I read this thread sometime last week, then when I started looking for it this morning, it had been archived. So I hope it is okay if I bring it back up.
I drove by the Rowlett house yesterday on my way home from a shopping trip to Dallas, and there was a Sale Pending sign in the front yard, so apparently, it finally sold.
I have followed this case sporadically and have been reading up on it more intensely in the past few days. That's why I decided to drive by the house. It's only about 3 miles off of I-30. There was a christmas tree in the window, so either the new owners have already moved in and the sign hasn't been removed from the yard, or the present owners are still living there.
After seeing the house, I am more convinced than ever that an intruder did not do this. Why would an intruder flee by running deeper into the alley, when he could have turned right and made a quicker getaway? The alley is VERY long and the Routier house is at the end of the block.