Thanks to
@carbuff and
@grannygates re newfangled “eraser” sponges
I didn’t realize how easy these are to apply without a lot or any liquid (even plain water) on hand while prone to leave behind a tell-tale streak of white in either case. Presumably this is the sloughed-off surface of the foam shed by friction, and not a solvent. Was this just what was on hand, presumed to be better at destroying latent evidence than a rag or sleeve, or misdirection by someone wanting to suggest a crime? If you’d want to avoid raising that issue, why not just make the car as difficult as possible to find?
I’m going to re-read the entire thread to find out, but I thought I’d ask again just in case I miss it: do we know all of the surfaces this residue was visible on? Seating (presumably fabric) but handles, steering wheel, stick shift? Front half of the cabin only? Lard help me if I missed any description of the trunk/boot.
We still do not know what the swabs and hairs have yielded.
What’s been intentionally made public about the state of the car and CA’s movements in the weeks prior to her disappearance is almost certainly not whole, complete, or exhaustive, but really does sound like an attempt, as you say above
@grannygates, at provoking a POI, conspirator before or after the fact, or other reluctant witnesses. Her most vocal allies are co-workers, which almost certainly tells us something about her character, and perhaps her mingling of personal and professional spheres.