I would like to wait and see what we find out. It seems like the kid was pretty well loved at home from photos, etc, but who knows.
I'm reminded of the school shootings in Clarkston Michigan where that kid killed several classmates. Come to find out his parents treated him like absolute dog crap, the kid begged for help from his parents and they ignored him. Dad was too busy getting hammered and mom was too busy at swingers events and the kid just spiraled down into the abyss of despair and took the lives of 3 fellow students. His parents were the driving force behind his despair. That being said, he must be punished and he was, and he deserved everything he got.
Rotten effing parents matter in all this stuff. But 20 complaints and nothing changed? WTF. I would have marched my arse right up to school after the first incident, walked right into the superintendent or principal's office, slammed my McMurtry baby arm holding an apple on the table and said "this ends today, here's my business card, he's what I'm going to do if it doesn't stop today". Then I would have reached out to each of those parents with a beautiful letter on my firm letterhead and let them know that I am holding them directly responsible for any and all actions of their kids for bullying. Then I'd saunter over to the local police, file a complaint, drop off my letters with the complaint, and ask the police to pay a visit. I can't imagine any local police force would not send at least one officer over to each of the bullying kids' house and scare the shit out of them.
I mean you are right--no stone should be left unturned in this day and age.