This case may not be related to Stacey at all, but I am anxious to learn as we all are. Can you imagine what her family is going through? Ugh, my heart goes out to them.
I think the telephone game happens all the time everywhere. Often there is no harm intended, and we just repeat what we have heard, read or seen a little differently--and it goes down the line. That's why I try not to speculate too much until I have more facts. Speculations can often take you off in a tangent, but speculations based on inaccurate info can turn a story sideways.
Thinking more about it, I don't know if DP would chance trying to race to the scene to remove, "the barrel". If he was caught drivng off with a barrel that would just look so bad. Or if he were pulled over with the barell before he dumped it for a second time, it wouldn't look so good. He knows all of LE has address and model, make, and plate of his vehicles. I would think that a killer would want to keep himself distanced for psychological reasons, too. Who knows? He is one twisted man.
Even if there is no barrel, and that it may have been a mistake in the reporting of a blue barrel/trashcan, the body could still be Stacey's. There is no proof that Stacey was dumped inside of and along with a barrel. There may well have been a barrel involved, but we don't know exactly what happened.
I have to run off to train now, but I am so anxious to learn if there are any new details in this case. Have a great day sleuthers

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Lion