IMO, it sounds like the sheriff was insinuating that he does not necessarily believe that KP had been assaulted. Of course, I don't think it has ever been said that KP told anyone that she had been assaulted, so not to jumping to the conclusion that she lied. "Heavily battered" just sounds like assault. And that didn't come from her.
It seems notable that the sheriff is no longer using terms like captors and abduction. This would have been an opportunity for him to reiterate that LE has no reason to disbelieve her story. There must be a reason that he didn't.
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