I believe I heard the neighbor identify himself as Peterson’s friend. He has been helping him out in various ways and swears that he trusts Peterson’s account of things. So he’s more than a useful idiot neighbor. He has hitched his wagon to Peterson’s reputation and wants to back that up in order to make himself look credible. Otherwise, he would have taken the more obvious approach of wanting to know what exactly happened to Kathy, because the whole scene was so bizarre and incomprehensible.
Peterson certainly knew how to *work* that neighbor. He pulled up in a police car and asked for his help.
Not sure anyone would refuse, or be suspicious - in fact the neighbor/friend is still unable to accept that he was *used* by Peterson.
There was another person in the house - Stacy’s best friend. Would like to hear her account as well. The guy was careful not to release her name during that interview.