Any thoughts on the porch light covering being broken but not the bulb itself?
If LE "knows" who did it, why not use the old trick of getting word to him that they have found something & are reopening an investigation or whatever to rattle him up and see what he does? Or let a grand jury decide if there is enough to charge? Anything is better than nothing!
If the globe was the closed kind I believe it was, there was 1/8" of clearance for the globe to fall to the porch and not break the bulb. My personal opinion is that it was knocked loose as the last victim was taken from the home.
It is my personal opinion that the police do not wish to proceed until they are absolutely certain they can get a conviction. There were two very high profile homicides in the Springfield area that resulted in acquittals because they were improperly investigated and/or prosecuted. This case having its high community interest is unlikely to brought to trial until it can be viewed as a solid case that will result in convictions that will not be overturned on appeal.
Information that is largely unknown is, to my knowledge, being worked by an elite group of detectives and evidently there is no leakage of information. There is no way to know how the investigation has proceeded.
My
personal opinion is as follows: That is to say I can't say with absolute certitude that these opinions are accurate but to the best of my knowledge probable.
1) A van was in fact used as described by two separate individuals, the "yard sale lady" and the "porch lady." I believe both accounts are credible. The color of the van was described as a pale green or similar color.
2) A minimum of two individuals were involved. I believe they remain alive today and are on the street. (Some believe one person was capable, however.) Some believe that one perp is now deceased or as described "under control."
3) There was one person who reportedly flunked the polygraph. His identity is not known.
4) At least one perp has been known for a decade or more. I also believe there is at least one other perp, who is/was unknown.
5) This was almost certainly a "sexual assault" case as theorized by several law enforcement agencies who have studied the case.
6) Whoever gained entry to the home was known by one or more of the occupants. This essentially jibes with the FBI profiler comments in the early states of the investigation. It is not known if the person gaining entry was the same person who failed the polygraph.
7) The alleged sighting at "George's" is very unlikely to be credible based on several factors including the reported (to me) the clothing worn. And no corroborating witnesses existed or failed to come forward.
8) Whatever took place happened between 2:45 AM and about 6 AM based on fairly reliable information.
9) It is not impossible that some DNA was found during the forensic phase of the investigation. This is an area of great dispute depending on who one wishes to believe.
10 It is not impossible that Sherrill could have been taken prior to the girls arriving back home. The perp(s) could have come back to "clean up" the crime scene and discovered the girls at that time.
11) The crime scene was very much corrupted by later visitors to the home. This probably the single biggest impediment to having solved this crime. As described to me, this crime was "unsolvable" because of this unfortunate situation. This is also why several have opined that it will take a confession to close the case.