Could JV have tried purchasing a common ingredient used in making meth from the gas station in quantity? I don't know if items like cough medicine are available at gas stations, but if it was a simple ingredient such as that and JV had been turned away from drug stores, might he have developed enough of a rapport with David to think David would let such a purchase slide with a wink, but instead David became suspicious?
Just a thought. It was such a senseless killing.
It's quite possible JV did attempt to purchase meth-making ingredients in quantity. Many, if not all of the ingredients used for making meth could be purchased at a gas station with a store. I won't post any links for obvious reasons, but googling "ingredients for shake and bake meth" (small doses not requiring a meth lab or cooking) will give detailed instructions. I guess it's time to erase my search history!!
Here are some common ingredients...
Pseudoephedrine tablets (CA has such a loose law that you can buy it OTC whereas in OR we need an Rx).
The "ice" in certain types of blue ice packs
Lithium batteries
Brake fluid
Coleman lantern fuel (I wonder if JV used this for accelerant)
Iodized salt
Drain cleaner
Coffee filters
Acetone (nail polish remover)
Vicks nasal inhalers (but only Vicks brand!)
32 oz bottles of Gatorade or plastic soda bottles (empty)
Canning (Mason) jars
and more
Recipes vary so not all of the listed ingredients are used. Shake and bake requires fewer packages of pseudoephedrine than a full meth lab does. This is made in Mason jars or drink bottles, which often are discarded along roads, etc. The residue is extremely toxic, so don't touch and call LE. The process is extremely dangerous and the bottles can explode into flame while they are being handled.
We don't know if JV was involved in meth or tried to purchase some of these items at the Shell station, but if DW commented on the purchases, or refused to sell them, it might have created a motive. There is a purchase limit of three packages at a time, but nothing in the law about how often a purchase can be made. Theoretically, one could purchase three packages, leave the store, return in five minutes and buy more. CA law does not require reporting suspicious purchases of pseudoephedrine.
http://www.namsdl.org/library/1A09503A-F9D0-6A20-9BD7F72C4717F2F4/
