The witness, who was the business sponsor of the Yoknapatawpha County Literature Festival Pageant, was interviewed by the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department. The interview was conducted by Detectives Armstrong and Murphy and was recorded on a portable tape recorder with the witness' knowledge and consent.

SM: Thank you for talking to us, Ms. Lamar. I'm sure the last few days have been extremely hectic for you.

AL: I just don't understand why you need to interview me. But I'll do what I can.

SM: For starters, would you please state your name and address?

AL: Allie Lamar. 638 North Lamar.

SM: And what is your occupation?

AL: I own Lamar Cosmetics.

SM: And what was your connection to the Yoknapatawpha County Literature Festival Beauty Pageant?

AL: I was the sponsor. I put up all the money for the pageant.

SM: How much money are we talking here?

AL: I would have to consult with my business manager. And we still don't even know the final bill. Definitely in the tens of thousands.

TA: So I bet you'll be pretty upset if the pageant ends up being cancelled.

AL: Naturally. I mean, it's terrible what happened and all. But they weren't going to cancel the Olympics because something awful happened to Nancy Kerrigan.

SM: Nancy Kerrigan recovered. She was able to compete--

TA: Since she wasn't murdered.

SM: And that was the Olympics, not a small town beauty pageant--

AL: Okay, you're right. I used an inappropriate analogy. Can we please just get this over with?

SM: We would like to establish a timeline for the night of January 30th. Can you please tell us where you were on that evening?

AL: I was at the YCCC, of course. For the gala event.

TA: What time did you get there?

AL: To the gala? I left the pageant headquarters office about 4:30 or so. We secured the office and I gave Mr. Dopelson the key. I had to get to the gala early to check things out and make sure everything was set up properly.

SM: What exactly did that entail?

AL: I don't know. Just stuff.

TA: Like what stuff?

AL: Making sure the caterers were there and ready. Making sure all the lighting and things were set up. Making sure the chairs were all lined up and ready for the guests. I am the sponsor of this event and I do have a lot of money invested here. So I was trying to protect my investment!

SM: You can calm down, Ms. Lamar. We're just trying to figure out what happened--

AL: And you keep asking me stupid questions and hinting around--

TA: And you keep being rude and impatient.

AL: Detective, I am the CEO of a large company. And I am a woman so I have to be even more on guard for people to take me seriously. I work hard. In fact, I am hard. I don't mess around with pleasantries and I don't beat around the bush. Perhaps if you don't like my attitude, then you should just quit wasting my time.

SM: Is that how you feel? You think we're wasting your time?

AL: Yes, I do. I can't do anything to help the victim. That's a terrible thing that happened. But I have a company to run and I have a public relations mess with the cancellation of the pageant that I need to attend to. So I would appreciate it if we could get this over with as quickly as possible.

SM: All right, Ms. Lamar. The actual gala party is pretty well documented. So we won't waste your precious time discussing it. Tell us what you did after the party.

AL: I worked.

TA: Worked how?

AL: I saw to my guests. I talked to the judges. I schmoozed. That's what you do at these events. Then, at some point in the evening, I had to show some paperwork to my son, Bill. Then I--

SM: What kind of paperwork?

AL: What do you mean?

TA: Were you discussing financial matters? Legal papers? What type of things were you working on with Bill?

AL: I believe it was some effort estimates. I had been given some estimates for shipping product and I wanted his opinion.

SM: And that was?

AL: That was what?

SM: His opinion?

AL: Oh. His opinion was that the figures were inflated. These suppliers want all the time in the world to ship, but then they expect you to pay immediately. Bill and I worked on these materials for quite some time.

TA: Is that so?

AL: Yes, of course.

SM: Bill told us that he got a call or a page or something and left you. I think he said he only worked with you for about thirty minutes.

AL: Well, I suppose that's true. I get caught up in my work and I don't notice the passage of time. Sometimes it feels like I've been working for ten minutes and I notice that it's actually been several hours. Sometimes, I've only been working a short time and yet it seems like years. There's been quite a bit of that lately. It's no secret my company isn't doing very well. Unfortunately, lately business has seemed like a trip to the dentist. Even a short meeting feels like hours when it's not good news.

SM: So what happened after you talked to Bill?

AL: I wandered around the hotel. Talking to guests, trying to make business contacts, that kind of thing.

