>>>>I'd also be curious to see how good a shot the 4 year old supposedly was.
>>>>Currently I'm leaning towards daddy telling the kid "you need to tell the police YOU did it so daddy doesn't go to jail and leave you all by yourself!".
>>>
>>>That scenario crossed my mind, but it's even more heinous than what supposedly happened.
>>>According to what I've seen the boy is the deputy's nephew, not his son.
>>
>>my first real heinous scenario was even worse:
>>either prearranged as a set piece with some fatherly help or at least reenacting to get some credibility if the kid is checked for powder.
>>But as there seem to have been others around less probability for that
>
>The investigators have to consider all possibilities - even the one where the victim hands the gun to the nephew.

Certainly. But as husband has law enforcement background, chances are that he is well aware that only handing over the gun after the shot leaves prints on the gun but powder remains on minor are missing. Betting that a check for such remains might be ... uuhhhm ... skipped due to age or other circumstances IMO a long shot.