It is not totally formulated yet, but here goes and I am just throwing hypotheses out there.
What is the best way to drive home prices down: Crime. Area has million dollar homes; exclusive; gated. Reynolds Plantation was bankrupt prior to the sale to MetLife. The 3600 Residents would not agree to buy Reynolds Plantation for 20K a piece, so the developer had to find outside funds. Residents: 80% voted against, 20% for the assessment.
Retribution for the vote and development takeover by MetLife. How is MetLife going to build and sell houses, create shopping centers, drive new money into this area now? Just a thought.
I have done the same thing and tried to see what would be accomplished by killing these two people in the manner it was done. Shock factor; to induce fear and to cause .... what .... if this was not something directly connected (real or perceived) to the Dermonds?
MetLife ---
Stockholder could take a hit, when they cant make the property profitable enough to resell for more than they paid.
Because they need to develop new lots to increase value
and who would want to buy into an area that is troubled.
without new sales it cant afford upgrades and/or increases to amenities.
Residents ---
Would take a hit when they attempt to sell, (and re-estate is not going gang busters now as it is)
Increases in home foreclosures.
Increases in depressed sales because older people will have to except
lower prices so they can move into assisted living
Businesses ---
Would take a hit when tourists dont visit, and locals tighten their belts
to make up for potential increase in taxes
to make up for increased police presence
to make up for any losses to municipal coffers based on reduced monies coming in because of lower prices of any home sales.
The only one who could possibly gain is someone/group who wants to be able to buy the entire property at a great discount.
I would think that it would take more than a single homicide case to cause all of that and it would not be anything that would happen any time soon.
80% of the residents were not willing to fork out $20,000 to keep the property from being sold to another entity so even if Mr. and Mrs. D were one of that 80% group that leaves a whole lot of people left who felt the same way. Why then would just retribution to them make a change.
None of the above seems to make enough sense to be a valid reason. Which brings me back to some kind of a personal connection to the Ds?