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Witness Interview: Janet Hipps, Airborne Express delivery person
 

Tuesday, February 13, 2001 - 10:40 a.m.

The witness, an employee of Airborne Express overnight delivery service, was identified by company records as the delivery person seen in the victim's neighborhood on the afternoon of Friday, January 26, 2001. Detectives Murphy and Armstrong interviewed the witness at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Office. The interview was was recorded on a portable tape recorder with the witness's knowledge and consent.

TA = Detective Ted Armstrong
SM = Detective Sam Murphy
JH = Janet Hipps

SM: Could you please tell me your name and address?

JH: Janet Hipps. I live at 1648 Garfield.

SM: Thank you for coming in to talking with us. We understand you were the driver seen on Sivley Street at approximately 4:30 on the afternoon of January 26th. Is that correct?

JH: Yes, that was me.

SM: What were you doing on Sivley Street that afternoon?

JH: I was making a delivery.

SM: Do you remember which house you were delivering to?

JH: I made a note of it before I came over. Let me see... it was 223 Sivley. Etheridge was the name.

SM: Did you make a note of the time you made the delivery?

JH: Yes, let me find it... it was logged in at 4:33 p.m.

SM: Do you remember what the package was? Who sent it or what size it was?

JH: No, I'm sorry. I don't. I know it wasn't a real big box because I don't remember using the hand truck or anything.

SM: Okay. Could you tell us everything you remember that happened before, during, and after that delivery?

JH: Sure. As I recall, I located the address and pulled in the driveway. I took the package to the door, rang the bell, got the recipient's signature, and then left. Pretty much what happens everywhere.

TA: Can you remember anything else? Anything more detailed?

JH: I'm not sure... I think there was a dog.

TA: A dog? Where?

JH: I think it was next door. I remember hearing it barking and I immediately started looking around to see where it was. We gotta be careful of dogs, you know. You just never know how they're going to react to strangers. Some of the people I work with have been bit and I don't want that to happen to me.

TA: I can understand that. So where was the dog?

JH: It was at the house next door to the... left as I was standing at the front door. It was inside at the window, barking and hopping all around like they do.

TA: Okay. Anything else?

JH: Um... oh yeah. After I got back in the van, I was looking up the next delivery address and that dog started barking again. I looked up to see where it was because sometimes the owners let 'em out when they start barking or they have one of those doggie doors and the dogs come out on their own, so I wanted to see if it was coming near me.

TA: Was it?

JH: No, it was still in the house at the window. It wasn't even barking at me that time.

TA: Who was it barking at then?

JH: There was this guy walking to his car.

SM: Where did he come from?

JH: I don't know. Seems like he came from in between the two houses, but I don't really know. I didn't actually see him come from there. That was just the direction he was walking.

SM: Did you notice what kind of car he had?

JH: I don't really know much about cars. It was some kind of four-door, I think. I didn't really pay any attention.

SM: Do you remember what color it was?

JH: Not really. A dark color maybe?

SM: How did you know it was a man you saw?

JH: I guess it just looked like a man.

SM: In what way?

JH: I don't know. Maybe he walked like a man or was dressed like a man. I'm not sure.

SM: What was he wearing? Do you remember?

JH: I don't know. He had on a jacket. I do remember that because he had the hood up, which struck me as kind of weird because it wasn't that cold out.

SM: What kind of jacket?

JH: I don't remember. I wasn't paying that much attention to him and I only saw him for a minute.

SM: What color was the jacket?

JH: I don't know. Dark? Maybe black? Maybe navy blue? I don't know. Like I said, I wasn't really paying that much attention to him. I was more worried about that dog.

SM: Do you remember anything else about what he was wearing? What color pants he had on or anything like that?

JH: No, sorry.

TA: Did you get a look at him? His face? His hair? Anything like that?

JH: No. Actually, I think he heard that dog barking too because he looked over there at that house like he was looking for where it was.

SM: Can you give us any kind of description of him? Was he tall or short? Thin or fat?

JH: I don't know. He was just sort of regular.

SM: Meaning?

JH: I don't know. He just looked regular.

TA: What did you see him do exactly, if you can remember?

JH: He was just hurrying to his car. He got in and drove away. That's all I remember.

TA: Was he carrying anything or anything like that?

JH: I don't think so, but I don't really know.

SM: Okay, thanks for your time. If you remember anything else, please give us a call.

JH: Will do.

End interview 10:56 a.m.

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