Knowing all you know today about this case who do you think really killed JonBenet?

[eileenhawkeye]

Is it just me or does BR appear to be very juvenile on the FB page we're discussing? He's 26, a college graduate, and still riding a skate board? He's posting pictures of TPing a house and playing with toys in a store. It all seems like something a 16 yr old would do, not a 26 yr old. He may be 26 physically, but mentally and emotionally he seems to be much younger.

UKGuy - He would be airing stuff online for the same reason that everyone else his age does. That generation seems to feel the need to keep the world informed of their every thought and action.

Eileenhawkeye - ITA. LW, JR, or BR himself would get it shut down pronto. All BR would have to do is report the page to FB and POOF it's gone. No way would they let a fake page continue. For that matter, who would?

IDK...I don't really see what's wrong with him being slightly immature? It's not like he is married or has kids. He does have a job so I'm sure he knows when the right time to act responsible is. I don't think there's anything wrong with skateboarding at 26. How is it different than any other sport?

 

[UKGuy]

Well, the more I think about it, the more skeptical I become that the FB account is really Burke Ramsey. However, I don't see how he posted anything that revealing. If it is him, I don't see how saying that losing a sibling is hard has to do with talking to LE? Everything he is saying is just so safe and generic. I was even thinking that being able to post on a facebook page for a missing person is a good way for Burke to express his thoughts on issues related to his sister's death without being scrutinized, such as in a bigger arena (the media).

ETA: I am on the fence about whether it is his or not...But if it is fake, I would think John or Lin would get it shut down?

eileenhawkeye,
Just about anyone else and who could query public posting? Yet the R's have been practising private communication ever since the death of JonBenet.

You never see or hear from any of the R's or the Paughs, even the Stines, just JR proclaiming his sanctity and how he has been graced, via media interviews, certainly not disgraced! Aficionados will note these are favorite JR words, i.e. are you trying to disgrace my relationship with my daughter?

Although it could be BR, that there are two out there is curious. Personally I think PR understands the requirement for discretion on the internet, particularly if the case is BDI.


.

 

[Nom de plume]

IDK...I don't really see what's wrong with him being slightly immature? It's not like he is married or has kids. He does have a job so I'm sure he knows when the right time to act responsible is. I don't think there's anything wrong with skateboarding at 26. How is it different than any other sport?

There's nothing "wrong" with skateboarding. It's just not something most 26 year old "men" do. Most kids grow out of it in their teens. It's like scooters. Not something you see grown men playing with very often. The people I know in that age group may not be totally mature, but they seem to have left most of their childhood games and attitudes behind them. BR appears to be far behind in maturity compared to the 20 somethings I know.

My point was that I was wondering how, if at all, his sister's murder and the years of publicity had affected his emotional and mental maturing.

 

[Linda7NJ]

I'm a relatively new poster and haven't formulated a complete theory of JB's murder.
I'll just throw a few things out that may or may not sound reasonable.

The ransom note was Patsy taking the lead role in the cover up. I haven't seen too many Websleuthers or LE disagree with PR being the author. Writing the ransom note was a huge gamble by PR. I don't believe she would have taken that gamble without the support and knowledge of JR. She also seems to have either set up the body for disposal or crime scene manipulation. I change my opinion often if whether they hoped to dump JB's body or let it be found in the house in a staged crime scene. I think JR was present for at least the ransom note and probably all the staging.

If BDI he would have told both his parents. Not just Patsy. If PDI , she probably would have told JR and he probably would have encouraged Patsy to admit to authorities she witnessed her daughter's accidental death. Wouldn't it be easier to lie and say she fell down the stairs or slipped in the tub, than to stage a kidnapping/murder?

Unless it was such an obviously, devastating head injury it could not be explained away by a freakish household accident. Or they chose not to use the accident excuse because they were afraid of the discovery of repeated sexual abuse. Sexual abuse theory works better with a fake kidnapping with a body dump.

