"People like their independence and freedom here. It’s sort of the redneck ethic."

"A lot of people haul their own water and live off generators and candles out here. Back to the land."

"Here" is in St. Johns, Arizona, and the speaker is Wendy Guffey, a substance abuse counselor, quoted in a NYT story about the 8 year-old-boy who stands accused of the pre-meditated murder of his father and another man. Does the "redneck ethic" relate to the boy's story?

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There are also some quotes about the the boy as an individual: His mother is quoted saying that the boy sounded "distant" over the phone and speculating that he was abused. Sister Angelina Chavez, who taught his religion class, says he "took his religious faith very seriously" and “I just don’t know what happened to him spiritually, emotionally." A friend is quoted saying, "He’s a nice kid. He’s normal."