Occam's Razor -- a line of reasoning that says, given all the variations to solve a problem, the simplest answer is often the correct one.
The unusual activities that the POI is involved in are very serious. How does this connect to Stephanie? It gives an idea of her boyfriend's mindset. He is someone who openly promotes militia-like resistance against authority -- the U.S. government no less -- and has reached more than 4 million people in his effort (YT video views 4,635,522 total). So, a popular guy with devoted followers. A defiant guy with a huge ego.
He openly defied the US Forest Service and camped on BLM land resulting in a lengthy court process. So, he didn't just move, as most people would -- he dug his heels in defiantly and for years.
On July 4, Stephanie and Lonnie argued openly at the parade. Then Stephanie got in a vehicle with him -- a man whose ego is supported by thousands of people who think he's right because he's defiant. Who admire his combative stance. She got into a vehicle with a man who supports armed resistance and who, from what I could tell in photos of him, was most likely armed that day.
They had an hour's drive ahead of them.
What happened in that vehicle -- an hour of silence? An hour of exchanging pleasantries? Doubtful. At some point on the way home while the argument continued, did Stephanie say something that challenged his authority, his ego? She knew about his activities, did she threaten to expose him? Or, was it something simpler... She said things that made him feel small, vulnerable, incapable? In arguing with him, she was defying him -- so how does he handle that?
In my opinion, he viewed Stephanie the same way he views the US government.
