There are so many good issues for discussion in this post! Thank you for joining the conversation!
I don't see this as a difficult case at all. BM was very angry that SM was leaving the marriage. Her departure was imminent. The daughters were away. He prepared an alibi that blew up in his face. He confirmed the digital evidence showing that he arrived home, picked up his gun, began shooting within minutes of the time SM went silent in the middle of text conversations with her friends and lovers, never to be heard from by anyone again. She left everything behind that she would need to escape, if that was her intention, and escape was incompatible with her commitment to MM2 and the documented plan to move into a local condo while she was in school.
However, ITA with you that the evidence offered in the preliminary was full of potential distractions that add nothing worthwhile to the case, including those you mention. In a no-body case with a lot of forensic evidence, it is essential to focus the jury's attention on the core case and limit the opportunities for the defense to distract, sow confusion, and cast doubt.
Mistakes are made in any human endeavor, including police investigations, but I like what was done in this case and I believe the investigation produced compelling evidence that BM is guilty of Murder in the First Degree.
I disagree with the proposition that plea negotiations will happen soon. E&N have already signaled that they intend to move for the exclusion of some evidence, and BM will need to see the results of that effort before he will even consider a plea to a lesser offense. On the other side, LE sees the case as I do and would have to have a very compelling reason to offer a lesser plea, especially to an offense that would only result in a couple of years in prison.
I believe the parties have given the judge their perspectives on the AA, and that his effort to explain his decision on probable cause and PEPG will align with the redactions he makes to that document. I firmly believe he will find both, deny bond eligibility, and bind BM over for trial on all charges. MOO.