Question is how could that poor girls skull been fractured that horribly by BR or PR? I can see a grown man causing a severe blow with a flashlight or another similar weapon but what could have been the weapon PR or BR have used?

JR may have suggested Patsy to write the letter because she is ambidextrous and can use left hand deception. If Patsy had the lead role in the staging and JR was witnessing, supervising or contributing into the staging, then I think it is highly unlikely that only one parent was responsible for both the sexual abuse and murder. If Patsy was completely innocent but believed JDI (non-accident), ratting out JR and getting an immediate divorce would have been much smarter decision than putting her handwriting and fingerprints all over her child's murder.

For both the parents to decide to stage, John and Patsy were either both involved in some form of abuse or they were protecting BR from being investigated closely.

I must say, before I came to Websleuths I didn't have a strong opinion of which parent it was, but I definitely believed one or both were guilty. Now after reading posts for the last few months I'm much more open to BDI theories.

After all these years....all I am sure of is one or more Ramsey's committed the crimes against JonBenet. I'm very comfortable stating Patsy wrote that "ransom" note. IMO

 

[douce40]

After all these years....all I am sure of is one or more Ramsey's committed the crimes against JonBenet. I'm very comfortable stating Patsy wrote that "ransom" note. IMO

You are certainly not alone in stating PR wrote the RN. I personally am not as comfortable. I'm not big on bed-wetting theory and believe sexual abuse cover-up to be more likely, and that would imply males 1st, then Patsy. I doubt PR would have written a ransom note to mask sexual abuse by JR. If PR or BR was JB's abuser, then she seems to be the likely author. However if JR was the abuser, then he probably wrote it. If there was no prior abuse then no need for deception and write a RN.

Knowing the abuser is the critical information. Unfortunately not one of the 3 have been eliminated or hi-lighted convincingly.

 

[zapped]

There's nothing "wrong" with skateboarding. It's just not something most 26 year old "men" do. Most kids grow out of it in their teens. It's like scooters. Not something you see grown men playing with very often. The people I know in that age group may not be totally mature, but they seem to have left most of their childhood games and attitudes behind them. BR appears to be far behind in maturity compared to the 20 somethings I know.

My point was that I was wondering how, if at all, his sister's murder and the years of publicity had affected his emotional and mental maturing.

Delayed maturity has also been well documented in cases of child abuse as adults try desperately to hang onto something that was taken from them far too early.

Nail and finger biting, self mutilation, a tendency to talk in baby talk and extremely promiscuous behavior are just few symptoms that can manifest themselves unconsciously when someone has been a victim of child abuse.

I wonder if anyone speaking with BR has noticed anything unusual like this over the years?

 

[Geneva]

I find it alarming that he referred to his girlfriend as a (hashtag) stupid bit**

To me that shows a deep disrespect of women in general.

 

[Nom de plume]

There was a murder. The killer could either turn himself in and take his lumps, or try to cover up. A fake kidnapping is a good way to cover. The kidnapping explains why JB is missing from the house, and when/if her body is found (in the woods, at the bottom of a ravine, wherever) then hopefully enough decomposition has taken place that nothing can be determined except the fact that she was hit on the head and strangled. The death can then be blamed on the kidnappers.

So writing a ransom note makes sense. How is one going to set up a fake kidnapping w/o a ransom note?

As you point out, the RN and the body being in the house makes absolutely no sense. So why is there a body and a RN? JR's plan must have been to dump the body, but that plan was ruined when PR made the 911 call. That means PR was not involved in the murder or in the fake kidnapping plot (and no, she didn't write the RN) If PR was in on the coverup, she would not have made the 911 call while the body was still in the house. If JR/PR were working together on a cover up, there is no reason they could not have dumped the body. It might be risky, but calling the police with a body in the house is risky too.

The RN and body in the house at the same time doesn't make any sense unless JR worked alone.

BBM Not necessarily. How were they going to get her out of the house? By 6:00am she would have been in rigor. Wrap her in a rug? So say they got her in the car in the garage. What if someone sees them out driving around? What if they get stopped by LE for some reason?

