Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 1:25 p.m.

The witness was identified as a fellow student of the victim and former roommate of Josh Boyd and Matt Fortunato. She was interviewed by phone at the hotel where she was staying in Key West, Florida, 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.

TA = Detective T. Armstrong

SM = Detective S. Murphy

DR = Danielle Radigan

TA: Well, Ms. Radigan. It took some doing to get a fix on where to find you. I'm glad we were finally able to track you down.

DR: Oh, I'm so sorry you had such a hard time. I had no idea you were looking for me and I have been everywhere lately. I just got into Key West last night. Whew! I am worn out from all this traveling. Jet lag can really be a b****, you know?

SM: I'm sure. Ms. Radigan, could you please state your name and address for the record?

DR: Well, my name is Danielle Radigan, of course, but I really don't know what the address is here. I'm sorry.

SM: Do you live there?

DR: No, don't be silly. I'm just visiting.

SM: Well, you can just give us your home address then.

DR: Let's see... I don't really have a home, per se, right now. I'm just sort of staying here and there until the wedding. I'm getting married in September, you know, and then I'm moving to New York with Davis, my fiancé. It seems silly to get my own place for just a few months until then. I suppose you can use my parents' address in Atlanta as my home address.

SM: And your parents' address is...?

DR: 521 Beverly Road, Atlanta, Georgia. That's in Ansley Park.

SM: Thank you. Now, Ms. Radigan, do you know why we've been trying to contact you?

DR: No, not really.

TA: Are you in touch with any of your former classmates from Ole Miss?

DR: A few. Some of my sorority sisters mostly.

TA: What about your former roommates?

DR: You mean Matt and Josh or the ones before them?

TA: Matt and Josh, primarily.

DR: Let's see... I haven't talked to Josh in ages. He moved out when he started graduate school and we didn't see each other as much after that. We kind of lost touch. Especially after he started dating that girl... what was her name? Anyway, last I heard, he was living in California, but I haven't talked to him anytime recently.

TA: What about Matt?

DR: I talk to him occasionally. A couple of times a year, maybe. But I haven't heard from him recently. Why? Did something happen to them? Were they in Oxford?

SM: How long did you live with them?

DR: A couple of years. I moved in with Matt during my sophomore year and Josh moved in not long after that. We all lived together for about a year, I guess. Then Josh went to graduate school and it was just Matt and me the next year. Then Matt graduated and he moved out too.

SM: How did you meet them?

DR: Oh wow, that was so long ago, I don't really remember. Is it important?

SM: If you could remember any details, it might be helpful.

DR: Well... let's see... Matt I met... um, freshman year. That's right. My Kappa pledge class was doing some crazy scavenger hunt and he helped me out with something on the list. That's all I really remember. And Josh... well, I don't know. I must've just met him on campus somewhere. I really don't remember. You know how you just meet people all the time in college? It's hard to remember exactly who you met where.

SM: You seem to remember meeting Matt pretty clearly. Why is that?

DR: That wasn't really like an ordinary meeting, you know? It was kind of embarrassing actually.

SM: Why?

DR: Do I really have to say? It was just a pledge thing and I don't know if I really want a lot of people to know about it.

SM: You can tell us.

DR: All right, well, one of the things on the scavenger hunt list was a pair of underwear from a boy you'd never met before. I got a pair from Matt.

SM: Really? You just walked up to this guy you'd never met before and asked him for his underwear?

DR: Well, yes, basically. Everybody knows that pledges have to do some weird things, so most people don't think anything about it. Matt was really nice about it. I think he felt sorry for me.

SM: Okay... So how did you come to be living with him the next year? Did the two of you have a relationship after he gave you his underwear?

DR: Like, did we decide that as long as I had his underwear, we might as well date? No, nothing like that. We were always just friends. I moved in with him because I'd had this big fight with my roommate over some boy... I don't even remember who he was now... anyway, we'd had this big fight and I just had to get out of there. I mentioned it to Matt one day and he said I could move in with him. At that point, he had two extra bedrooms at his place, so I figured, why not?

SM: And Josh Boyd moved in after you did?

DR: Yeah. He was always such a sweet guy. Pretty smart, really nice, not great in the looks department but okay. Anyway, I told Matt I thought Josh would be a good third roommate, he said fine, and Josh moved in not long after that.

TA: Did you and Josh ever date?

DR: No, he wasn't really my type. I think he had sort of a thing for me for a while, but it never went anywhere. We were just friends.

TA: How would you describe Matt Fortunato?

DR: You mean physically?

TA: Ah, no. I mean what kind of person was he?

DR: Oh. He was nice mostly. Smart. He was always great with money, I remember that. And he was really popular. I can't think of anybody who had more friends or knew more people than Matt. I swear it was like he knew every single person on campus. It was unbelievable! I don't know how he did it -- how he met all of them or how he managed to remember all their names. It was really impressive in a way.

TA: You said he was nice mostly. Were there times he wasn't nice?

