Other experts called the royal treatment a brilliant strategy intended to get the suspect relaxed enough to talk more.
"There is always a reason when the unusual happens," said Denver attorney Larry Pozner, past president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Though Karr appeared relaxed for most of the flight, chatting with Spray, his expression grew more serious when the plane was just over an hour from its scheduled landing. His eyes darted around to see who was watching him.
Asked by a reporter about his conversation with Spray, he said it was "small talk." Still, Spray took notes on some of Karr's remarks.
He stopped chatting when television news crews on the flight turned their cameras on. Then he stopped smiling, clutched the armrests of his seat and stared at his lap.
Karr did not speak to reporters, but at one point summoned a reporter over to his seat. He mentioned an interview she had given, recalling that someone asked her what he was like.
"You said I looked you straight in the eye when I talked to you and I want to tell you I appreciate that, I thought it was nice," Karr said.
Karr appeared to order the drinks himself, and instigated conversations with investigators.
Also during the flight, Karr flipped through the movie channels and watched The Last Samurai starring Tom Cruise. He also dozed on and off, and two guards accompanied him on several trips to the bathroom, each time leaving the door slightly ajar.
At one point he changed out of the red shirt and tie, replacing them with a blue polo, but then changed back into the shirt and tie before the landing.
Karr, once detained on charges of possessing child pornography, in recent years apparently traveled to Europe, Central America and Asia to search for teaching jobs. He taught in at least two Thai schools.
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