I feel this was the sort of case that SHOULD have been solved. My guess is that the perp was pretty much a local novice who, considering the effort spent investigating the case, should have been caught. It is the sort of case that people who know things talk. I suspect the perp was pretty careful and didnt make too many mistakes and had a lot of luck working for him.
Brilliant Kemo. So on board with you on this. Ill get to that in my last point.
I too like these ideas you are bringing to the board and a couple of observations, to jump in to with here.
The porch lady issue. It has been very persistent point in this case, but even among investigators skepticism can be found. I question this part of the case as well, but for different reasons. As I have posted on another board, looking over historical meteorological records, a dense fog covered the Ozarks that morning, which only got more dense to as late as 8 AM. Based on what Ive seen from that, Im very skeptical what ANYONE would have seen in this time frame who was not within ten feet or less of the observer. I did Google the area I think that turn around occurred, that neighborhood has homes fairly close to each other, so, Im open to the possibility of the physical exercise of porch lady and maybe such dialogue. But, as to what kind of detail she would have seen, is shaky.
That leads me to the next point, which is institutional in this case. A van MUST have been involved in this. Not a car, station wagon, pick-up and so on. I think its a comfortable thought because it seems only logical and what we would do. But, as criminal studies have revealed, eyewitness accounts can be very flawed. So, if it was a van, we know for a fact it was of early 1970s vintage ? Not a contemporary mini van, of the era ? Personally, Im terrible at spotting car make and models, to the point when it comes to identifying them in my normal life it can be nearly embarrassing. I stick to general types and colors (sedan, four door, compact and so on). But, in this case, I would be able to tell LE, if being interviewed, had I seen a vehicle, if it were contemporary or aged. I would have known the different between an early 90s mini van and early 70s van, agreed.
To initial point, you summed up so well, Kemo. I have long thought the perp(s) were handed a great stroke of luck and fate with this. There has been so much talk of this Empire of LE, involving agencies from local police to the Federal level. As if this beast was functioning like a well oiled machine. Personal observation tells me otherwise, and my experience in twenty years of working in the local media confirms it. Forget conspiracy, for, ordinary personality tensions, intra agency turf battles and pride are far more deadly. Yes, I know, the FBI investigates crimes of local jurisdictions, as do many state agencies. But, we all know our history of 50 or 60 years ago, the FBI investigating crimes in the South and how well that went over with local law enforcement. Hardly cozy, and such inter-establishment fighting only aided criminals. Not suggesting that kind dereliction of duty happened here, rather thousands of acts of, well, passivity, would do the trick.
Working in the media, Ive interviewed my share of LE at various levels. On balance, they are devoted to duty without question, care about the work they do, and so on. We report on the specifics,
working in conjunction with local police (or the FBI)
following all leads
so on and so on. Again, I know state and federal agencies have a fiduciary function into local police matters. But, when the cameras are turned off, off the record, and privately, Im inclined to believe, and have heard in many other circumstances, theyll politely and quietly say, This is a local police matter. Or, to sense the resentment of local LE, with outside agencies coming in doing their job for them. This point can be extended with the fact that, for all those reading this outside of SW Missouri, how much of your federal tax dollars were spent on this investigation of a local police matter.
All these dirty little realities are more likely than any conspiracy thing I can accept.