I was JDI for all the same reasons you are, but now I believe PR was in on it too based on her own words and actions both before and after the murder. IMO the reason for the 911 call was because they didn't think they could get her out of the house. BR was up and asking questions, they had a 7:00 flight, kids to meet, etc. I think the original plan was to put her in the suitcase, get her on the plane, and dump her in MI, but they waited too long to put her in it.

 

[Chrishope]

BBM Not necessarily. How were they going to get her out of the house? By 6:00am she would have been in rigor. Wrap her in a rug? So say they got her in the car in the garage. What if someone sees them out driving around? What if they get stopped by LE for some reason?

Well, to begin with, if JR/PR were working together, there is no reason they'd have tried to move the body in the middle of the night. The RN, as written, gives them an excuse to be out driving around the next day -ostensibly making the ransom drop.

Getting stopped by the cops is just a risk they'd have to take. Drive carefully and the odds are they wouldn't be stopped.

She's already wrapped in a blanket, so no need for the rug.

Carrying a body in rigor is not a big problem. She was carried upstairs in rigor.

I was JDI for all the same reasons you are, but now I believe PR was in on it too based on her own words and actions both before and after the murder.

OK. I don't agree, but it's a sensible way to look at it.

IMO the reason for the 911 call was because they didn't think they could get her out of the house. BR was up and asking questions, they had a 7:00 flight, kids to meet, etc. I think the original plan was to put her in the suitcase, get her on the plane, and dump her in MI, but they waited too long to put her in it.

Again, they wouldn't get her out of the house first thing in the morning. The RN gives them all the time they need. They have to go to the bank to arrange the ransom money, then they have to make the drop. They have all day. If "tomorrow" means the 27th, then they have two days. There is no need for any time pressure as to when the body is disposed of.

The 7 am flight is on their own plane. They are at liberty to cancel with a phone call to the pilot. They do not have to give a reason, but they could simply say the kids are sick. Later they'd claim they just said that because the RN warns against telling anyone about the kidnapping.
They would have to call MR/JAR and give them some excuse for cancelling the meet up in Charlevoix.

Dumping the body in MI would be dangerous, if the body were ever found. What's the odds the kidnappers took her to MI?

 

[Linda7NJ]

BBM Not necessarily. How were they going to get her out of the house? By 6:00am she would have been in rigor. Wrap her in a rug? So say they got her in the car in the garage. What if someone sees them out driving around? What if they get stopped by LE for some reason?

I was JDI for all the same reasons you are, but now I believe PR was in on it too based on her own words and actions both before and after the murder. IMO the reason for the 911 call was because they didn't think they could get her out of the house. BR was up and asking questions, they had a 7:00 flight, kids to meet, etc. I think the original plan was to put her in the suitcase, get her on the plane, and dump her in MI, but they waited too long to put her in it.

I agree

 

[questfortrue]

I know Kolar’s book points to BDI and plenty of really intelligent people here lean BDI. After reviewing Kolar’s book several times, in particular the interviews with BR, I still have doubts.

While Kolar saw all the evidence, so did Michael Kane (prosecuting attorney), and Kolar and Kane came to different conclusions. In fact Kane was both shocked and angry that some tabloids were turning their attention to BR. And Kolar himself seems to consider a charge of kidnapping (which does not have a statute of limitations) might be able to be applied (to JR). Nonetheless, I try to be open to a BDI and listen to what people say about it. Perhaps BR was part of the whole scene that night, and it began with a fairly routine skirmish between BR and JB.

The behavior of PR and JR on the morning and early afternoon of the 26th was one of the things that made me believe the two of them, both JR and PR were involved in JB’s death. One perp and one covering, or two perps - IDK. Their behavior was surreal.

