What an interesting story!
I'm always delighted when something so inexplicable winds up making all the sense in the world, and especially when I least expect it! This is another one of those pleasant surprises.
As an added bonus, I also discovered a new podcast to consume: Crime & Cognition by newlyweds Jarrett Ambeau and Dr. Kathryn Ambeau, Anthony Templet's criminal defense attorney and expert witness respectively.