This is not proof of anything, but ....
I recall seeing an interview of SR’s family after his death. The brother was behaving VERY ODDLY. He was kind of smirking as if he knew something that the interviewer did not. He did NOT seem to be in mourning.
Subsequently, I have heard all sorts of ideas floated about SR, including the theory that he is really alive. The brother’s strange behavior would match up with that as well as with the theory that he was in on the murder.
Who knows?
Possible... the official handling of this street mugging is a Gordian knot!
THis just occurred to me based on your post. Maybe they faked his death to put him into witness protection. He was supposed to be about to go see the FBI. Maybe they saw him first. Probably deaded though.