Rust (MM) is referring to Hurricane Andrew, which after trashing South FL in August 1992 did considerable damage in LA and shut down schools well into September.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Andrew#Louisiana

That would explain why MM says something like "Then you boys had better start asking the right questions" instead of just telling the present day detectives what he knows.

I Don't think Woody's the killer because a killer that kills like that woman got killed would enjoy mm's cormac McCarthy rants and not kill that conversation like woody did.

I think he's a cheating simple family man. Not a lunatic like mm. Who isn't the killer either

JudgeHoldem, good point. I think the plotting is ambiguous enough at this point where people could have a slight suspicion of either detective-- but when you actually stop and think about it, it just doesn't fit the vibe of the show or either character.

Possibly, or it could make him more uncomfortable because it might lead him to more closely examine himself.

That's a good comparison, this show has the feel of a McCarthy novel. I love the darkness of it so far, it sort of evokes parts of NCFOM and his other books.

As far as either detective being the killer, I highly doubt it, the murder(s) are just a device to move along MM and WH's performance.

I'd image somebody that kills as ritualistically as this dude has already examined himself quite extensively. A psychotic thinker isn't going to get unnerved by misanthropic musings.

I just rewatched. To clarify: The last lines of ep 1. go
Old Rust: Your thinking, how could it be him if we caught him in 95? How indeed detectives
Detective: I figured you'd be the one to know
Rust: Then start asking the right ****ing questions.

To me this sounds more like MM has been told to keep quiet rather than him just being a prick.

#Teamcoverup

This totally was what I was meaning. A guy that did a murder like that would either engage that conversation or sit quiet with his hardon

I'm on board with mm knowing the case handling wasn't kosher

Yeah, Abysmal, my theory was from that exchange where apparently someone was arrested and not the killer at the end of the first ep. We've seen pressure on the detectives to get a suspect - the higher ups want to bring in a task force - and the whole "anti-Christian" exchange with the governor's cousin (right?). I think MM/WH will not meet their deadline* or will be shut down early and the task force will swoop in and make a quick arrest to placate the powers that be and assure the public etc.

* And from here I'll say they are getting close and looking in right places. That a powerful person is the likely killer is just me taking a massive leap into where I'd take the story given what we know, ie MM becomes completely disillusioned with law enforcement and is drinking himself to death, and WH is no longer a detective either (I think, yeah?). I don't think he would quit over a task force taking over or anything. He doesn't seem to care THAT much about finishing the case himself. Something happens where he disobeys his superiors like digging in places he's told not to dig.

Again, almost all of this is pure guesswork.

Is there anything specifically that makes you think WH isn't still a cop?

he said something about no longer being a cop.. hes in security stuff now and mentioned something else (maybe P.I.) I can't remember but made another comment like once you're out you just gotta keep busy.. ?

I thought it was made explicit at one point - well obv not super explicit - but I'd have to check the tape to be sure.

confirmed WH is no longer a cop.

Do you remember the scene?

He said explicitly that since leaving the force he did private investigation and security. This was in the first ep, during one of his interviews in the present day.

This is right. He was contrasting where he is today vs. where Rust is. That keeping himself busy basically kept him sane.

Ok go to half hour into first episode

WH: "I got this security firm, PI stuff, routine, lot of guys leave their job... some advice, you make it out - you stay busy."

He may just be retired but he's awfully young even in the present. Don't think he could've made pension yet... or maybe? Either way I think he's the type who is a lifer and doesn't walk away the way I can see MM doing. Most likely explanation is he was forced out.

20 years gets you a pension in most places, think it's totally believable that he put his time in, took his pension, and now is making some money in the private sector as well. This is taking place in 2012, the flashbacks are to 1995 and he already had rank at that point, so yeah, the math completely works out. I would bet he just played the string out and took his pension like he was always planning on, I have yet to get the sense that this case did a number on Hart anything remotely like it did to Cohle.

nunnehi, you miss a lot of crucial bits to be extolling your grand theories and insisting on the accuracy of your scene interpretations.

Its like he watches with concussion syndrome

Yeah, this is my thought. He may not exactly like how things went down, but he's capable of keeping that to himself and politicking his way out of being put on the boat. There's a lot of the Jimmy and Bunk thing going on here.

This is all possible. He seems like the type who would stay in the force much longer but I'm just projecting off of his persona - if he were continuously getting promotions. He can both have a pension and have been forced out as well. By forced out I don't necessarily mean he was asked to quit, also including instances where he's stuck in a perpetual pay grade without promotion due to internal politics.