The front door wasn't locked. It was IMO deliberately left unlocked. The side door was locked so far as I know and Suzie's key was missing.
It has been asserted that the exit was from the front door. That would seem to be the case and would have been established as fact if Suzie's key had been on her keychain. But since it wasn't it leaves open the real possibility that they exited through the side door. Additionally, that would have been much easier to conceal what was going on inside and when the women were loaded into the van or other vehicle.
My personal opinion is that the whole crime scene was staged including the entry and exit. And anything inside should be seen as staging. I doubt seriously that the overturned book on Sherrill's bed was really her getting up and seeing who was at the door, for example. The purses lined up, the missing photograph and empty frame. Probably the only thing that could be seen as realistic would be the taking off of the make-up. And that has also been called into question.
The one thing the perp could not allow was that the crime scene was pristine when the police would enter the home, perhaps 24 hours later.
My point was that it was necessary to get people into the house to destroy forensic material. IMO it was well planned and was not a burglary.
Burglary :
without the effective consent of the owner a person enters a habitation or building (or any portion of a building ) with the intent to commit a felony , theft , or an assault .
Sounds like a burglary to me .
1 enters without consent
2 assault or felony was commited .
I'm with you on the staged interior / purses ect .
But the failing to " lock up " was more a function of hurry to leave or burglars don't ever lock up on leaving . Any one that could have predicted 15-18 people ? would rummage through the crime scene should play the lotto . Hope this makes sense .