SM: Is that all?

AL: Yes.

SM: Then what did you do?

AL: I went to bed. I bumped into my son again later in the evening and he walked me to my room. Then I went to sleep.

SM: What time was this?

AL: I don't really remember. Maybe around midnight.

SM: And you went straight to bed?

AL: Yes.

SM: When did you wake up?

AL: About 7:30. The front desk called and woke me up. Told me I should get downstairs, that there had been a serious incident.

SM: And where did you go?

AL: I started to go downstairs, but as I was leaving my room, I heard the commotion down the hallway. So I went to where all the EMTs and people were. I wanted to find Bill. After I heard what happened, I wanted to check on him.

SM: Why?

AL: Do you have any children, Detective? Don't you think that if your son discovered a dead body you would be concerned about him?

SM: So you wanted to find Bill. How was he?

AL: In shock. Upset. It's all very understandable. Finding a dead body would be traumatic for anyone, but then he had also known the victim. So he was pretty upset.

SM: How were Bill and Barbara getting along recently?

AL: They weren't. They dated in high school. It was just a high school crush. I don't believe they had even spoken recently. So you can't say how they might have been getting along.

SM: How would you describe your relationship with Barbara?

AL: I didn't have a relationship either. She was always a nice girl in high school. I treated her like any mother would treat her son's girlfriend. I drove them to movies occasionally. Saw them off to prom. That kind of stuff. I hadn't spoken to her in years until this pageant.

SM: How much interaction did you have with her after the pageant started?

AL: Very little. I purposefully made a point to avoid her. I didn't want to give anyone the impression that she had an inside track. I didn't think it was appropriate for us to talk or anything, so no one would think that she was getting special treatment just because she had dated my son years ago.

SM: Why do you think someone would have wanted Barbara Dubois dead?

AL: I don't know. Maybe she treated someone poorly. Maybe she attracted some freak. I mean, these beauty pageant contestants are obviously attractive women. They model and they compete in swimsuit competitions. Maybe somebody out there became obsessed with her or something.

SM: Did you have anything to do with her death?

AL: No, I didn't have anything to do with it!

SM: Do you have knowledge of someone who was involved and you're not telling us?

AL: Absolutely not!

TA: Mrs. Lamar, could this have been an accident?

AL: I don't know anything about these things. I suppose it could have. Possibly.

SM: It is possible that Ms. Dubois may have been the aggressor? That someone was merely acting in self-defense?

AL: That could be, I suppose. It could even have been a-- a stunt gone wrong.

SM: So Barbara might have wanted something like this to happen? She may have brought this on herself, either directly or indirectly? Why might she have wanted that?

AL: I don't know. She might have wanted to spoil the pageant. She might have wanted to hurt me. She might have wanted to ruin everything. I don't know what she was thinking.

TA: Don't we need to know more, Mrs. Lamar?

AL: About what?

SM: About what happened. Isn't there more to tell?

AL: I wouldn't know. I don't know.

SM: Are you sure there's not more you need to tell us?

AL: No, no I don't have anything else, I don't know anything.

TA: Let me ask you this, Ms. Lamar. Are we going to have to talk to you again during this investigation?

AL: What do you mean?

SM: Are we going to find some evidence that's going to point us in your direction? Is there going to be anything that will link you to this crime and make us talk to you again?

AL: You'll probably want to waste my time again, I'm sure of it. I mean, not that you'll find anything that links me to the crime. But I am a major player in this pageant. I'm sure you'll come across my name quite often. So I wouldn't be surprised if you wanted to talk to me again.

SM: Would you be willing to sit down with us later on? Would you help us if we need it?

AL: Yes, of course. I just don't know how I can help.

TA: Everyone can contribute something to an investigation, Ms. Lamar.

SM: Just one small thing, Mrs. Lamar. What is your shoe size?

AL: Why? I don't see what my personal information has to do with this, Detective.

SM: Our forensic team took some measurements near the crime scene. Based on what we found, we could be eliminating as suspects individuals with women's size 6 or below, although we could be off by one size.

TA: Forensics is sure it won't vary by more than one size, Murph.

SM: Yes, and they're very accurate.

AL: Well, then take me off your list now, Detective. A size six would be two full sizes too big for me.

SM: I'm sure we'll be talking to you again soon. Thank you for your time.

Interview ends -- 2:44 PM