I am local and have only posted a couple of times because I don't have much to add, but several have asked today where the locals are or what locals are thinking and of course, I cannot speak for the entire community, I can only share what I feel has been the sentiment I am hearing from most I have encountered this past week.
1) Everyone is heartbroken for Missy's entire family. Again, everyone shares that Missy was friendly, kind, and just super sweet, a great lady.
2) Just like many here, we all go back and forth on our theories of who the monster is. Some are more confident than others that they know, but EVERYONE agrees that many scenarios are possible and that we all very well may be wrong.
3) I would say 95% of the people I have spoken with have complete faith that this case will be solved and the killer punished appropriately. Most believe though it may take awhile to have sufficient evidence for an arrest.
4) All have been impressed with our local LE dept. and their handling of the case, especially their willingness to seek out other agencies for assistance. (I have heard there are or have been as many as 12 agencies working the case from a very reliable source whose job would give them privy to this information.)
Also just want to add a couple of points that I have thought of while reading your amazing work that may be difficult to understand unless you live here.
1) We are a wonderful, "small town" feel community BUT pretty spread out. Midlothian school district covers 100 square miles (one of the largest in the state) thus the confusion of the Ovilla, Rec Oak areas, etc. there are large amounts of vast, open spaces.
2) it is DARK here at 4:30 in the morning. I say that because I grew up on Dallas and was used to highway lights, streetlights, etc. This crime has made me realize that when I go outside around that time in the morning to let puppy out, I can't see 10 feet off of my back porch. We live on acre lots and our neighborhood has no streetlights, etc. Highway 287 where the church is is not lit like an interstate. At that time in the morning, especially with the rain, no one would have seen anyone at the church from the road.
3) There has been a bit of questioning about the first campers that found her and if they could be involved somehow. I of course wasn't there, but I believe I can say by what I do know, they absolutely have no involvement whatsoever except that bless their hearts, they discovered Missy and walked into this nightmare.
4) Everyone believes that Missy encountered this monster inside the church, she was killed, and the monster left, probably 5 minutes before the first camper arrived. i have heard no one local say they think they "blended in with the other campers, etc. as some have speculated.
5) Interestingly, and this is just an observation, I have read many here state they think she must have been killed just inside the door as she entered. No one locally has said that or said they have heard that from anyone. That probably means nothing, I just took note of that for some reason.
Again, thank you all for all that you do!