I wonder if she logs into her U of Iowa network (for lack of a better term), how long it takes for it to automatically logout. Could it be something as simple as MT logged into to do homework, did not log out of the online U if I system, and after 30 min or 1 or 2 hours it automatically logged out? Perhaps someone saw that and initially thought the ‘logging out’ was Mollie, but quickly realized after looking into it/talking to U of I that it was automatic? Maybe that is why we heard for a day or so that she was doing homework after the jog and then it seemed it wasn’t the case?
Good call. This exact same point was discussed up-chain some 15 or 20 threads ago. The point was made about how CANVAS (the data management software (or some clone of it) that was used at UI) worked. Issues about auto-logout (AND how it dosen't) were raised. - e.g. if MT started a log in session before she went on a run, but did not log out, how long would the system allow one to stay loged on without keystroking. The consensus seemed to be that it might be a long while before the system would log you out (OR an administrator had to), as other users of the system said that one could log on and ride the system, without doing any work, in an attempt to fool their professor into thinking they were logging in classwork hours while goofing off.
Also, someone with a tech background raised the possibility that MT's computer's internal clock could have been enough out of sync with real local time (apparently a common occurance), so that to an inexperienced examiner of her computer it might appear that she was working much later than she actually was. He pointed out that he constantly has to adjust for this when documenting transferred files.
This info about MT working late at home on her computer, after her run, came out very early in the investigation. It was reported to have been leaked by members of Ames, IA LE to MSM. This BEFORE DJ's neighbor reported to the MSM about seeing MT jog past, and seeming to confirm the earlier LE leaks from Ames that MT had been working "into the late evening" on her computer, via a LE leak of this info to him. It appears that, at that point in time, some element of LE believed that this was true.
It is entirely possible that later forensic analysis of MT's computer (by the FBI - the reason they were brought in) along with logs from UI's CANVAS management system and logs from DJ's brother's home router, may have shown that MT did NOT work on her computer past 7:30, when it seems that most (and LE) reports are confident that she was out running. So all of this concern about her returning home, after her run and working late on her computer may just be a big, fat nothing burger!
What LE HAS definitly told us is that she was last seen running at 7:30, and that they aren't concerned with what happened after 10:00 pm. This tells us that this is the 2.5 hour window in which LE feels she was taken. Her runs are reported to have lasted about 45 minutes. She should have been finished with her run, and been at her mom's house or DJ's, no later than 8:30 p.m. If she were taken on her run, this is a 1 to 1.5 hour window in which she could have been taken, 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. Sunset that day was at 8:41 p.m., and you would have been required to put your car headlights on after 9:11 p.m. after the end of civilian twilight; so it was still light out. So, if she was taken on her run, it was likely before 8:30 p.m.; before she could reach her mom's home and have dinner, and pick up the car and a red work shirt for work the next day.
BUT, suppose she had a Eurika moment about her classwork, and ran to DJ's house to record this moment of epiphany. Suppose she made it home and did sit down with the keyboard, without taking off her sweaty running gear, armband, phone, et al; being in the moment and typed out her great revelation without letting out the already fed and watered dogs (this having been done before her run, said dogs not having been let out as she was caught up in the moment; or the dogs having been let out and then put back up before the following happened)
1) MT said "Oh darn, I need the car and a shirt for work, gotta run over to Mom's, and was taken/abducted on a late night run/walk, in the dark, before 10:00 pm; by which time LE tells us the purp was done with the abduction, and gone from greater Brooklyn. This could also account for her sending a SC at 9:45, just before she went out the door, accounting for the LE question about MT being in a house at this time.
2) The above combined with some variant of a knock on the door after her run, but before her shower while she was still in her running gear (remember MT's Mom said they have not found her used running gear or phone, et al), and she was persuaded to step outside and was taken, or was persuaded to "go for a ride" in her sweaty clothes. Personally, I'm sticking with the guy from Publisher's Clearing House with a check for a million dollars; this explains why DCI said they had searched 'abroad'. From my mouth to God's ear that MT is sitting on a beach in Aruba drinking a daiquiri, but I don't think so. At any rate, whatever happened, LE is telling us that it was done and the perp was out of the area by 10:00 p.m.
3) Something else happened - at this point alien abduction is looking better and better.
At any rate, these are my thoughts on the matter and I'm sticking with this until something better comes along.
MOO