Over a period of several days following the Michaelis murder, Sheriff's Officers conducted a canvass on Old Taylor Road in the vicinity of Rowan Oak to determine whether anyone in the area observed anything unusual on the day of the murder, Monday, April 30, 2001. The interviews summarized below are those relevant to the investigation and are representative of all interviews conducted.

• Millicent DeWitt, 910 Old Taylor Road. DeWitt stated she heard car doors closing outside on the street around 9:15 a.m. When she walked out on her porch to see who it was, she observed a white sedan parked on the side of Old Taylor Road, but did not see any persons nearby. DeWitt stated she thought she heard two men arguing but could not see them or understand what they were saying. DeWitt said she did not see or hear anything else unusual until she heard the sirens and saw the Sheriff's officers driving into Rowan Oak.

• Herb Owens, 922 Old Taylor Road. Owens stated he left for work at approximately 8:00 a.m. on April 30, 2001, and he did not observe anything or anyone unusual in the area at that time or when he returned around 5:20 p.m.

• Andrew Shelton, 811 Old Taylor Road. Shelton stated he left for work a little after 9:00 a.m. He said, as he was leaving, he observed a white sedan park on the side of Old Taylor Road near the Rowan Oak entrance. Shelton saw two men get out of the car and walk into the Rowan Oak property. Shelton stated he did not notice how the men were behaving towards each other as he was late for work and in a hurry.

• Joan Williams, 722 Old Taylor Road. Williams stated she was in and out of her home on Old Taylor Road on April 30, 2001. She said when she left around 8:30 a.m., she did not observe anything unusual in the area. When she returned around 10:00 a.m., she observed a silver station wagon and a white sedan parked on the side of the road. Williams stated she considered calling the authorities to have the vehicles ticketed and/or removed, but ultimately decided not to. Williams acknowledged that the arrival of Sheriff's officers at Rowan Oak a short time later influenced her decision. Williams stated she did not see any persons in the vicinity of either vehicle, but did hear a man yelling some distance away around the time she returned home.