Early on, there was a lot urgency in the search. That tapered off--until just after the kiddie porn was removed from DW's house, and then it was absolutely imperative that Danielle's body be found. A couple days later, this report surfaced, which explained the urgency.
It could also be a matter of saying something to get PD off his back after hours of grilling. This technique has been successfully employed by other LE in San Diego County.