"The one thing that seems the most bizarre to me over all the bits of information we've gotten on this case in the last 10 years is the exact amount of John's bonus that was mentioned in the kidnapping note".
It's all about the note for me, too. Not just the bonus, but the writing style and handwriting. This guy will never pan out as the murderer. There will be no DNA match.
Amen! I just think since the bonus amount was not generally known, the inclusion of that unusual figure in the note provides an extremely important clue. Who knows, maybe an obvious plant to point a finger in a certain direction.