>...however, the use of bad grammar and punctuation in a criminal communiqué is a known tactic to hide the existence of advanced education... [and muddle up the style of composition thus making analysis and possible recogniton of the perp through his writing that much harder if not impossible. It's definately something to take into account.]
That was just my .02¢ worth. Actually applicable in this case? - who knows. As far as he/they being "smart" - I don't know about that, but I do know without a doubt that he/they are of the treacherous, murderous, sneak persuasion.
As for all this bank transfer, credit card, phone-tag etc., etc., yadda-yadda stuff. I don't know. A lot of this info strikes me as fluid and seems to morph by the hour. This situation is so darn convoluted that I would have trouble justifying the dedication of brain power unless I had something tangible about it in front of me. Kinda in one ear and out the other for the most part for now. What is very tangible to me at this time is that there is a diabolical sneak (or sneaks) creeping around murdering people, and it appears there is a favored zone of ops - or comfort zone. I think the folk in that comfort zone need to pull out the stops and make it UN-comfy. Some defoliation, extra lighting to illuminate possible assassin hiding places ( what is the cost of some extra lights and kilowatt hours versus that of a human life..), and rotating sentry patrols of some sort through particularly suspicious perimeter areas. Really put the heat on the pantload(s) to where he/they second guess the ability to set up a clean shot. Make it tough. If the killer(s) get stuck having to use a strategy that carries risks of higher visibility, and frail escape and evasion options, the more likely somebody will spot something first and get this mess shut down. If the killer(s) keep up this communication gambit with LE, I'm sure eventually there'll be a mistake, a track-down and a capture. One or the other is bound to work. But regardless, the killer(s) happy hunting grounds need a disruption. Should have been done quite a while ago.
I don't know what %age of trafficked parking lots or gas stations, bus stops, etc., are surrounded by wooded areas out there. Maybe there are just too many areas to be patroled.
The same sniper tactics would be harder to pull off here in the Los Angeles area. We have no real thick woodsy areas near commercial areas. You'd have to be pretty skinny to hide behind a palm tree and get off your shot.