Detective Armstrong and Detective Murphy of the Yoknapatawpha Sheriff's Department interviewed the witness, who is the neighbor of the victim. 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 Ted Armstrong
Detective Samantha Murphy
George Raymond

Detective Murphy: Good morning, Mr. Raymond. Could you tell us your name and address for the record?

George Raymond: My name is George Raymond, and my address is 1197 Mimosa Drive, Oxford.

Detective Armstrong: Thank you for coming in today.

George Raymond: My boss said I could take an early lunch. Of course then I had to cut out even earlier to be here for Anna.

Detective Armstrong: Where is it you work?

George Raymond: Delta Electronics.

Detective Armstrong: Good job?

George Raymond: I enjoy the work. Look, detectives, I do have things that need to get done today.

Detective Murphy: Let's get to it then. Tell us about your neighbor, Blake Jenson.

George Raymond: He's no neighbor of mine. He's a leech, taking advantage of our good friends, Luther and Agnes. He doesn't just get free rent. They pay him to live there. He's, quote unquote, house sitting. Maybe Anna buys that, but I don't.

Detective Murphy: Your wife was very complimentary of Blake.

George Raymond: That's my wife. Me, I didn't grow up around here. Where I'm from, we call a spade a spade. Blake was a leech who thought of nobody but himself.

Detective Armstrong: You called the police regarding Blake, didn't you Mr. Raymond?

George Raymond: That's right. How many times do I have to tell him to turn down his noise? Look, I know I'm not supposed to speak ill of the dead, but he was what he was. Him being dead doesn't change that. Luther and Agnes, they're upset, and I'm sorry about their loss. But Blake, I don't doubt he had it coming.

Detective Murphy: What makes you say that?

George Raymond: Selfish people stir up trouble because they don't think their actions can have any consequences. Blake was the type, if he wanted to play music loudly, he was going to play music loudly. If he wanted to fool around with other women, he was going to fool around with other women.

Detective Murphy: Are you saying he wasn't faithful to his girlfriend?

George Raymond: It's not like I have pictures or anything, but there were always girls around the guesthouse. If you play with fire, you're going to get burned.

Detective Murphy: Is there any one particular girl that was around a lot?

George Raymond: Blake wasn't stupid. He probably had his friends thinking he was stepping out with the girls of his other friends. The guys are all, Blake's flirting with Joe's girlfriend and Bob's girlfriend, but not mine.

Detective Armstrong: Was Blake involved in drugs?

George Raymond: Not that I ever saw. Back when I'd go over to ask him to turn it down, I'd see alcohol, but nothing else. But, you know, they're kids who fancy themselves musicians.

Detective Armstrong: How did Blake respond to you calling the police?

George Raymond: He wasn't happy, of course. I was raining on his parade. Where I grew up, you fought your own fights. I wasn't worried about some punk.

Detective Armstrong: Did you ever have any trouble with any of Blake's friends?

George Raymond: Nothing to speak of.

Detective Armstrong: That sounds like there was something.

George Raymond: They were kids. The mailbox disappeared a few times. A tire got a nail in it. Nothing I could prove.

Detective Murphy: That must have been frustrating. There's this punk ignoring you, harassing you, taking advantage of your friends. I'm not sure how I'd respond.

George Raymond: How I responded was turning up the television. Pretend like he was gone.

Detective Murphy: And now he is.

George Raymond: That's right. Now he is. So why, exactly, am I down here? I thought Blake died of a heart attack.

Detective Armstrong: The cause of death is still under investigation.

George Raymond: Well, you're barking up the wrong tree if you think one of his friends flew down to the Amazon to buy the spit of some tree frog that mimics a heart attack. These kids, they're probably challenged just playing a video game.

Detective Murphy: How about you? You're an electrical engineer.

George Raymond: I don't like to fly.

Detective Murphy: Did you drive down here from Boston?

George Raymond: That's right. Anyway, I wouldn't waste my time with the likes of Blake. I mean if he caused grief to my Anna, that would be one thing, but he was always on his best behavior around her.

Detective Armstrong: Thanks for your assistance, Mr.Raymond. If we have any further questions, we'll be in touch.

Interview ends: 12:37 PM