Jumpstreet and Saint, I agree with this completely. There are many aspects of this case that are unusual, most of which you have both mentioned. The media loves controversy and that is why it was so widely reported. I believe that there was international coverage at one point. NC's parents were able to get temporary custody immediately, enabling them to take the kids out of the country and the affidavits written by both sides created additional controversy. I believe that the 911 calls from NC's close friend are also unusual. The 911 calls gave the media a focal point for the drama at one point and then the same person said quite clearly in her affidavit that she believed that Brad had murdered Nancy. Has that ever happened before? Please let me know if it has.
As we dig deeper, I think that the case becomes more interesting and unusual. As Saint points out this is where much of the drama unfolded. NC could not work, so unlike many abused women (IF that is the case for those of you who are still uncertain), she was unable to plan her move easily. If she had remained silent about her domestic situation, then we would not know as much as we do. Many abused women do take that route. They don't want people to know what is going on because they are embarrassed or afraid. So, I think that the way that NC handled the situation was unusual in that respect as well. She had not been broken. That is why it so sad.
i think that many murders occur under the circumstances called "A Perfect Storm;" the alignment of several things that may not have normally caused a violent outburst but when they happen all at the same time, it proves to be fatal for the victim.
judging by his and the other affidavits, brad seemed very angry that
nancy wasn't making any money. he was the sole breadwinner. he liked to complain about it but it was his means of control over her.
when she tried to make money painting homes, he didn't reward her, he punished her --- he withheld the weekly allowance for her and the girls.
brad controlled nancy through the money. he complained about her spending to others. to his circle of friends, brad portrayed himself as the poor, beleaguered husband whose wife was
spending all of HIS hard-earned money.
what if nancy's business took off and she didn't need to beg him for money anymore? the balance of power would be shifting and he knew it. she was slipping away.
if what both the forensic astrologer and claycat
saw were true about the night of the party; nancy using the party as a networking opportunity and she came home with people's business cards as well as her own and fanned them out on table, brad may have gone ballistic.
nancy and brad had already fought about her getting paid for painting
(it must have embarrassed him that people knew about his withholding money form nancy), coupled with seeing the evidence of nancy's future life without him, it became extremely deadly.
he may have thought that nancy was complaining about him to all those people at the party. if he had had a hotheaded friend over while she was at the party and they were ragging about nancy for hours, and perhaps drinking, it made it
even more volatile.
i find it strange that instead of keeping bella's bedroom set together after a split, brad had the dresser on his list of what he was keeping.
maybe this was so bella would have furniture she recognized as being familiar as "hers" when she stayed with him. or could it be it was a "gimme" grab by brad designed to bug nancy?
some divorced parents have the same set of toys and kids' room furniture
as to make each new parental home seem familiar to the children.