1) JR’s carrying JB’s stiff body (in rigor) and asking Det. Arndt if JB was alive.
2) PR not responding to the commotion, and one of PR’s friends has to escort her in to the living room to view the situation with JB. Then PR, ever the dramatic, throws herself on the body, raises her hands to God asking for a Lazarus intervention, then rolls around on the floor, hysterical.
3) Of course, JR’s rush to “get out of Dodge”.
These were actions which, imho, speak of both of them putting on a show and running for their lives. And what do they do with BR, but send him out with a neighbor, not allowing police to question if he heard anything. For a time, they even had guards in BR’s classroom (under the guise of protecting BR from the evil intruder, but my view is to make certain he wasn’t questioned by classmates.)

To the ongoing question, why would one of them cover or assist for the other: There are too many reasons to list and they all speak to dysfunction, which includes lying to themselves, to each other, and to the outside world. Consider Philip Garrido and his wife Nancy convicted for kidnapping and the sexual bondage of J. Dugard. Garrido could not have succeeded in kidnapping and holding J. Dugard in captivity for 18 years without his wife’s assistance. Both JR and PR had their demons.

It’s possible that PR might have spilled the beans initially, but JR and Dr. B kept her in a very drugged up state. PR then kept quiet as she likely knew full well the implications of her actions, even if BDI: Accessory to murder after the fact is what she and JR could have been charged with if BDI. But possibly PR’s eye may have been on the future too - the chance return of her cancer and what would happen to BR. And, just like N. Garrido, PR may have been loyal to JR to a fault.

 

[Chrishope]

I know Kolar’s book points to BDI and plenty of really intelligent people here lean BDI. After reviewing Kolar’s book several times, in particular the interviews with BR, I still have doubts.

While Kolar saw all the evidence, so did Michael Kane (prosecuting attorney), and Kolar and Kane came to different conclusions. In fact Kane was both shocked and angry that some tabloids were turning their attention to BR. And Kolar himself seems to consider a charge of kidnapping (which does not have a statute of limitations) might be able to be applied (to JR). Nonetheless, I try to be open to a BDI and listen to what people say about it. Perhaps BR was part of the whole scene that night, and it began with a fairly routine skirmish between BR and JB.

The behavior of PR and JR on the morning and early afternoon of the 26th was one of the things that made me believe the two of them, both JR and PR were involved in JB’s death. One perp and one covering, or two perps - IDK. Their behavior was surreal.

1) JR’s carrying JB’s stiff body (in rigor) and asking Det. Arndt if JB was alive.
2) PR not responding to the commotion, and one of PR’s friends has to escort her in to the living room to view the situation with JB. Then PR, ever the dramatic, throws herself on the body, raises her hands to God asking for a Lazarus intervention, then rolls around on the floor, hysterical.
3) Of course, JR’s rush to “get out of Dodge”.
These were actions which, imho, speak of both of them putting on a show and running for their lives. And what do they do with BR, but send him out with a neighbor, not allowing police to question if he heard anything. For a time, they even had guards in BR’s classroom (under the guise of protecting BR from the evil intruder, but my view is to make certain he wasn’t questioned by classmates.)

To the ongoing question, why would one of them cover or assist for the other: There are too many reasons to list and they all speak to dysfunction, which includes lying to themselves, to each other, and to the outside world. Consider Philip Garrido and his wife Nancy convicted for kidnapping and the sexual bondage of J. Dugard. Garrido could not have succeeded in kidnapping and holding J. Dugard in captivity for 18 years without his wife’s assistance. Both JR and PR had their demons.

It’s possible that PR might have spilled the beans initially, but JR and Dr. B kept her in a very drugged up state. PR then kept quiet as she likely knew full well the implications of her actions, even if BDI: Accessory to murder after the fact is what she and JR could have been charged with if BDI. But possibly PR’s eye may have been on the future too - the chance return of her cancer and what would happen to BR. And, just like N. Garrido, PR may have been loyal to JR to a fault.

BR was sent off the the Whites. One interpretation is that prevented the police from questioning him.

Another interpretation is that put him outside parental control and would therefore be dangerous if he knew something and might tell someone.

