The defense is relying too much on the fact that the mother was a prostitute. Of course that's a dangerous profession, but murder of a prostitute is still rare. And Round Rock is not exactly a hotbed of random crime.
"If Terry was a threat, they had every opportunity to get out and run," said the defense, explaining the girls didn't express any fear of Miles, but that they expressed concern for his well-being." https://www.kvue.com/article/news/crime/opening-statements-made-in-trial-for-man-accused-of-kidnapping-round-rock-girls/269-9d29b09e-8b71-43b6-91d1-d59506c58d5d