Like everyone else, I too thought the ex- was the natural person to have had a hand in this. But let's assume for a minute that that is not the case.
Let's assume this was a straight home invasion/burglary, one which went wrong. If this was the case, it could explain the most baffling aspect of the case, to me---why Mrs. K. was removed from the home. If this were a retaliation crime, surely she would not have been, as it would complicate matters for the perp(s) to take someone with them.
But in a burglary, it might make sense---Mrs. K. refused to go gently along with the crime, fought back hard, and may have escaped the initial scene and run into the yard. From there, it may have been expeditious for the perp(s) to remove her not back to the house, but to the vehicle he/they came in. This could also explain why nothing was taken from the house---the getaway was in progress once they'd recovered control of the scene, and the perp(s) fled.
This scenario might also explain the presence of the distinctive money-clip. I'm hoping LE is doing their due diligence on that piece and checking it against records of other burglaries in the area (not only in KS, but in rural MO, NE, and IA) in terms of what was taken. A perp might have stolen that in other break-in, slipped it into his pocket, and forgotten about it. Then, if he wore, say, the same jacket to another crime, the money-clip may have slipped out during the ensuing fracas. It's pocket-sized, it's the sort of thing a criminal would latch onto, and it's easily lost.
I'm thinking that, if they can locate that clip as an item missing in another burglary, LE may be on the path of finding out who did this.
Prayers for all.
The money clip could have been planned to throw everyone off too.. something that they never used and picked up somewhere 20 years ago and had in a junk drawer.... plant it at the scene (or plan to plant it at the scene) and make everyone chase a blind lead... I don't watch CSI or anything, but I read a lot and since I think about this case and your family a lot, I come up w/ all kinds of scenarios. You've been on my minds all day again. I went to bed asking my husband to brainstorm w/ me where she could be and your mom was the first thing on my mind this morning. We are all praying with you and FOR YOU all for some news.