My favorite line of the article.
If in fact Baxter shot himself, and it's looking like a slim chance of that, he sure picked a Stupid Load to do it with. Those rounds use something like #9 birdshot and might have blended his brain from a Contact Shot, but from a couple of feet away it would be extremely iffy.
Most of them I've shot would not break a coke bottle from two feet, but they will mess up a snake.
I'd say it was left obvious on purpose (a message) that he was offed. (Don't Rat on the Plan!) Ratshot, it fits! They're cute with their innuendo.