At the Whites, PW could question him, (FW was at the Rs most of the morning) so there was no way to control what he might say. Also I seem to recall that the police did in fact go over to the Whites and question BR. (I wish some of the books were indexed. I can't find this in PMPT. Might be in STs book) I don't think the Rs knew about this, but that's the point, BR outside the watch of his parents is subject to being questioned with no one to limit what he might say.

IMO, packing BR off to the Whites is an indication that they didn't have to worry about what he might say.

 

[Nom de plume]

BR was sent off the the Whites. One interpretation is that prevented the police from questioning him.

Another interpretation is that put him outside parental control and would therefore be dangerous if he knew something and might tell someone.

At the Whites, PW could question him, (FW was at the Rs most of the morning) so there was no way to control what he might say. Also I seem to recall that the police did in fact go over to the Whites and question BR. (I wish some of the books were indexed. I can't find this in PMPT. Might be in STs book) I don't think the Rs knew about this, but that's the point, BR outside the watch of his parents is subject to being questioned with no one to limit what he might say.

IMO, packing BR off to the Whites is an indication that they didn't have to worry about what he might say.

ITA with BBM. He may have been sent to the Whites to prevent him from seeing JB from being brought up from the basement like a mannequin. He, or IMO they, knew what would eventually happen.

 

[Nom de plume]

Well, to begin with, if JR/PR were working together, there is no reason they'd have tried to move the body in the middle of the night. The RN, as written, gives them an excuse to be out driving around the next day -ostensibly making the ransom drop.

If the assault and murder occured in the basement, she really wasn't moved very far, just the other side of the WC door. The evidence does point to it happening there. They were probably trying to keep her out of BR's sight.

Getting stopped by the cops is just a risk they'd have to take. Drive carefully and the odds are they wouldn't be stopped.

True.

She's already wrapped in a blanket, so no need for the rug.

Carrying a body in rigor is not a big problem. She was carried upstairs in rigor.

I didn't mean carrying her was a problem, I meant concealing her in some container (suitcase, Rubbermaid tub, etc.) where she couldn't be seen by anyone would be a problem. She wasn't going in the trunk of a car in the position she was in, so I'm assuming she would have had to be taken out in JR's Cherokee which would have made it impossible to hide her from anyone pulling up next to them at a stoplight.

OK. I don't agree, but it's a sensible way to look at it.

You have to admit that PR did and said some pretty weird stuff for a totally innocent woman. How do you explain all her lies, her changing stories constantly, her not being able to be ruled out as the RN writer, peaking at LE, convienent memory loss about so many things, calling all their friends over to contaminate the house?

I know DocG's theory makes a lot of sense. ITAd with it for a long time, but it doesn't explain away PR's behavior, and it does have to have some explanation.

Again, they wouldn't get her out of the house first thing in the morning. The RN gives them all the time they need. They have to go to the bank to arrange the ransom money, then they have to make the drop. They have all day. If "tomorrow" means the 27th, then they have two days. There is no need for any time pressure as to when the body is disposed of.

Uh....the smell of a rotting corpse is a little hard to hide. If BR was not involved, and I don't believe he was, how were they going to explain her absence to him AND the smell coming from the basement? Sure they could tell him she'd been kidnapped, but how do they explain the smell to him and anyone else that may just happen to drop by?

The 7 am flight is on their own plane. They are at liberty to cancel with a phone call to the pilot. They do not have to give a reason, but they could simply say the kids are sick. Later they'd claim they just said that because the RN warns against telling anyone about the kidnapping.
They would have to call MR/JAR and give them some excuse for cancelling the meet up in Charlevoix.

All true, but it would have raised a lot of questions from a lot of people.

Dumping the body in MI would be dangerous, if the body were ever found. What's the odds the kidnappers took her to MI?

If they took her to MI to dump her, there's no way she'd ever be found. It was very convienent too since they were already scheduled to be there.

 

[Chrishope]

If the assault and murder occured in the basement, she really wasn't moved very far, just the other side of the WC door. The evidence does point to it happening there. They were probably trying to keep her out of BR's sight.

