In the beginning LE treated this as an abduction. They had to, it was reported that way so they could not ignore the possibility. LE stated at that time that everyone was a suspect, using a phrase "all the world" or something similar (don't recall exact phrase offhand). It was during that time that LE made statements to the effect of Haleigh being picked up at the school bus by Ron, and Haleigh being seen by neighbors after Ron left for work, and an AC man being at the house and having made a statement to LE and being cleared.
In a short time, a very short time IMO, LE knew the situation to be not a stranger abduction. Something pointed them away from that and IMO it was because early statements by family members were not ringing true. Eventually they stated to the public this was not a stranger abduction but was someone known to Ron and Misty. I believe LE were thinking this well before they actually made that public statement.
Most recent statements from LE are that "the family members" have made "contradictory statements" and that LE was aware that family were doing this since DAY ONE. So, LE knew or suspected the "family members" stories from the beginning, yet didn't make an official statement about that for two years.
LE might suspect Tommy, and I can see why Tommy raises eyebrows. His lies and stories were attempts to get out of jail. Keep in mind, though, that Tommy's first statement that placed him anywhere near the MH that night did not come until seven months later. If LE knew "family members" were telling lies from Day One, I am inclined to believe bthey were not thinking of Tommy as a family member. Reality is, he is not Haleigh's family and never has been, but even if one applies the term "family member" casually (in-laws) it still appears to me as though Tommy is probably not who LE meant when they said contradictory stories have been told from Day One.
Misty was never Haleigh's family either. Even though it was widely reported Misty was Haleigh's stepmother, she never was; Haleigh was gone before Ron and Misty got married. Again applying the term "family member" casually, I can see where LE might have included Misty in Haleigh's family. But Misty is only one person and "family members" (plural) was the term LE used.
Since LE's first statements on this case their take on things has not changed much, apparently. Yet, they left early statements standing and didn't make new information public, at least not the minute they found it. The case went from abduction to homicide, and then we heard NOTHING from LE until the two-year anniversary when they announced the case is still being investigated and they have always known "the family members" have been lying to them all along.
Even if LE is considering Misty as family, they seem convinced at least one other person in Haleigh's family is lying. IMO, they suspect Ron, but if they are not considering Ron as one of the lying family members, they have to be considering someone else in his family. It could be TN or AS, or both.
There is no proof that any neighbor said anything about seeing Haleigh after Ron went to work but even if they did say that, there is no way the neighbors would know for certain what time Ron left for work. There is also no proof the AC man saw Haleigh. All we heard from LE about the AC man is that he had been "cleared."
A realistic look at this case says LE is pointing to Ron, TN or AS as having made contradictory statements, and my personal opinion is that LE is well aware that all three have made contradictory statements. Many of us are aware of their contradictions so no doubt LE is aware.
Anyone taking a realistic look at this case must consider why the father, the grandmother, or the great-grandmother of a missing child would lie to LE about anything at any time.
(Please forgive typos, repetition, etc., as I think faster than I type.)
