This is definitely just the CLASSIC CASE of fandom wanting to protect pretty white dudes. Because I feel like the show was VERY DELIBERATE in how they handled his character. They WANTED you to hope he wasn't terrible and then were like hahahahaah no guess what he's the actual worst.
And I'm really glad they didn't have him be the one who killed the family? Because I feel like that was too easy of a decision and they already presented him as plenty evil. And he was right, of course he wouldn't have missed! It's almost like standing to the side and doing nothing either way was worse.