IMO, it is as the evidence states, and the date was 4/3/16. I think Rita knew full well what she was doing and I believe these forgeries were done to get past the borders. Also, remember, all 4 Ws are charged with forgery. That is very telling. All JMO.
The only date that can be accurately established is either the date they were presented to LE or the date they were presented to border agents.
The actual date of the forgery harder to approximate. They could have been done in 2015 or in 2017 before they left for AK. They
forged HMR's signature whether she was dead or alive. The only thing that might be telling is something in the Notary stamp. Most of the stamp is pretty generic, the personalization includes the Notary's name and the date their license expires. Each time the Notary renews their license, they get a new stamp. In our state, I think licenses are good for 3 or 4 years before they need to be renewed.
The April 3, 2016 date could mean several things. Could be the "date" they
wrote on the forged document. Dates on those documents are hand written. 4/3/16 could also be the date they were
presented to LE. I don't know enough to be able to tell from reading the Indictment, so here are 2 possible scenarios.
My 2 possible scenarios. MOO
Documents were legally prepared (no doubt by Mr. Owen) prior to 4/3/2016. The documents have no date on the printed document. The W's took the documents over to the R's house/s for HMR to sign. She refuses and calls CRsr to come over.
1) Big fight between Billy and CRsr ensues. Billy loses the fight badly and they leave
humiliated and with unsigned custody papers. The W's get home and
forge HMR's signature and write in any date they want - say, 4/3/2916. RN notarizes later.
2) Forged documents are prepared and notarized by RN before 4/3/2016. JW (and crew?) try to take SW on 4/3/2016, HMR refuses. Big fight between Billy and CRsr ensues. Billy loses fight badly and calls LE. After LE arrives, one of the W's pulls LE aside and
present the falsified and notarized custody documents to them on 4/3/2016(documents could have any date prior to 4/3/2016 on them). LE allows SW to be taken by the Wagners.
JMO