Thanks for sharing. I was just surfing the web today ( google) looking for an update.
The letter had the ring of truth to it. Vai was justified in protecting himself if the other hunter fired first. He's in deep trouble after that. I believe, there were no other weapons at the scene. No way can he justify the massacre that followed; he was just eliminating witnesses. It must have been a horrific moment for all concerned.
There is a lesson in this for all of us. Never confront a fellow hunter in an belligerent way; you just don't know what attitude or background he brings to the scene. The one thing you both bring to the situation is the hunter instinct and loaded weapons. The Law will sort it out, but the tragedy is irreversible.