Completely agree! Some people don't seem to understand the difference between a tip and a theory. LE can come up with plenty of their own theories (using a lot more resources based on a lot more information than the public has available). The only time a member of the public can help solve this case is if they have information that LE does NOT have and/or is not publicly available. You'd think this would be common sense, but evidently it's not.
Examples of things that are NOT "tips":
- "You should look into RSOs"
- "I think the perp might be hiding a gun. I can totally see the outline.
- "Check out the map of the crime scene and sketch of the suspect I made."
- "You should look into men who had knee replacements because my uncle had one and walks like that."
Examples of useful TIPS:
- "My co-worker looks a bit like the suspect, and I just found two pairs of girls panties in his desk drawer."
(If the victims were found fully clothed LE will quickly move on, but if they were found nude with their underwear missing they'd follow up on this.)
- "I found a bloody knife in my neighbor's garage. He claims he cut up a deer with it, but the story he gave me didn't add up."
(If the victims were strangled LE would probably dismiss the tip, but if they were stabbed they might follow up on it).
- "My husband has been acting strange since that day, and when I asked where his blue jacket and brown hoodie were he claimed he lost them, but he doesn't remember when or where."
(They would likely follow up on this due to someone reporting a close family member).
I realize that at the press conference they encouraged the public to call with any tips no matter how insignificant they seemed. However, I'm pretty sure they did NOT mean to call in with wild (or even plausible) theories. Hopefully within those 10,000 plus calls and emails they received there's a few that actually qualify as TIPS, and hopefully one will actually pan out. I'm just afraid that it's going to take much longer to get to that viable tip because they have to sort through 9,999 pieces of nonsense to get to it.