[...suspect is a friend or associate of Patsy and Patsy was covering for this person...]
I vehemently disagree with your suspicion!
ANY Mother who would this FOR the person who
tortured her daugher should be fed to the lions.
This is a strange case. All I can say is that in my opinion the facts of the case indicate that one or both of the parents has not told everything they know to the police and prosecutors. The timing of this arrest, shortly after Patsy's death, suggests that Patsy knew this suspect. If so, the extent to which she covered for this suspect is uncertain, but keep in mind that Patsy could have been in some legal jeopardy herself.