These cases are so different even right down to the MO. Troy was likely shot and that was that. No hanging around, no nothing. Dave it sounds like was tied, people messed around with his equipment and things outside, he was perhaps tortured for either sick purposes, to get info, to get him to do something or for revenge. It seems to hint of a person or people spending some time there and more. It seems or feels personal. Troy's it is hard to say but it sure doesn't feel the same nor is necessarily personal on any level other than maybe someone pi**ed for a moment that day, hating the homeless, not wanting him there or some such. Of course it could be personal with just needing him gone and silent but there's no extra stuff or time taken and so on. It feels impersonal, cold yes, but no need to make him suffer or anything or even did the killer need him to know he was about to be shot or who was doing such to him. Most likely.
I just can't make these two murders sync together in almost any way. Of course MOs could different with a killer depending on location and need and so on but there's just too wide of differences.
Even if cops are sure and telling the truth there is "some link" between the two crimes, I don't think they can mean the killer. It sounds kind of like double talk to me or semantics. Yes there is some link or similarity or some such because they both happened in OR in the same general area may be all it is so they can say that and see it get people talking and see what shakes from it.
You've brought up seveal
@Tresir in both threads of like homeless types and such that were killed. TBH, these crimes would not even normally get much attention and there are probably tons we don't know of throughout the US that were simply in homeless camps with one taking out another, ODs, exposure to elements and many we never even hear of. Troy's case for instance is likely only known much at all because of his mom, and because of her efforts online and so on, and because of the fact it seemed to be so similar to Dave's and in the same time frame and all at the time and involved arson, although the arson was later and completely different.
Sadly, just like prostitutes, a death of one of them or a homeless person, doesn't generally become any big case the nation hears about even, and news certainly doesn't latch onto such.
I can't remember the exact term for it but homicide detectives refer to who is a high risk victim versus a low risk victim with regard to the lifestyle, exposure to people outside their inner circle and life and so on. Suzanne Morphew would be low risk. Kids, husband, church, somewhat isolated, she didn't engage in risky activities or drugs or sketchy activities and so on, she didn't hitchhike, go to bars alone, was not a sex worker and so on. Yes she was having an affair but in generaly in life she did not have exposure to a lot of outside stranger type danger and so on that she put herself in. Troy on the other hand would have a much higher risk of encountering trouble in life. He was transient, sleeping around sstrangers living day to day, hitching ride with people he did not know and so on. Changed areas where people come and go and new people or types come and go as well. In an area where there are homless and drugs and transients and truckers who also come and go and tourists (the Pilot) and so forth. He had no none with him, a buddy or mate that traveled with, say for instance two having each other's back. He had no money if he needed to vamoose. He had no home or shelter to keep safe in away from whoever and whatever and so on. He was high risk as to running into situations, trouble, and so on. And so what also comes from that is the suspect pool gets far more vast as to what could have happened. With Suzanne who I used as an example, it is far lower and far less likely as to who came into her range that would harm her or who she encountered as she didn't go far or do much. That's not saying anyone in this world low risk or high risk lifestyles couldn't end up dead in some random thing by some stranger and so on bu the odds are so different.
I'd also find it very difficult to buy if Suzanne and Troy died in the same county and were found on the same day and there were arsons and both that the crimes were related. But she's not Dave.
But then there's Dave who is not as low risk as Suzanne nor as high risk as Troy...Just based on lifestyles and things mentioned. He had a home he lived in and had for a long time, a place he sheltered, returned to, that was private and his own, a far more stable life. Funds too, I mean he hadn't even cashed his mom's estate checks. He drove, had vehicles and so on and was not a sitting duck in that sense.
I don't see the comparison in almost any way of what happened to Troy as to what happened to Dave.
Just kind of giving some other reasons and lots of ways to compare and think of the likelihood of any connection. The fact they were both shot (do we know that with Dave? I seem to think he was but unsure if that actually was said or assumed? Do I not recall in teh beginining here that they think he was still alive when the fire started? If so, he was not shot point blank with one shot meant to kill like Troy so that would be another difference.
I'm not a statitistics person and some can be made to fit anything is one reason why depending on what criteria they use. However, I am a believer and find it very true very often that MOST murders/perps lie close to home, to the person, and is someone they know and are for personal reasons and so on. Not always of course. I can't apply that to Troy easily because of his lifestyle but we can more so to Dave with more likelihood by far. That does not mean it has to be family or an ex but he stays in the same area, deals with the same people, goes to the same bar, has issues with the same people all of the time perhaps, lives in one home, stays in that home, I gather never even goes to the Pilot or travels much in his own area. So to me that is someone in his world. Soemone he ratted on, set off, pushed too far or so on. Someone who could gain from it otherwise. Or something down any of these roads. Someonw had to know the ins and outs of getting to his home and more.
I'm largely just talking to trigger thoughts of others. The other day Tresir when you simply were saying something about when Troy was seen at the Pilot around six, I knew that and had seen it before, but all of a sudden my tired brain went huh, did he go to bed shortly after six on a hot summer day in broad daylight in a sleeping bag? Not to mention the chances of being seend oing so and his "spot" where he intended to sleep would be so much easier and more notable with more people around, up yet and so on.
So just talking triggers thoughts in others sometimes. I'm just putting down a bunch here to see if anything gives someone else one that we haven't thought of yet.
