I think I finally figured out the ending. It wasn't a great ending but I think it makes sense in the entire context of the story.

So as everyone already knows, Columbo lays out the motive. As in other episodes, Columbo talks about means and opportunity. Crawford has both the means (Gabe changed his clothes in the bungalow so Crawford assumed the shoes would fit. It's circumstantial evidence but shows like in Exercise in Fatality it shows someone else put on his shoes.

It also shows opportunity. Crawford has no alibi for anything prior to Gabe's death. Crawford is trying to show that it was an accident. If it's not an accident then it's murder and all the motives point to Crawford.

Now to the final point. If you remember, Gabe changes up the notes on the computer to Becca and prints and then signs. This shows that Gabe had gotten the baton and no other baton was being used up on the roof. The baton from Becca was in the elevator which could have only been located at that spot if Gabe went up the elevator. Remember, the baton can't go through the elevator.

So when you take everything into consideration, Gabe had to be drugged. Somebody must have brought Gabe up through the elevator to the roof. The baton was left behind. Motives are aplenty.

I think the notes on the board just divert attention away from the motives and the baton being in the elevator. It was more of a final recognition that this baton was received by Gabe. It shows Gabe was in the Bungalow and someone else finished dressing him.

I think Crawford leaves because his motives are obvious. Someone had to drug him? If not Crawford then who? Someone put Gabe in the elevator. If not Crawford then who? If it's not an accident, then it's murder. Who would have access to the Crawford's bungalow and the elevator? It's just a weak ending. It's a circumstantial ending. The notes on the board is only there to show Gabe got the baton and Crawford killed him before he got up to the roof otherwise the baton would not be in the elevator.

Just watches the episode in german television.
One thing I do not understand: Crawford put a baton in the hand of Gabe while he was unconcious. I always thought, it was the baton from Becca????

So, they never found a baton on the street next to the dead Gabe?

I thought, the baton fell into the elevator while opening.

Strange ending.......

Without going too much into the details of this episode, and not familiar with the earlier episodes, I will say that this episode was done in 2000. I can understand some of your criticsm and I think to a degree its valid. However, I had to use this reason but it is all too common on TV.
Perhaps as with most shows when you get close to the end, writers start to loose it and are just not as good as they were at one time. With a few shows perhaps, even the greatest shows have had this happen.

I would hate to think Columbo was also one of these shows who's guality just was not the same at the end of its lifespan.?