We don't know for sure exactly what the murder weapon was. However, one of the forensic specialists who studied the case did an experiment using the identical flashlight and found that it left a rectangular depression identical to the depressed fracture on JB's skull. The fact that the R's flashlight was wiped down, and (this is VERY suspicious) that the batteries were removed and wiped down as well, tells me this flashlight played a bigger part in the crime than being used for light. I believe it was the weapon used to bludgeon her.
Neighbors reported seeing "strange moving lights" in the R kitchen window- I believe that was the killer/stager walking with the flashlight.
The coroner, as we know, was unable to determine whether the strangulation or head blow was the primary cause of death. I am amazed that he did not take the flashlight and test it against the hole in JB's skull to determine whether it could have been the murder weapon.
We all recall the chief of police- his requests that the coroner keep JB's body a little longer, see if there was anything they might have overlooked. This would have been a perfect matter to test- does the suspiciously wiped down flashlight found in the home match the skull fracture? What could be more basic? Yet it was not done, nor did the coroner ever determine officially a time of death. Same is true of the suspicious round "abrasions/stun gun marks. WERE they stun gun marks? There IS a way to test them to see if they are consistent with an electrical burn, which would be consistent with use of a stun gun. That wasn't done either. Yet the police chief was vilified for "holding her body hostage". All he wanted was to have the parents agree to be interviewed by LE first, and then they might have a better idea what to have the coroner take a second look at.
They were all so anxious to get her in that pageant dress and tiara in an open coffin while she still looked perfect (Patsy's words, spoken to BR at the coffin side).
NO, here we have a sexual assault/child murder and they treated her body like a hot potato- they couldn't get her in the ground fast enough, where then, of course, the parents refused to allow an exhumation and the gutless DA refused to get a warrant to override them.
Neighbors reported seeing "strange moving lights" in the R kitchen window- I believe that was the killer/stager walking with the flashlight.
The coroner, as we know, was unable to determine whether the strangulation or head blow was the primary cause of death. I am amazed that he did not take the flashlight and test it against the hole in JB's skull to determine whether it could have been the murder weapon.
We all recall the chief of police- his requests that the coroner keep JB's body a little longer, see if there was anything they might have overlooked. This would have been a perfect matter to test- does the suspiciously wiped down flashlight found in the home match the skull fracture? What could be more basic? Yet it was not done, nor did the coroner ever determine officially a time of death. Same is true of the suspicious round "abrasions/stun gun marks. WERE they stun gun marks? There IS a way to test them to see if they are consistent with an electrical burn, which would be consistent with use of a stun gun. That wasn't done either. Yet the police chief was vilified for "holding her body hostage". All he wanted was to have the parents agree to be interviewed by LE first, and then they might have a better idea what to have the coroner take a second look at.
They were all so anxious to get her in that pageant dress and tiara in an open coffin while she still looked perfect (Patsy's words, spoken to BR at the coffin side).
NO, here we have a sexual assault/child murder and they treated her body like a hot potato- they couldn't get her in the ground fast enough, where then, of course, the parents refused to allow an exhumation and the gutless DA refused to get a warrant to override them.