Murphy has been one of my top questions that press haven't asked about. I tweeted at someone in local news to ask about him. Hopefully that'll get traction.
Anyway, my 2 cents on dogs: I have lived with two different roommates who had dogs and I have also owned dogs myself.
They almost always sleep with their owners, either in the bed or on the floor next to the bed. If they keep the dog in a locked room, the dog was there. If the door was open, then it's possible the dog could have investigated noise or been elsewhere getting water/food.
However, it's possible a dog could be locked into a room and neutralized that way, or with treats. Or, there's the worst-case scenario we're all dreading. But it begs the question of whether someone came prepared knowing there was a dog or if they were surprised to find a dog.
To me this perp fits either of the following categories:
- A campus/work peer who knows the house and all the residents well enough to know rooms, behaviors, key codes, dogs, everything about their lives, and someone who could have been invited in if they arrived at the door. They specifically targeted individual(s) out of anger/obsession, etc. This is the toxic ex-boyfriend theory.
- This person is also potentially the 911 caller who called out of guilt for their actions after noticing that police still hadn't arrived. They are on the run or have committed suicide.
- This person would know there is a dog present but the dog might know the perp and would not react.
- This person wouldn't have had a target on all the women in the house, likely thinking "I liked X and Y, I don't have to harm them."
- However, I don't think this is likely because I think police would have already had names in mind based on statements from the roommates that survived and also the family and other friends interviewed. So I'm less and less convinced it was a friend/SO of the residents.
- An obsessive stalker, either a peer or older, someone local, a neighbor or a classmate or coworker, who was not well known to the victims but someone who paid careful attention to them. Potentially canvassed their house, potentially was a peeping tom, so they were someone who knew their habits or had an idea of who the residents were. Maybe one of the women slighted him once and he is "punishing" them. This is the angry stalker theory.
- This person could also have been the 911 caller after feeling guilt that they killed their objection of obsession.
- This person would be aware of a dog in the house and come prepared for it.
- This person would not have had a target on all the women, maybe just one or two he concentrated on, so he spared seeking out all rooms.
- An unknown third party who picked a house at random, or picked the victims at random, because their goal was to kill whoever they picked. This is the psychotic serial killer theory.
- This is the town's worst fear. This is someone careful, prepared, and completely unknown.
- This person might have followed the women to their home or picked it at random after searching for a target house that "looked good."
- Think GSK, think Night Stalker, think Bundy, someone with outrageous overconfidence and selfish pursuit of committing terror.
- This person could have called 911 because they liked reporting their work. It could account for Chief Fry demonstrating discomfort and frustration while briefly acknowledging the 911 caller who he refused to discuss.
Regarding the 911 caller, it does not seem at this time that the roommates were the caller. I don't see what benefit there would be to Chief Fry withholding the knowledge that one of the roommates called 911. That seems super easy to say. In fact, it's expected. The fact that he has not confirmed one of the roommates called makes me wonder if there was another caller who said "unconscious" since Chief Fry agreed, that's not how normal people would report a stabbing. Moreover, if the roommates were sleeping in after a late night, perhaps the police woke them up and they found the scene at that time?
If the police eventually confirm the roommates were the 911 caller, I don't know what they think they gained by hiding that. Not discussing who called makes it seem like it was the perp.
