What I've never understood is, how could any third shooter - if there was one - manage to escape from the compound after having killed the other two hitmen?

Bear in mind that this is a gated property with what presumably is a state-of-the-art security system - including round-the-clock surveillance, flood lights, guard dogs, armed guards, and possibly more. Also bear in mind that once the machine guns began firing into Michael's bedroom, that entire security apparatus leaped into immediate action - at which point, time for any subsequent action by the shooters, and for the shooter of the shooters, became very limited indeed.

Recall that the bodies of the two shooters were found some distance from the house - meaning their execution would not have occurred until they had reached that point, however long it took them to run there. After having executed them, the alleged third shooter would then have had to get out of there - immediately - without being detected and without being pursued.

Attempting to flee into the woods on foot means he would have had to find a way over or through the fence or wall - again without being detected or pursued - then to a waiting vehicle of some sort...probably with dogs hot on his tail at the time. By my reckoning then, the only possible way to escape would have been via the lake, as it's the only area of the compound not surrounded by a fence or wall. There would have to have been a boat of some sort, waiting to spirit him away - quickly enough and quietly enough to avoid detection. Not an easy feat, one depending upon split-second execution, that could very easily have gone awry, had even one element of the plan not gone as anticipated.

Furthermore, it looks to me as if the two shooters were found in a creek on the woods side of the house - not the lake side of the house. If so, and if my theory about a lake escape is sound, it would mean that after having executed the hitmen, the third shooter would then have had to cross back over the "hottest" area of the compound to get to the lake - at which point the entire area would already be crawling with armed men and guard dogs. Again, not an easy feat.

IMO, the timing and the logistics just don't fit. I don't see how it could have played out in this way.

~ Q