LAST EDITED ON Feb-01-04 AT 12:35 PM (EST)
 
If murder was part of the plan, I don't think they would have left JBR in the house>>>>>

I just don't understand how murder could NOT have been part of the plan, if not the sole plan. What was done to her was no accident. It was brutal.

How could it go from a mere kidnapping to her brutally battered tortured body being left in the basement?

It would have been quite easy for him to walk right out of the house with her and stash her somewhere until John met his demands. He didn't even try and he never intended to take her anywhere, imo.

I think he had been wanting to do this for a while-- saw the movie ransom and it gave him idea of the note. This very well could be someone that is familiar with LE by watching movies. In his mind he wsa like the creepy cop and john was the enemy, just like Mel Gibson, in the movie.

He knew the note would throw everything off. The crime would be looked at as something completely different that what he really had in mind. And it would also buy him some time. Maybe?