Just a few comments:
KJ's press statements reconstructing the relationship with the Hoovers, and the phone call with HH, IMO have been made after lengthy conversations with his mother. Obviously he wouldn't remember it, but she might (or might mis-remember, after all this time)
IMO CH would have been able to see at a glance that no was at home waiting for CJ because there was no car in the driveway.
However, I don't see why it matters, since no one missed CJ even when they did come home. She could have been playing with her friend at the park and no one was concerned for quite a long time.
IMO, the key point is, no one witnessed the abduction. IMO any other 'witness' statements attempting to reconstruct the crime, about CJ buying gum, or her jacket being hung up high, or not being seen by people in a trailer, etc, are simply useless, they were added by people who didn't witness anything but felt very upset that something bad happened without them seeing it. IMO these 'I didn't witness anything but I think I remember x' statements always confuse and complicate cases because they're usually inaccurate and unreliable. Unless there are multiple independent witnesses that can confirm something, I don't think any theory of the crime is required to take them into account.
The sure thing is she got off the bus with the recorder, and her body was found with the recorder.
This detail of the recorder being found beside her remains indicates to me she was taken straight to the site where her body was found. What kidnapper would bother keeping track of it, if he'd taken her somewhere else first.