The Houstons Coverup

The local media is really inept at coverups. They have all used the same term "ride along friend" to describe the former policeman that was killed with the actual sherrifs deputy.
I want to know if it was legal (not if they had permission, IF IT WAS LEGAL)for the other guy to be in the car, whether he had been involved with the Houstons prior to the shootout, and why he was a "former" police officer.

Noboy in the local media has even bothered to ask these questions.

I smell a cushy cover up with a local media that has been co-opted by buddy buddy party invitations.
Not even the winner of the News Sentinels "be our conservative writer" contest Greg Johnson has questioned this.
Wake up Greg!