I think that the tower of blocks that he has built is coming down. I don't think that he ever thought that any of these investigations would take place. He was a big fish in a small pond and I really don't think he thought anyone, other then Stacey's family, might question what he said. He has gotten away with this before, IMHO, and he could not see any reason why he wouldn't this time. He doesn't appear to be very concerned because he isn't concerned..until now. I think he felt that Stacey's background and family were questionable, so that if any questions came up from them on her disappearance that people would not believe them.
As people did not believe or act on Kathleen's family's feelings that it was not an accident until now. I think that we will find in the coming days, weeks, months that this man has been involved in many illegal activities, that he was able to do this because of the people he knew and worked with in this small town. But the new LE in the form of the police chief and some of the newer officers are not going to have his back on this one. I think that many people in this little town will be surprised to learn what kinds of things their fellow citizens etc have been involved in.