roadready

Any feedback greatly appreciated - have not warranty previous flood. Bought w 2500 miles 1.5 years ago most parked driven little. Now has 12,000 miles. Have always heard an occasional sheet metal rattle from engine - usually when car is warm and you have to be standing outside listening - sounds just like a heat shield rattle or my 2nd suspect was a timing chain tensioner. Car is stick shift 5 speed - driving yesterday not unusually hard climbing slight incline in 3rd getting and was getting ready to shift to 4th when all of a sudden a SEVERE jerk like a hit something on road (and I didn't) combined w a loud grind and fowling condition sound and dead motor, tried to restart and starter would not even engage at all (should have tried to roll start but didn't even think of that at time) made multiple attempts to crank w no starter interaction at all, no click no turn - called tow truck and when unloaded in driveway curiosity made me try one more time to crank it and it did crank/starter sounded imaginatively slower but it turned over fairly quick with lots of rattles and pings to which I immediately turned it off. Called the brother in law who is a master tech, he immediately said transmission which I disagree with and as he listened to more on phone he MIGHT have come more around to my thinking it jumped the timing chain - maybe a tensioner or guide ?? Any input greatly appreciated. Thanks all.

tech2

-cars with immobilizers won't roll start

-to verify jumped timing either pull the timing cover or do a compression test.
any fuel being shot out the throttle body when cranking?