Saturday, November 4, 2006 --2:26p.m.

The witness was identified as a fellow student of the victim and former roommate of Josh Boyd.  He was interviewed by phone at his job in Las Vegas, Nevada by members of the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department.  The interview was recorded on a portable audio tape recorder with the witness's knowledge and consent.

SM= Det. Sam Murphy
TA= Det. Ted Armstrong
MF= Matt Fortunato

SM:  Thanks for talking to us again.

MF:  Sure.

SM:  Once again, can you please state your name and address?

MF:  Matt Fortunato.  I live at the Imperial Palace, 3535 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, Nevada.

SM:  Since we talked the first time, have you been able to think of anything that might help us with our investigation.

MF:  No, not a thing.

TA:  Well, maybe chatting with us a while will help job your memory.

MF:  Yeah, whatever.

SM:  Tell us more about the Red and Blue game of 2002.

MF:  What else do you want to know?  I told you before... it was raining like crazy.  The game was pretty tight.  Washington was only playing because Greg Urbanski got hurt.  But, he made a great catch towards the end of the game.  I actually spilled my drink and didn't see the play.  I couldn't tell you if he ran a fly pattern or what.  I was looking down, trying to grab my cup and I heard the crowd screaming.  I looked up and saw Jamie make the catch.  That was about it.

TA:  How much money did that catch cost you?

MF:  I don't know what you're talking about.

SM:  Did you bet on the Red and Blue game?

MF:  Of course not.

TA:  Plenty of other people seem to think you did.

MF:  Well, they're wrong.

SM:  Did you take bets on that game?

MF:  Oh yeah.  I was a bookie.  I drove a Cadillac and had two guys named Vinnie and Guido who broke legs for me.  Sure.

SM:  More than a few people would indicate that your sarcasm is misplaced.  We've heard that you were the biggest bookie on campus.

MF:  That's just stupid.  Look, I'd make a bet with a buddy on the Super Bowl or something.  I played poker every once in a while.  But that's about it.  Just having fun.

TA:  You might have been having fun but gambling is against the law.

MF:  You telling me that you never took part in a March Madness pool?  C'mon.  Everybody gambles.

SM:  Back to the Red and Blue game weekend, tell us more about what you did.  Besides just the game.

MF:  This is stupid.  You want me to detail every single step I took on a weekend four years ago?

TA:  Try your best, kid.

MF:  I went to the game.  I took a Kappa named Kristin Miller as my date.  Blonde hair.  About five-six, drove a BMW.  Her daddy was a big time lawyer in New Orleans.  I don't remember what color her eyes were, but I do remember that she was stacked.

TA:  What does this have to do with anything?

MF:  Hey, you asked for details.  If you want, I'll get out my little black book and I'll be able to give you her measurements.  Don't know what ever happened to that girl‹

SM:  Who did you hang out with at the Double Decker Festival?

MF:  A big crowd of people.  Danielle was there, Dwight, Justin, this guy Bobby who was up from Tuscaloosa visiting someone.  You know how it is, they open up the streets and there's a mass of people.  You talk to one person, move on, talk to another person.

TA:  Did you see Jamie Washington?

MF:  I told you last time.  Either I didn't see him or it was insignificant enough that I don't remember it.  I know that I didn't spend much time with him.

SM:  Do you know if any of your friends saw him?

MF:  Yeah, you know.  They checked in with me every hour.  They all carried clipboards and they would come by and say, "this hour, I spoke to Bobby, Robbie, Ricky, and Mike." 

TA:  You know, kid, this is a murder investigation here.  You shouldn't be such a smart ass.

MF:  Well quit wasting my time with stupid questions!  Look, you want to know the truth?  The fact of the matter is that I got s***faced that weekend.  I was falling down drunk by the end of the football game and I kept drinking when we got to the Square.  I passed out sitting on the couch in the Downtown Grill.  Danielle and the girl, Kristin, carried me out of there and took me home.  I don't remember anything.  So, how in the hell am I supposed to detail every freaking minute of the weekend?

TA:  I would get tanked too if I'd just lost a ton of money on the game.

MF:  Oh, now we're back to the bookie thing, huh?  You know, you're right.  I was a bookie.  And I was in the Mafia too.  Just call me Don Corleone.

SM:  I'd rather admit to being a bookie than be dragged in and charged with murder.

MF:  How in the hell is that supposed to happen?

TA:  We've got a pretty good circumstantial case here, kid.  You're the bookie, I think we can get plenty of people to testify to that.  You had a bunch of money on the game and Washington screwed you up.  You're pissed and so you take him out.  I could have the Las Vegas PD over at your hotel in minutes.

MF:  Look, I didn't do anything like that.  I took some bets.  Big deal. 

SM:  Did you try to influence the game at all?

MF:  I've already told you that the point shaving thing with the basketball team had nothing to do with me!

TA:  But what about this one?  Does it have anything to do with you?

MF:  No, I told you.  So I gambled a little and I took some bets.  That was it.  I wasn't some high powered crime kingpin. 

SM:  How did other members of the team react to the Red and Blue game?

MF:  Well, I guess some of them were irritated.  I'll acknowledge that some of them lost money.  But it was no big deal.

TA:  A big enough deal to kill someone over?

MF:  No!

SM:  Maybe they put the pressure on you...  maybe the football players told you they wanted their money and even though they didn't win, they still expected you to pay, so you had to take out Washington.

MF:  That's a joke.  Look, you want to investigate someone, why don't you investigate those gorillas on the football team?  They crush people for a living!  I graduated from school early, my parents are loaded, and I was popular and everything.  Why would I risk all that?  C'mon.  Those guys don't understand anything but violence.

SM:  I can assure you that we are talking to them.

TA:  But we're still not through talking to you.

MF:  I know my rights, here.  I don't have to talk to you guys.  I could call my lawyer.

SM:  You are welcome to seek counsel, Matt.

MF:  You know what?  You guys can go screw yourselves.  This interview is over.

TA:  You're refusing to talk to us?

MF:  You bet.  I'm calling my lawyer.

SM:  Fine.  We'll be in touch.

Interview Ends 3:15p.m.