Monday, June 15, 2009 - 9:02 AM

The witness, Martina Shoulders, is the twenty-one-year old friend of Taylor Duncan. The interview was conducted at the Yoknapatawpha Sheriff's Department and recorded on a portable tape recorder with the witness's knowledge and consent.

Detective Samantha Murphy
Detective Ted Armstrong
Martina Shoulders

Detective Murphy: Thank you for coming in to talk with us. Could you state your name and address for the record?

Marti Shoulders: Sure. Hi, detectives, my name is Martina, but everyone calls me Marti. My last name is Shoulders and I live at the Oxford Square apartments right here in the best city in the world, Oxford Mississippi. How's that?

Detective Murphy: That was fine Marti but try to ignore the mike and just talk in your normal tone, ok? Street address?

Marti Shoulders: Sorry about that. Apartment 303, 1802 Jackson Avenue. I got a little excited.  I've never been in a police station before and when you said you were recording, I thought maybe others were going to see this and I wanted them to hear me. Sorry.

Detective Armstrong: This is a serious matter.  We've asked you here to find out what all you know about the night your friend, Taylor Duncan, disappeared.

Martina Shoulders: Oh? I thought it was because of the bonfire party last Friday.

Detective Murphy:We haven’t had any reports about it. Should we have?

Martina Shoulders: Oh, no. That's just what I thought. The night that Tay went missing was a horrible night for her. I think she was just so humiliated that she took off but I really think she would have contacted me before now. We were pretty tight, you know, like this.

Detective Murphy: Yes, we know. Why was Taylor humiliated?  What happened that night?

Marti Shoulders: Well, Tay kinda had a crush on Blake and we knew he was going to be at the party so she was excited because she saw him a day or two before and he told her he'd see her there. He wasn't there when we first got there so we just started partying and dancing with some of the guys.

Detective Murphy: Go on, just keep talking and tell us about the humiliating part. We'll stop you when we've heard enough.

Marti Shoulders: Ok, no problem. So anyways, I was dancing with Alex, and Tay was dancing with Kent, and we were getting a little bit of a buzz on when Blake showed up and cut in on Kent and started dancing with Tay. They ended up going into another room for a while. When I caught up with Tay a little bit later she was alone and crying. She showed me a gold necklace that Brent had given her earlier in the day and…

Detective Armstrong: Stop there for a minute. We need last names of these boys. Why did one of them give her a necklace?

Marti Shoulders: The boy I danced with was Alex Coleman Then there was Blake Jenson, Kent Erdell and Brent Woods.

Detective Murphy: The necklace?

Marti Shoulders: Sorry, Brent and Tay have been dating forever it seems but she wouldn't commit. Anyways Brent came over earlier and honked outside her house. She went out and got in the car and talked to him for a little bit. He gave her a real nice gold chain and gave it to her but he told her if she put it on that they would be exclusive. She took the necklace but she didn't put it on then she got out of Brent's car and went in to get ready for the party. She said that he was upset but she was tired of telling him over and over that she loved him but not enough to be tied to him. She went on to tell me that her and Blake just had sex and as soon as it was over he said "thanks" and left the room. So she felt used and humiliated and said that maybe she should put the gold necklace on because all other guys were alike and only wanted one thing. I tried to cheer her up but she just asked me to go get her another beer. She started downing them one after another and at some point she put the necklace in her pocket and starting dancing alone in front of everyone. Honestly, she looked kinda skanky when she did that. I was embarrassed for her.

Detective Armstrong: When did you two leave the party?

Marti Shoulders: Oh, we didn't leave together. Tay kept on drinking and the last time I saw her she was sitting in Blake's car.

Detective Armstrong: You never saw her nor spoke with her after that?

Marti Shoulders: Nope. I wish I would have walked up to that car and dragged her out and took her home. Sure she would have been in some deep trouble with her folks but at least she'd not have run off or whatever happened. I miss her. Things just aren't the same without her around.

Detective Armstrong: Can you think of anyone who would want to harm Taylor?

Marti Shoulders: At first I thought maybe Brent did something but he was so torn up when she never came back. No really I have no idea of anyone who would hurt her. Brent really loved her and he wanted her to be his I mean, like forever

Detective Armstrong: What about Kent and Alex and Blake?

Marti Shoulders: Blake already had what he wanted. I always thought Kent liked Tay; he flirted with her all the time. Alex? No way! Him and Brent are best friends, boys have a code you know, they don't do that.

Detective Murphy: Thank you, Marti, for your time. We appreciate it.

Marti Shoulders: Oh, you're welcome. Anytime. Bye bye.

Interview ends: 9:38 AM