I want to mention the hose in the back yard. Meredith heard it running because the faucet is directly under the kitchen window. To hear it running, it needs to be turned on full force, just as you do when using a sprayer on your hose. The force of the water makes it leak at the faucet AND the hose/sprayer connection. The water running most certainly could have been a big deal as some of you want to downplay.
The lots on this side of Birchlef go up in the front......level out.....then go down in the back. You can see this in the photos. You can see the construction of the deck. The lot has a downward slope.
Water runs downward. The sidewalk was wet as if the hose HAD been running. Much has been made of no puddle, but if land slopes the water runs off. This I know firsthand as our lot slopes and with any water ie: rain, water from hose, etc we always end up with a "pond" in the back of our property.
Another thing I want to mention are Michelle's window treatments. So much has been said about intruders and Shelley's being afraid, etc, etc,etc. IF Michelle was nervous at all about any of this why the bare windows? The only window with blinds on the back of the house was the bay window. Over the sink, french door.....neither of these had any blinds/window tretments of any kind. I think this says something as to whether or not Michelle felt afraid at night.