In RDI, Burke (B) almost certainly had some knowledge of the crime in most RDI, although his exact role varies from RDI. Unless u think B was sleeping through whole ordeal. While R's were staging, B might have awaken and caught them red-handed.
Might. But I'm not sure he did. I don't really think about Burke that much, other than the fact that he and I have both lost our mothers.
One ? I have is whether B has ever suggested or hinted R's role in JB's death.
Um, in a way, I suppose he did. He brought up something in one of his interviews that the cops didn't know about: the Swiss Army Knife found at the scene. It was his. LHP had taken it away from him and hidden it in a basement cupboard. There were only three people in the world who knew where that knife was: LHP, Burke, and Patsy R.
Another ? is whether R's would have any reason to think B would stay quiet all these years. If R's thought B would ever let slip their role in JB's death, how did they decide against this possibility?
Well, that assumes he knew a substantial amount. Purely for the sake of argument, let's say you're correct. One of the things I heard was that the Rs had spent a lot of time and money brainwashing him. Taking him to psychiatrists, that kind of thing. Couldn't say how much of it is true. Moreover, as you often remind us (as if we needed it), fear is a very powerful weapon. One of the most powerful, in fact. Third, after a while, people start to believe their own lies. It goes back to Goebbels' "Big Lie" theory.
Why not do a Jeffrey MacDonald and silence B along w/JB, since B might let slip R's involvement?
Are you serious? And people say I'm on the dark side!
Or do you prefer the idea that B was involved in JB's death?
Oh, boy. That's a whole different kettle of fish, voynich. You might get some interesting replies!
(For those who don't know, it is alleged MacDonald killed his wife, then his children, so as to silence the witnesses -- he claims it was 4 hippies who said acid's groovy kill the pigs)
Among other things that people should know: MacDonald ALSO had no violence in his history and showed care towards the victims afterwards...
By allowing B to live, R's are risking having their perfect crime revealed by him, and I'm wondering how RDI account for this -- and why they didn't MacDonald him as well.
Easy: Children are easy to manipulate, for one thing. Secondly, who knows what he saw or didn't see. This assumes that he caught them red-handed as you say. I don't think he did. Even if he WAS awake when it happened, I think most kids would be trembling under the covers in fear trying to block it out. Indeed, blocking out the events could account for a lot of things.
They spent a considerable time staging the scene and they risked the possibility of B spilling the beans.
IF he saw anything.
And if they could kill JB and say "the killing will not be difficult, she will be beheaded" they could also kill B.
Kill JB BY ACCIDENT. And saying "the killing will not be difficult, she will be beheaded" is just talk, imo. Look, I don't know about anyone else, but here's my take on it: it was hard enough to lose JB. At least make an attempt to keep the rest of the family together.
Occam Razor implies that the reason R's did not worry B would expose their involvement of the crime and staging is that they did not, in fact, commit it.
Personally, I like DeeDee's answer.
