I feel if any of this is true then we were misled. They didn't hint about those things...they said something else entirely.
No, it doesn't exonerate EA on anything. He still has her DNA inside his trunk (near the opening, imo). He is the one charged with Aggravated Kidnapping. However, it does explain possibly LE's remarks about others being involved and more arrests to come.
AFAIK they only opined about one person not being involved and they hint that more than just EA was involved.