JLY was within striking distance that night when he chose to stop at the Hampton Inn, which was still a few hours away from his work appointment the next morning, which allegedly was the entire reason he left to go on this trip. He picked a location to spend the night where he could still make it back to Raleigh in time to do the deed and get back to the hotel and continue on his merry way.
You have to wonder why he didn't, instead, drive close(r) to his appointment. That's the logical thing to do. It doesn't make sense to go on the road and then only go half the distance for your sales call when the sales call is the entire reason you are going on the road. (Talk about things that don't make sense).
It took 2.5 hrs or even slightly less to drive from the Hampton Inn to the Young residence. That time has been demonstrated multiple times by people who did the drive.
- Leave at midnight (seen on video walking to exit door)
- Get to Raleigh no later than 2:40am
- Commit the murder, jump into new clothes, get CY into bed, drug CY, use hose outside.
- Leave Raleigh no later than 4am
Stop in Hillsville to get gas around 5:30am
Back to Hampton Inn by 6:30am
Tight, but definitely doable. That means he had opportunity.
Those rough times also coincide with the hinky camera happenings at that Hampton Inn. Camera unplugged, then later moved to not show the door JY used.
He was back at the hotel a bit later than he planned to be. And, he was late to his sales call...the whole reason he left to go on this trip in the first place.