Thursday, February 5, 2004 -- 1:00 PM

The witness, Erma Webb, is a white female, acquaintance of the victim, and mother of one of the pageant finalists. The interview was conducted by Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department Detectives Armstrong and Murphy and was recorded on a portable tape recorder with the witness's knowledge and consent.

TA: Good afternoon, Mrs. Webb. Thank you for coming in to talk with us today.

EW: It's Miss or Ms., if you please, Detectives!

TA: Oh, I beg your pardon. Which would you prefer?

EW: I think Ms. will do nicely, thank you. Can we get on with this? I have things to do.

SM: Of course, Ms. Webb. Will you please state your name and address for the record?

EW: This is ridiculous. Why am I here anyway?

SM: First, your name and address, please, ma'am.

EW: Oh, all right. Erma Webb. 2215 Jefferson Davis Drive. Oxford, Mississippi. Now can we get on with this ridiculousness?

SM: Why do you think we wanted to talk to you today?

EW: I know why I'm here, Detective. I'm not stupid, you know. It's a waste of time. Why would I know anything about her death? I had as little to do with her as possible.

TA: We understand this is upsetting, ma'am. And we appreciate your cooperation. Less time will be wasted if you just answer our questions.

EW: Oh, all right. But I don't see how I can help.

SM: Just tell the truth, Ms. Webb. You can start by telling us what you did Saturday evening.

EW: I went to the dinner, and then went to my room to bed.

TA: What time was the dinner over?

EW: I suppose around 10:30 p.m.

SM: And you went directly to your room?

EW: No. I looked in on the photo shoot, but I left after a couple of minutes. I couldn't stand watching that girl prance and preen for the camera -- upstaging my Scarlett. Shameful hussy. It made me sick. I had to leave.

TA: By "shameful hussy," who do you mean?

EW: That-- that-- Dubois girl, of course! Always hogging the camera.

TA: So when you left the photo shoot where did you go?

EW: To my room.

SM: Did you stop and talk to anyone on the way?

EW: No. I don't dilly-dally around and chit-chat with unimportant people.

SM: Well did you see anyone else?

EW: Not that I recall.

TA: And you went directly there?

EW: I don't recall stopping off anywhere, Detective. Now go on.

TA: And what time was that?

EW: How should I know? I don't look at my watch every minute. For goodness sake, don't you have someone else to harass?

SM: Ms. Webb, are we going to find out you had something to do with Barbara's death?

EW: Are you calling me a murderer? Don't be ridiculous. What possible reason could I have to murder that girl? Anyway, I certainly wouldn't beat her to death. How crude -- and unimaginative.

TA: Have you thought about doing something like this?

EW: Well, I can't deny that I sometimes wonder what Scarlett's chances would be if that girl hadn't been around to steal a crown from her.

SM: Then you might say you are glad she is dead.

EW: No, I'm not glad she is dead, but I'm glad she won't be around to steal any more crowns from my Scarlett.

SM: Let's go back to Saturday night and Sunday morning. After you went to your room, did you talk to or see any one?

EW: Let's see. Yes, I went to Scarlett's room about 11:15 to see if she was back yet. Then I phoned her around midnight to be sure she was in bed. Too many of these girls stay out late the night before a pageant. Can't be a winner with bags under your eyes. Then I went to bed.

SM: And we won't find anything to contradict that, will we?

EW: If you do, it will be a lie. Or maybe just a mistake.

TA: I see. Tell us about the next morning. What did you see and hear?

EW: Someone knocked on my door, asking if I'd seen that girl.

SM: Barbara Dubois?

EW: Yes. I didn't pay much attention. She wasn't my concern. I have enough on my hands keeping track of my daughter. So I finished dressing and, when I found Scarlett wasn't in her room, went downstairs. Everyone was running around like chickens with their heads cut off. And Susan Dubois was carrying on something terrible.

SM: Did you help in the search?

EW: No, I didn't think it necessary to add to the confusion. When the police arrived and they all went upstairs, I got Scarlett. We packed up our things and left as soon as the officers would let us go home.

TA: I understand you left very quickly. Was there a reason you wanted to leave so early?

EW: I just thought it would be better for Scarlett to be away from all the negative publicity and-- well-- I just wanted her away from there. It wasn't as if we could do anything once they found her.

SM: Ms. Webb, did you have a keycard to Barbara Dubois' room?

