Wednesday, August 26, 2009 - 3:01 PM

 The witness, Cynthia Edwards, called the department saying she had information regarding Oscar Knight. 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
Cynthia Edwards

Detective Murphy: For the record please state your name and address.

Cindy Edwards: I just can't believe what I read in the paper, we…I just had to call and tell you what I saw that day.

Detective Murphy: We appreciate that, but before we start, we need you to state your name and address for the record.

Cindy Edwards: Certainly, my name is Cynthia Elaine Edwards, but everyone calls me Cindy. My address is 130 N. Church Street, Caledonia, Ms.

Detective Murphy: Where do you work, Cindy?

Cindy Edwards: I help out in the cafeteria at the University. I'm a student there, sophomore year.

Detective Armstrong: Cindy, would you explain the events that led up to you being at the State Park on August 8, 2009?

Cindy Edwards: TJ and I were just out messing around that morning when we overheard a couple of women in the coffee shop talking about the big reunion that they were going to later at the Wall Doxey State Park. We like going to these types of events, uninvited.

Detective Armstrong: You mean you crashed it.

Cindy Edwards: Yes, we did. Normally, we get kicked out, but this reunion was a doozy.  No one even cared who we were. We got there around noon, and they had so much food. It was all good.  We didn't leave until after 9. Can you believe that?

Detective Murphy: Tell us why you called and wanted to make a statement, Cindy.

Cindy Edwards: TJ and I talked about it and we thought it would be the decent thing to call. We read the paper about Oscar being the person who stayed in that room at the Days Inn where that hand was found.

Detective Armstrong: Who is TJ? And for the record, it wasn't a hand, it was a thumb.

Cindy Edwards: Sorry, TJ is my friend. His real name is Anthony Jacobson. He attended the reunion with me.

Detective Murphy: You knew Oscar Knight?

Cindy Edwards: Yes! We met him shortly after we arrived at the reunion. He was sitting by himself and we asked if we could sit with him. He was pretty grumpy at first but after a few drinks he changed. He wasn't overly friendly but he tolerated us. He told us that he wasn't liked by most of the people there.

Detective Armstrong: Did he say why he wasn't liked?

Cindy Edwards: Nope.

Detective Armstrong: So you came here to tell us that the people at the reunion didn't like Oscar?

Cindy Edwards: No, I came to tell you that I saw Oscar in a couple of arguments that day. One lady even slapped him.

Detective Murphy: Do you know her name by any chance?

Cindy Edwards: Her name was Pauline Jones. She seemed like a nice lady but she really let him have it.  I was pretty far from them but I heard her say, "How dare you Oscar?!" Then she slapped him hard, right across the face. He just laughed and walked away. Several people around were patting her on the back.

Detective Armstrong: Tell us about the other person.

Cindy Edwards: Her name was Liz. I'm sorry, Elizabeth Barton.  We didn't know her name when we saw her arguing with Oscar, but we met her later in the day.

Detective Armstrong: Did you hear what they were arguing about?

Cindy Edwards: We heard some of it. She asked him to leave and he said, "Why would I miss this?" She said a few other things that I couldn't make out, but TJ and I both heard and understood when she said, "I can’t believe you would do this.  You're that same old arrogant Oscar you always were."

Detective Murphy: Was that all that was said?

Cindy Edwards: That is all I heard. Liz turned away from Oscar and walked real fast away from where they were standing. He followed her off, and I could see her motioning for him to go away, but he kept following her.

Detective Armstrong: Tell us what else you saw or over heard that day.

Cindy Edwards: TJ saw him arguing with a man but neither one of us knew who he was. Other than that, that's all we know.  I just thought maybe that finger belonged to one of those women. Oscar was drinking the entire time he was there.

Detective Murphy: Was Oscar drunk?

Cindy Edwards: He didn't seem to be drunk but he certainly wasn't sober.  I mean, he wasn't stumbling or slurring his words, but he was aggressive. That could just be his personality though. I don't know.

Detective Murphy: Thank you for your time. You did the right thing, and we appreciate it

Cindy Edwards: You're welcome. Bye.

Interview ends:  3:47 PM