Likely scenario:
PM clearly has been dealing with some mental health issues that are known to family and friends. He was able to keep things mostly in check with his normal routines such as school, work (long time bouncer at the popular college bar), social interactions, family check-ins, etc. He had some "episodes" in the past, but was able to be "brought back to balance" with the daily responsibilities of life, some light intervention from those around him, and medication. Then COVID-19 hits and his "routine" and support systems is cut off. School and Work halted due to forced closings. His normal interactions were cut off due to social distancing measures. He essentially was locked down in his apartment for 10 weeks without his normal routine and support system to keep him in check. His family has not been in contact in a while and his father was just arrested a couple of weeks ago for alcohol and sex with a minor. His mental health likely spiraled quickly being "trapped alone" in his apartment and he likely went off his meds creating a monster.
The initial homicide in Willington seems to be an unfortunate "wrong time, wrong place" for the victim. Word is that there is a female who lives on that street that he has been stalking and threatening (she nearly placed a restraining order on him a couple of weeks ago, but decided against it). He was there for her. The victim had no idea about this and saw a kid who looked like he needed help. The victim was helping him when PM just snapped and viciously attacked him (attack was gruesome and clearly indicative of the mental break PM had). As he was brutally attacking the victim, another elderly neighbor heard the victims cries and came to help--but was then also brutally attacked. Then the girl he was actually there to stalk came out and he jumped on his motorcycle and fled the scene (thus how the police knew who he was immediately). Notice here from a psychological perspective, he did not attack or harm the girl who he knew and was stalking--he did not harm her at all and fled immediately).
He then hid out and made a home invasion in the middle of the night. He stole food, guns, and a car. But the homeowner was not harmed at all. Seems weird to manically attack and cut off limbs of someone and then leave the next person completely unharmed. This is likely because it had nothing to do with one of his female obsessions. He stole the truck and then moved on to his next target, again a female.
The second homicide was about 100 miles away and again seems to be driven by a female obsession and the attack of those around her. While the focus in the media has been on the connection between PM and the victim NE--as they are both from Newtown and knew each other from High School. However, from the talk I've heard, the connection is actually the female that was there and that he abducted. Supposedly, the woman is also from Newtown and either was a former gf or someone that PM knew and likely had a attraction/fascination with. The victim was not the target of PM, but was instead an impediment to his female focus. Notice that he abducted the woman and took her car--but eventually let her go absolutely unharmed. Just like the first incident, he was targeting a female, but did not harm the female at all--but manically killed the male barriers in the way.
To me, PM is a mentally unstable man who has had a complete mental breakdown. His focus is on his female obsessions and his victims are collateral damage. Notice he goes from manically attacking the males in his way around the female, but does not harm or attack either the homeowner of the house he invaded, nor anyone else at this point. If he was a manic random killer, you'd think he would have attacked someone else at this point.
If I am the FBI, I am cross referencing the UConn student database with females who live in Pennsylvania. That seems to be his MO.
Just my $0.02.
