I'm in the camp that whatever occurred did so in Room #4. Not JS's bedroom.
I can help potentially eliminate 1 of these for you.
I don't think the croc was in the backpack. I believe it was
in the same white trash bag that the backpack was in. The way they worded what is in
red makes me think that. Also, what's in
green confirms that for me or I'd think they'd have said that the croc was inside the backpack like they did with the laptop.
Pg 35: the Crime Scene investigators located a white trash bag that contained a black backpack with what appeared to be a purple Hawaiian print and a white Croc. Inside the backpack, CSls located an Orange County Public School computer with 's Maddie's name on it.
I have to agree that 1 croc makes NO sense any way you look at it. Unless he was SOOOOO freaked out at A) what he had just done, or B) how in the heck is he going to get her into the car without anyone seeing him, especially with the roommate up and about as she usually leaves by 7:45am (Pg 875), or C) where the heck is he going to dispose of her, and how, or D) ALL of the above!
I'm voting for D. And I'd LOVE to hear what LE thinks about that lone croc!!!