elvis
So there is no apparent evidence of a struggle in the car or at the scene or at least what was initially obvious. LE did not process the vehicle at the scene, so the deputy must have had sufficient doubt that this was a crime scene.
If HE went there, she likely locked up her car, took her purse & keys and got into a vehicle of someone she trusted. That vehicle may be the crime scene OR HE and the other person went to another location and whatever happened occurred there.
I've got to think that LE is talking to HE's roommate and also to known associates of those she had relationships with the past to find out if there are places HE went to be alone with someone.
Of course, once in the vehicle the driver may have suggested a new place or 'lets just take a drive, watch the sunrise or whatever and talk this out.' It may have seemed like random driving around to HE, but the driver may have had another place in mind. That's going to make matters difficult because whatever occurred - and the cover up - could have happened miles from PTL. Since it is early morning,
I'm wondering when these known associates of HE reported to work on the 18th.