EW: Heavens no! Why would I have that?

TA: Well, you had one to your daughter's room as well as your own. Did Scarlett have a key to Barbara's room?

EW: Why would she have that? Of course not.

TA: Did she have a keycard to your room?

EW: No, I told the desk clerk not to give her one. I'm not competing. I don't need someone to make sure I don't stay out to all hours. She does.

TA: We're conducting a thorough investigation here, Ms. Webb. We are interviewing everyone, doing forensic tests, fingerprinting, and so on. How do you think the investigation will come out concerning you?

EW: Oh my, Detective! That's rather an intimidating question. Well, let's see. I would certainly hope and pray that your forensic tests, whatever they might be, would show that I'm just an innocent bystander; and that I have no important information for you. So you may as well go persecute someone else.

SM: I'm sure you know by now that ipecac was found in Barbara and Scarlett's chocolates. How do you suppose it got there?

EW: Obviously someone was trying to poison my darling Scarlett. Maybe that girl did it so she would be sure to have a clear way to the title. Scarlett was surely her biggest threat.

SM: That girl? You mean Barbara Dubois?

EW: Well, I don't know who else -- unless maybe Ingrid. She's the type who might do that.

TA: What about you, Ms. Webb? Did you have any reason to give ipecac to Barbara or Scarlett?

EW: What are you saying? I would never do anything that might harm my precious Scarlett!

TA: You know, we have a theory that a syringe of some kind might have been used to inject the ipecac into the chocolates. By any chance, do you have access to a hypodermic needle?

EW: Well, yes-- as a matter of fact I do. I'm a diabetic and must give myself injections of insulin.

TA: Are you missing any needles or syringes?

EW: No. All my equipment is accounted for.

TA: Then we won't find your fingerprints on what we found in the trash.

EW: Well-- now-- wait a minute. You might. Come to think of it, I must have thrown one away after my injection Saturday night.

SM: But you won't have anything to worry about when we find traces of insulin will you? By the way, Ms. Webb, why are you paying off Ingrid Freeman?

EW: Well that's a sharp turn! Paying her off. Why would I pay that little snip for anything?

TA: Well, blackmail is a good reason.

EW: Blackmail! What on earth would I have that anyone would blackmail me for?

SM: You tell us. We know you gave her money for something. What was it for? Something about Scarlett that you don't want the pageant officials and the press to know about? Anorexia or bulimia, for example?

EW: What are you saying? Why on earth would you say something like that about Scarlett?

SM: We found ipecac in her room. Don't you think you should recognize a dangerous eating disorder for your daughter's sake?

EW: Oh dear. I know. I've been suspecting something for a while now. How could this happen? I keep such close watch on what she eats! I really should sign her up for treatment. I will -- after she wins the national pageants, of course.

SM: Now back to Ingrid and the money you gave her. What was that for?

EW: Oh-- you mean her... ah... spa business. Yes, I invested in that.

TA: How much did you invest and over what period of time?

EW: I really don't see what business that is of yours.

TA: This is a murder investigation, ma'am. We decide what information is pertinent to our investigation.

EW: Oh all right. It wasn't much. I'm really not that interested in a spa business, but she convinced me it is worthwhile.

SM: How much?

EW: $500.00, more or less. Just once. About a month ago.

SM: You're sure there wasn't more, other times?

EW: There may have been. Yes. I think there was.

TA: That's a bit vague for a business transaction. Do you have cancelled checks or a contract or receipts?

EW: Ah, well... ah... not exactly.

TA: What exactly do you have?

EW: Ingrid's promise that I will be repaid once the spa gets going. I guess it was really more a loan -- or a gift. It was in cash.

SM: As we told you, we're conducting a very thorough investigation and we may want to speak to you again. Do you have any problem with that?

EW: I suppose if you must, but I can't imagine why you want to waste your time on me.

TA: Just a couple more questions. Your daughter wears a size five shoe, is that correct?

EW: What on earth do you need shoe sizes for?

SM: Just routine, ma'am. It's so we can exclude you and her as suspects. Size five?

EW: No, no. Size four. You're looking for a size five shoe?

SM: We can't discuss details of evidence. And your size?

EW: Size seven. See, here, it says so on this label.

TA: I see. Thank you.

EW: Are we through for today then?

TA: Yes. Thank you, Ms. Webb.

Interview ends -- 1:49 PM