I'm sorry, I should have been clearer. By moved I meant dumped somewhere. If working together, they still couldn't do that with BR in the house (assuming BR is not involved). Yes, I think it was to keep the body out of sight. IMO out of sight of BR and PR. In your view just BR. In either case I think the body was in there awaiting disposal.

I didn't mean carrying her was a problem, I meant concealing her in some container (suitcase, Rubbermaid tub, etc.) where she couldn't be seen by anyone would be a problem. She wasn't going in the trunk of a car in the position she was in, so I'm assuming she would have had to be taken out in JR's Cherokee which would have made it impossible to hide her from anyone pulling up next to them at a stoplight.

You've got a point. The body would be harder to handle. Couldn't they break rigor? If you've murdered your child and are staging a coverup, some risks are inevitable.

You have to admit that PR did and said some pretty weird stuff for a totally innocent woman. How do you explain all her lies, her changing stories constantly, her not being able to be ruled out as the RN writer, peaking at LE, convienent memory loss about so many things, calling all their friends over to contaminate the house?

I know DocG's theory makes a lot of sense. ITAd with it for a long time, but it doesn't explain away PR's behavior, and it does have to have some explanation.

I not only admit it, I'm still troubled by it, and still sometimes wonder if PR was involved. IMO it's not that Docs theory makes perfect sense, just the best sense.

It comes down to what bothers me more, PR's behavior, or the notion that they actually wanted the body and the RN found together. The RN/body combination bothers me more.

As far as not being ruled out as the writer of the RN, I have little regard for handwriting experts. Their work is not subject to truly scientific method - for example, if the exemplars of both PR and JR and RN were copied, then the letters were cut out and pasted randomly, could they say who's writing it is? I think she couldn't be ruled out simply because how can anyone say someone else could not be the author? Essentially ruled out means there is no way that person could have written it. I'd like to see the scientific peer reviewed double blind studies etc. that permit such a conclusion. The mystery to me is why was JR ruled out?

Uh....the smell of a rotting corpse is a little hard to hide. If BR was not involved, and I don't believe he was, how were they going to explain her absence to him AND the smell coming from the basement? Sure they could tell him she'd been kidnapped, but how do they explain the smell to him and anyone else that may just happen to drop by?

If someone dropped by they'd be sent away. BR would be at the Whites for "safety" (or the Fernies, or somewhere) and that would be in the morning. Recall that no one in the house was complaining of rotting corpse smell as late as 1pm, not until she was brought up from the WC. So I don't think smell is that much of an issue. Also she could be placed in a plastic trash bag.

All true, but it would have raised a lot of questions from a lot of people.

But it did anyway. Some things can't be avoided.

If they took her to MI to dump her, there's no way she'd ever be found. It was very convienent too since they were already scheduled to be there.

How can you be sure she wouldn't be found? The certainly couldn't bury her at the vacation home in Charlevoix. The police would certainly think to inspect that property. So essentially they are right back in the same spot - they need to find a dump site. They are driving around in MI looking for a place to dump the body, with all the issues you raised previously if they were doing that in CO. The difference is the RN gives them an excuse to drive around the Boulder area. Plus they couldn't very well leave for their trip w/o reporting her disappearance.

 

[Venom]

Is it possible that they (JR and/or PR) could have planned on taking her body along to Charlevoix and dumping it there, in the water? If it was weighted down it may have never surfaced.

 

[Chelly]

If they took her to MI to dump her, there's no way she'd ever be found. It was very convienent too since they were already scheduled to be there.

Does anyone know how long it takes a decomposing corpse to begin smelling like a decomposing corpse?

 

[DeeDee249]

Is it possible that they (JR and/or PR) could have planned on taking her body along to Charlevoix and dumping it there, in the water? If it was weighted down it may have never surfaced.

