With regards to moving items I know little of coding but could it be some sector specific issue?

I wiped out Kingpin's cronies in his home sector, but when I've gone back to the sector there's no guys to kill. Not that I'm complaining as they have good loot on them, but am not sure if that's intentional.

I also notice the rebel/milita guys in the starting Omerta sector also respawned when I revisited that sector too.