Board Thread:Character Discussion/@comment-6175354-20161010033114/@comment-24674051-20161019201524

From a strictly timeline perspective, it would point to either Killian or Rumple, as others have suggested. all of the other main characters would either not have existed at all, or been too young to pull off the deed. That is assuming that it is a main character that is responsible, either directly or indirectly.

But, as others have pointed out, why would the EQ know? She could not have done it herself, as she would have been too young (if David was 6, that would make Snow be 6, which would put Regina around 14). That is another question that needs to be answered. If it is anything related to Regina, it would have to be Cora behind the murder, and we know that stabbing is not her style, which rules her out.

Another thing. All David knew was that his father died in the wreck. Did Ruth know the truth of the murder, or did she just accept that her husband died in a drunken accident? I expect the latter, which means that whoever found the wreck saw that the person was murdered, and conveniently covered it up, except for a note held by Rumple.

And Rumple did have a motive to kill daddy C. Daddy C knew about the origin of Prince James (a secret known only to Rumple, Ruth, and Daddy C). He may have been threatening to reveal the secret to discredit Rumple as a traitor, or something similar. That right there would be motive enough for Rumple to take action.

And finally, Rumple is the one that ends up with the luck charm in his possession.

So, based on the facts, Rumple had the Motive, and there is circumstantial evidence linking him to the crime.

What's left is to figure out the Method. And here is where it gets tricky. Rumple had to kill or remove Daddy C. And (far fetched theory coming) here's the method. Rumple finds Daddy C and makes a deal. He would make sure no harm came to Ruth or his Son, but He would have to disappear (to the LoUS). The alternative is that Rumple would kill Daddy C and Ruth, leaving young David without parents.Daddy C reluctantly agrees, takes the key and departs. Rumple then finds a suitable body (lying behind the pub, maybe) and glamours the corpse to look like Daddy C, and then stages the fake wreck. Suspicion is off of him, Daddy C is safely out of the way, and Ruth is none the wiser.

Fast forward to the future, where Daddy C appears in Storybrooke, seeking revenge on Rumple, and the first person he runs into is the EQ. She sees this as an opportunity to tear David and Snow apart, and get back at rumple at the same time. She convinces Daddy C to lay low while the stage is set. (which is what we saw in Eps 2 & 3).

Not great as theories go, but it is the best I got.

Bottom line, I think that between Kilian and Rumple, the stronger case is Rumple.