I just can't believe that. First of all, how would they explain where she was to BR and the rest of the family when they got there? To try to say she'd been kidnapped, and then you continue on your vacation and hope someone finds her? And by that time she would smell REALLY bad. I realize that most people have never seen a dead body, especially a murdered one (I have) or one in progressing stages of decomposition. If you have never smelled the odor of death it cannot be mistaken for anything else.
You never know- someone may have searched the lake at some point in the investigation. A suitcase with a body, even weighted down, may not stay down. And a suitcase lasts a LONG time under water. And it isn't airtight. At some point, it could surface and somehow be linked to the family. And there would be traces of JB's DNA inside.

 

[Venom]

I'm not saying that's what they planned on doing. I was just speculating on them planning on dumping the body, on where they might. If they still went with their plans to go to MI, even after the "kidnapping" and ransom note, BR and all others would assume JBR was with the "foreign faction" kidnappers, that would maybe give some time to dispose of her body in MI. I googled Charevoix and noticed it was near water and thought that disposing of the body in water could have been thought of. Again, just pure speculation.

 

[Nom de plume]

I'm sorry, I should have been clearer. By moved I meant dumped somewhere. If working together, they still couldn't do that with BR in the house (assuming BR is not involved). Yes, I think it was to keep the body out of sight. IMO out of sight of BR and PR. In your view just BR. In either case I think the body was in there awaiting disposal.

ITA she was put in the wine celler to keep her out of someone(s) sight, and waiting to be dumped elsewhere.

You've got a point. The body would be harder to handle. Couldn't they break rigor? If you've murdered your child and are staging a coverup, some risks are inevitable.

I suppose they could have, but did they know that?

I not only admit it, I'm still troubled by it, and still sometimes wonder if PR was involved. IMO it's not that Docs theory makes perfect sense, just the best sense.

It comes down to what bothers me more, PR's behavior, or the notion that they actually wanted the body and the RN found together. The RN/body combination bothers me more.

It bothers me too. I don't think for a second that the original plan was for the body to be found in the house with the RN, but something happened and the original plan had to be scrapped. My guess is they thought the risk of driving around Boulder with her in the Jeep was too big a risk. It also could have been because BR found her. That would 86 the plan in a big hurry. No way could they NOT call 911 in that case.

As far as not being ruled out as the writer of the RN, I have little regard for handwriting experts. Their work is not subject to truly scientific method - for example, if the exemplars of both PR and JR and RN were copied, then the letters were cut out and pasted randomly, could they say who's writing it is? I think she couldn't be ruled out simply because how can anyone say someone else could not be the author? Essentially ruled out means there is no way that person could have written it. I'd like to see the scientific peer reviewed double blind studies etc. that permit such a conclusion. The mystery to me is why was JR ruled out?

I don't put a lot of stock in the handwriting analysis either, but when you have multiple experts all coming to the same conclusion it's a lot harder to ignore. Personally I always wondered why they didn't cut letters or words out of a magazine or newspaper, paste them on a sheet of paper, and burn the rest in the fireplace. I can't say why JR was ruled out. I'll admit he could have authored the note. His handwriting is pretty similar to PR's. The only thing that holds me back is that I don't think he would have made it so long and rambling. He's a business man so it would seem to me he'd have made it short, sweet, and to the point.

If someone dropped by they'd be sent away. BR would be at the Whites for "safety" (or the Fernies, or somewhere) and that would be in the morning. Recall that no one in the house was complaining of rotting corpse smell as late as 1pm, not until she was brought up from the WC. So I don't think smell is that much of an issue. Also she could be placed in a plastic trash bag.

No one was complaining at 1pm but at 8 or 10pm? That smell would not just stay contained in the house either. Maybe DeeDee can chime in here but I don't believe a plastic bag would make any difference.

But it did anyway. Some things can't be avoided.

How can you be sure she wouldn't be found? The certainly couldn't bury her at the vacation home in Charlevoix. The police would certainly think to inspect that property. So essentially they are right back in the same spot - they need to find a dump site. They are driving around in MI looking for a place to dump the body, with all the issues you raised previously if they were doing that in CO. The difference is the RN gives them an excuse to drive around the Boulder area. Plus they couldn't very well leave for their trip w/o reporting her disappearance.