Doug Carter caused the fracture at the last second in April 2019. It seems obvious. I don't know how that can be viewed as a scripted presser, when all evidence indicates it was scripted one way until Doug Carter didn't want to commit to the younger sketch so he freelanced the other way throughout that presser. Carter may have been influenced by Tobe Leazenby and others from the local Delphi investigation, since they now go along with Carter in the ridiculous "could be a combination" theme.
The press release simultaneous to the presser includes the shift away from the older sketch, and with the centerpiece, "We have a witness. You made mistakes," quotes from Carter. Those quotes are attributed to Carter yet he never made them during the presser itself. That is totally unprecedented. I cannot remember another example, in any realm. Somehow the media ignored the press release and those undelivered quotes...hence the theme became a scripted speech instead of a freelance betrayal of the intended direction. And once conventional wisdom gets out there it is hellish to reverse.
The clarification press release from a day or two later was instructive toward intention -- the older sketch no longer a person of interest -- but it was mostly overwhelmed by public attention toward the new sketch and toward Carter with "The Shack." Even if the FBI was wondering what the heck happened and how did we get stuck with this guy they can't make the situation worse by holding a subsequent presser emphasizing disregard that junior varsity fellow from a few days ago.
Doug Carter knows he will be remembered for this case. In his gut he doesn't believe he is seeing a young guy in Libby's video. That's why he got scared and shifted away at the last second. I don't see any other explanation. Reportedly it was the Georgia FBI and other federal types who were asked to take a look at the case when identification was not happening, to the surprise of local Delphi law enforcement. Those federal types adopted a wide scope view and favored the immediate sighting and young sketch, not the older one pieced together over 5 months. Carter and Leazenby followed the process and went along with it...until Carter as spokesman was forced to commit.
Unfortunately nobody saw the months and months of behind the scenes material and discussion that led to the younger sketch being adopted. Everyone saw Carter behind that podium.