I was reading my daughter's Oct. issue of Cosmo, & ran across an article about serial rapists, & former Manhatten sex-crimes prosecutor, Linda Fairstein, made some interesting points. I think these might apply to Tommy. '...they know when she's alone & what time she goes to bed. In fact law-enforcement experts know that there is a strong link between burglars-many of whom started their criminal activities as Peeping Toms-and serial rapists who assault women in their own house. These rapists don't strike just any home. They tend to look for a house that is more isolated than the others around it-for example, separated by thick bushes or a patch of woods, thereby offering an easier break-in and subsequent getaway...These serial assailants search for that brief moment of vulnerability when you are by yourself...' This really struck me, because even though I didn't know, I felt that Tommy's thieving & neighborhood wandering lifestyle, might be connected to Haleigh missing. IMO, it's not that big of a leap for a sneaky person who takes what he wants, to him taking who he wants.
Dodie, that is a very interesting post. I think it serves no purpose to not look at ALL possible perps, and all possible scenarios.
Tommy, IMO, is a petty criminal. He is a serial thief, if nothing else. I do see him as one who would take advantage of an opportunity, such as watching a home for a time when it is unoccupied, to go in and steal. And let's face it, Ron no doubt had things inside his home that Tommy would probably be interested in stealing.
If Tommy went to the MH looking for Misty and she didn't answer the door, he might have gone inside. Maybe she left a door unlocked, or maybe the front door did not have a deadbolt and could have been bumped...who knows. He did say he knocked on the door, though he did not specify which door IIRC.
Let's say, for the sake of looking at all possibilities, that Tommy went there with no intent of doing wrong, but once there saw an opportunity to do what he does almost as good as he lies--stealing.
If the kids were home alone, or if Misty was there fast asleep, Haleigh could have been awakened when Tommy came in. Maybe she started to cry. If so, Tommy might have tried to quiet her; maybe she threatened to tell her daddy. Again...who knows.
In this scenario, something absolutely unintended could have occurred. Tommy might have put his hand over Haleigh's mouth and nose, and she passed out. He panicked, and took her out of the house and placed her somewhere nearby...maybe near the dumpster?
It is possible Tommy could have done this, and even gone back later to remove the child from where he had placed her. And he could have done it all without making noise or calling attention to himself, given he is a somewhat accomplished burglar.
Ron and Misty, et al. could have displayed suspicious-appearing behavior because they are in fact guilty persons...though maybe not in this crime. They could be guilty of tampering with the scene (to clean the place up prior to calling LE). They could actually be guilty of something even greater but yet unrelated to Haleigh's demise--something that they could not bring themselves to open up about.
Sorry, I did not intend this to be so long, it's just hard to speak of scenarios in this case without trying to tie up loose ends, etc. The biggest problem I have with Tommy as the perp is that I do not think he is a killer. Of course, that doesn't mean this didn't happen accidentally as I described, with no intent to harm the child. However, if something like that did happen, it would be a felony murder charge even if murder was not intended. It would be that because if someone dies during the commission of a felony, it is considered felony murder. Basically, Tommy could very well then try to implicate Joe, maybe even did so in subtle ways with Misty, knowing she would eventually repeat it.
I have my main theory and the above is not it...but
it is always wise to consider all possibilities before coming to a conclusion. I have been reading your posts and many of them have helped me do that.