DR: Well, he could get cranky sometimes, like anyone does. And he was a little full of himself sometimes, but you couldn't really hold it against him.

TA: Why not?

DR: I don't know. I guess he might have rubbed some people the wrong way, but not me. We always got along really well.

TA: What about Matt and Josh? Did they get along really well?

DR: Oh yeah, especially at first. They were thick as thieves, always coming up with some new moneymaking scheme. Of course, after Josh moved out, that didn't happen as much and I think they kind of drifted apart...

TA: What kinds of things did Josh and Matt do to make money?

DR: Oh, I don't know. Stuff they did at the parties. I don't know. Money and business and all that stuff, that's really boring to me, so I never really paid any attention to what they were doing. I just know they were having fun and they said they were making good money. I don't really know any details.

TA: Did any of these things Matt and Josh did to make money involve gambling?

DR: I don't know. Maybe. I mean, there were other things too, but there might have been some gambling. Nothing big though. Just like, what do you call it... like a pool? Is that right? Maybe they had a football pool or a basketball pool or whatever sometimes. I don't really know much about that kind of stuff, so I don't know what to tell you.

TA: How much money was involved in these pools?

DR: I really have no idea.

TA: Hundreds of dollars? Thousands? Tens of thousands?

DR: Give me a break! What do you think they were doing -- running some elaborate gambling empire or something? Tens of thousands of dollars. Please! We were just kids in college. There were a few people who were really into it, I remember. And I mean really into it. Like they would watch every second of a game like it was the most important thing in the world. But there were only a few people like that. Most people were way more laid back. If I had to guess, I'd say most people stayed in the hundreds of dollars range. Maybe there were a few who took it further than that. Maybe! But I really didn't have anything to do with that and I really don't know how much money was involved. Why don't you just ask Matt or Josh?

TA: These people who were really into it, as you say, who were they?

DR: I don't know. They were always huddled around the television. Wouldn't talk to anyone. Didn't want anyone talking in the room while the game was on. All I know is they were no fun and I didn't spend any time with them. I didn't know who they were and I didn't care to.

TA: All of this went on at the parties y'all had at your house on Beanland Drive?

DR: Yeah. How did you -- If you already know all this stuff, why are you asking me?

TA: We hear y'all had a lot of parties there.

DR: Yeah, so what? It was fun.

TA: We heard you were the one paying for the parties.

DR: I chipped in, like Matt and Josh, if that's what you mean.

TA: You never paid for any of the parties by yourself?

DR: I might have at the beginning, but when Matt and Josh started making money at the parties, I didn't need to do that anymore.

TA: They were making that much money? That they could afford to pay for the parties without your help?

DR: I told you I chipped in. I paid my share. What are you getting at? That I was some kind of freeloader? Let me assure you that I've never needed to freeload off anyone. Ever.

TA: Do you remember who came to those parties?

DR: You're kidding, right?

TA: No.

DR: I told you Matt knew about everyone on campus. All those people came to our parties. I mean, they weren't all at every single one, of course, but you know... over the years, they all came at some point.

TA: You don't remember anyone specifically?

DR: Well, there were always a bunch of people from my sorority. And... people I knew from the Art school. I was an Art History major, you know. And there were always some guys from the football team or the basketball team or the baseball team or whatever. Matt was always tight with the jocks. And Josh had some friends who were into computers and they came. I don't know. Like I said, lots of people.

TA: Do you remember names of any of the athletes who came to the parties?

DR: After all this time? I don't know. If I saw any of them again, I'd recognize them and probably remember their names then, but I can't think of any off the top of my head. They were more Matt's friends than mine anyway. I didn't know any of them too well.

TA: Do you remember any team members Matt was especially good friends with?

DR: No. How many times do I need to say it before you believe me? And why are you asking me all these questions about Matt and Josh and the people at our parties? You still haven't told me why you called me.

SM: Mr. Boyd was involved in a car accident recently.

DR: Really? Is he okay?

SM: Actually, at last report, he was in critical condition.

DR: Oh my god! Well, did this happen in Oxford? I mean, I don't get why you're talking to me about it.

SM: The accident happened in California. It came to our attention because it happened just after something that occurred here in Oxford and because Mr. Boyd contacted us from his hospital bed. We think he was trying to tell us something he knew about the events here in Oxford.

DR: I thought you said he was critical. He called you?

SM: Yes, his doctor said Mr. Boyd insisted on contacting us. Unfortunately, what he told us didn't make much sense, so now we're talking to people who know him to try to understand it.

DR: And that's why you called me?

SM: Yes.

DR: I told you. I haven't talked to Josh in years, so I don't know how I can help you. And what does that have to do with all these questions about Matt?

TA: Josh mentioned Matt's name in his conversation with us. He also mentioned two other names -- Jamie and Rocky. Either of those ring a bell for you?

DR: Not that I know of.

SM: Maybe you'd like to take a moment to just think about it.

