[oceanview]

he got to Boulder at 4PM, he had tape and rope with him, he got into the house somehow, found his way around a complicated house, moved the child into the basement into a room even the police couldn't locate when they searched the house, killed her, then went to find paper, wrote a practice ransom note, then wrote the real 3 page ransom note, then left and went directly to the airport to fly home?

are you kidding me?

[nuconvert]

Following up on your scenario .... He would have had hours while the Ramseys were away that night to roam around the house and more time after they got home and he waited for them to go to sleep, to write the note.

[hoosiermama]

You missed the Would have to be well planned in advance.

AM assuming those plans would include a layout of the house etc. Even with that "not very likely". OTOH if they were gone for quite a while he would have plenty of time to explore the house. Easy to tell a little girl's room with the decor.

[Tall_Texan]

he got to Boulder at 4PM, he had tape and rope with him, he got into the house somehow, found his way around a complicated house, moved the child into the basement into a room even the police couldn't locate when they searched the house, killed her, then went to find paper, wrote a practice ransom note, then wrote the real 3 page ransom note, then left and went directly to the airport to fly home?

Don't forget the chloroform. When I'm out walking around unfamiliar neighborhoods looking for little girls to rape for Christmas, I always make sure I'm carrying chloroform with me. (do I really need to put a sarcasm tag here?)