I agree. The hard thing for those of us reading is to realize that the people in question wouldn’t do what we would do.
Someone pointed out yesterday (paraphrasing) they would only take risks where they felt a certain degree of familiarity or control. So if they hunted and were outdoorsmen/backwoodsmen, that would feel like less of a risk than it would be for me (who doesn’t have those skills).
If I were in their shoes, believing I would literally be locked up for life if caught, I would have felt more comfortable crossing into Tijuana or even Windsor or elsewhere internationally — because I’ve traveled extensively and can envision the exact border-check processes and how you might get around scrutiny. I would’ve also gone to great lengths to prep details — stashing supplies in a van or RV, loading prepaid visas, booking accommodations in other names, changing my money to Canadian or Mexican currency, etc. But each of those things (besides the aliases) are things I’ve done in life (for legal reasons of course) which is why I’d be more prone to see them as less risky.
We really do need to understand them. They led lives that primarily stuck to Alabama and Tennessee, for example. She had experience raising animals according to her mother in law — so maybe some farming skills. He is said to be from the back woods. That’s why I say they are in a rural remote setting there in the south.