Couple of things that cross my mind:
-The more I think about the whole situation, the less I think there is any Mexico angle, and here is why:
(1) With the immigration hold, we know Arochi is either (a) a border jumper, or (b) just out of status with his visa/Green Card.
(2) Going back to Mexico would have been in his favor if he committed murder because Mexico (and numerous other countries) will not extradite criminals back to America if they are facing a death penalty charge.
(3) So, I think if he had killed her, Mexico would have been the first place he'd have run...unless - and believe me this could be the case - he is just that stupid to hang around and see what happens.
(4) And, again, I don't think someone working in a strip shopping center Sprint store and living with mom and dad has the wherewithal to pull off being part of an international criminal syndicate.
-As to the drug dealing angle:
(1) We know multiple drug-related arrests over a consecutive number of years for HF, the current boyfriend; and, for charges higher than your run of the mill "possession of marijuana."
(2) We know of at least one drug-related arrest of ex-boyfriend.
(3) No known record of drug arrests for EA anywhere...yet (hoping journalists will do their job here; but, at the same time, not hopeful that they will.)
(4) Therefore, I don't think EA was a dealer, maybe just a user, and was directed to drop her off at some location, quite possibly a drug dealer that they all knew from their Allen HS days. Correct me if I'm wrong, because I'm late to the game and can't muster the mental stamina to pile through 24 pages of threads, but isn't ex-boyfriend also still living in the Allen/McKinney area?
[modsnip]
Finally, I'm not convinced Paul Johnson will be the attorney, in spite of what has been reported. I can't imagine a family who is likely out of status/illegal has money for that kind of attorney. Perhaps, they paid him a retainer early on. But, my guess is they won't be able to pay his full fee and, therefore, will have a more local attorney out of the public defender's pool...unless Paul Johnson is more about attention than money.
Trying and defending cases is expensive. I just don't see Johnson reaching into his own law office's ledger on account of this person. Attorneys don't have money trees; but, they still have bills for their overhead and expenses.
Seems like for an attorney of Johnson's stature, there's not enough notoriety in it to go pro bono. You sometimes see attorneys do it for famous people or particularly nationwide cases. This case just doesn't seem to fit that scenario...yet. Therefore, I predict EA will be defended on the good taxpayers of Texas' dollar when all is said and done.