before I catch up, I'm going to post my current thoughts.
the attempted luring in Golden I feel is the same guy. I think he knew he'd be identified b/c of the picture, so instead of waiting to be caught unguarded, he turned himself in with that lame excuse that doesn't add up AT ALL, not only to be dismissed as a suspect, but to toy with LE.
I also think the article stating it was a misunderstanding may be a tactic by LE to make this perp mad by downplaying it and diverting fear and attention away from it.
no one would tell a boy to get in the car, and then get out and try to grab him if all they wanted was info about a neighbor. it makes NO SENSE WHATSOEVER. it's him. he needs the car. otherwise he'd hang out at playgrounds and just create a rapport with the kids so he could get info about his ex. he needs to the car to abscond with the child. it's *advertiser censored***** him. it's him.
I forgot to add - I think him being 18 makes sense. he's starting with young kids (boys or girls) b/c he feel more powerful than them, (I believe strongly he has an inferiority complex and power issues) but he's going up in the age of his attempted victim b/c I think he ultimately wants adults. I don't think he's a pedophile. I think he's a serial killer in the making.