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My impression (FWIW) is that our mystery woman obtained it in person. If you look at the photo of BST's birth certificate (#45 in the "Photos only *NO DISCUSSION*" thread -- which ClaireNC posted), there is no indication that it was mailed to anyone. The receipt simply shows it was paid for by check, which means it is possible that the person who paid for the certificate could be identified.
This detail likely raised agent Velling's hopes -- it's a top quality lead to LEK's birth name -- only to be disappointed. These records are only kept for so long -- say 7 or 10 years -- before the county (or their bank) discards them. I'm assuming that was the result of his investigation, & why at one point he lamented "too much time had passed" in this case.
As a last point, having done everything correctly to erase her birth identity I'm surprised LEK made this simple mistake by paying for this document with a check -- which can be traced -- instead of cash. (Cash was used a lot more in those days than now, & wouldn't have raised any suspicions.) Had her imposture been suspected much sooner, she would have been easily identified from this alone. Maybe this is why agent Velling suspected LEK used an identity broker.
It was either in the Seattle Times article or the Velling interview where it was said the birth certificate was mailed to the P.O.Box. If you look at the dates on the receipt and on the paper with it, the dates are three days apart. I doubt she stood at the counter for three days. We have also had previous discussions that the notation of a check could be in reference to a money order which is also anonymous.