DR: I've known lots of people named Jamie. And I don't think I've known anyone named Rocky. So...

TA: What about Jamie Washington? Did you know him at Ole Miss?

DR: Um... I don't think so.

TA: He was a football player. Does that help?

DR: Uh... oh yeah, I sorta remember him. I think... Why?

TA: Do you remember the last time you saw him?

DR: No.

TA: The last time you talked to him?

DR: No. Why?

SM: The event that happened in Oxford and the reason we think Josh Boyd wanted to talk to us was because Jamie Washington's remains were found at the Ole Miss stadium, where they're doing some construction.

DR: Remains? You mean he's dead?

SM: Yes. That's what that means. Someone killed him and buried his body at the stadium.

DR: Well, I mean, that's terrible and all, but I still don't get what it has to do with me.

SM: It appears Mr. Washington was killed back in 2002, while you were still in school. We've interviewed several witnesses and it appears that the last time he was seen was sometime around the Double Decker Festival that year. Does that jog your memory at all?

DR: What do you mean? What am I supposed to remember?

TA: Do you remember anything about Jamie's football career at Ole Miss?

DR: No.

TA: He was a starting wide receiver until he broke his leg. Then he got benched and later lost his scholarship. Any of that ring a bell?

DR: Wait a minute... now I remember that guy, I think. That part about losing his scholarship reminded me. I met him after that happened, when he started coming to our parties sometimes. He was kind of bitter about the scholarship thing. I remember that. Made him pretty unpleasant to be around.

SM: Really? He was unpleasant, huh? So you never dated him or anything like that?

DR: Are you serious? No way. I mean, sure, he was good looking, but he really wasn't the kind of guy I would go out with. I mean, my fiancé is related to the Rockefellers, you know? Jamie was not in that league at all, if you know what I mean. And besides, if you ask me, Jamie was playing for the other team anyway.

SM: Are you implying that Jamie Washington was homosexual?

DR: I'm not saying anything because I don't know anything for sure. I'm just saying I had my suspicions.

SM: Did you know Yvonne Bremer? The girl Jamie was dating?

DR: Oh her. She was some kind of girl jock, wasn't she? Probably not much different from going out with a guy.

SM: Ms. Radigan, do you actually know anything about either of these people's sexual orientation? Or are you just casting aspersions because you didn't like them? Or maybe because they didn't like you? Maybe because Jamie Washing wasn't interested in dating you?

DR: Whatever. I don't know anything for sure. I never dated either one of them. That's all I'm saying.

SM: Uh-huh. Sounds like Jamie Washington wasn't the only one who was bitter.

DR: What's that supposed to mean?

TA: Ladies, please. Danielle, now that you better remember who Jamie was, can you think of anyone who might have wanted to hurt or kill him?

DR: No, no way. No one I know would do anything like that.

TA: Okay. I'd like to go back to football for a moment, if we could. You now remember knowing that Jamie lost his scholarship. Do you also remember that he was called up to play in the Red and Blue game that year? In 2002?

DR: Not really.

TA: Did you go to the game that year? It was raining, if that helps you remember.

DR: I'm sure I didn't go, if it was raining.

TA: Think back. That was the year Josh finished his undergraduate degree, the last year he lived with you. Do you remember whether Matt or Josh went to the game that spring?

DR: Um... I think so... I think they both went. Matt always went to all the games - football, basketball, baseball, you name it. Now that I'm talking about it, I sorta remember... It seems like those boys were up to something that year, now that I think of it.

TA: Those boys?

DR: Matt and Josh and maybe a couple of the other guys they hung out with. I don't remember who now.

TA: What were they up to?

DR: I don't know. Since they had so many friends on the football team, I just assumed they were going to play some joke on one of the players or pull some kind of prank at halftime or something.

TA: You said earlier that Matt and Josh might have been involved in some gambling. Do you know whether they had any bets or anything on the Red and Blue game that year?

DR: I really don't know. I wasn't involved in any of that.

TA: In the gambling?

DR: In whatever, anything Matt and Josh were doing to make money.

TA: Do you know if Jamie Washington was ever involved in any of those moneymaking deals?

DR: I don't know. He could have been, just as easily as anyone else, but I don't know for sure one way or another.

TA: Did Jamie ever mention to you that he was having money problems? Or did you ever hear any rumors to that effect?

DR: He never talked to me about anything like that. But I do remember hearing something about how he blew all his money on the girl he was seeing and, when he ran out of cash, she dumped him.

TA: He spent all his money on Yvonne?

DR: That's what I heard.

TA: Did he owe anyone any money because of all he spent on Yvonne?

DR: I don't know. I don't remember hearing anything like that.

TA: We know that Jamie moved out of his apartment pretty suddenly not long after the Red and Blue game in 2002. Do you know why he did that?

DR: No, I don't know. Could've been money, I guess. Is that what you're getting at?

TA: Could there have been any other reason? Could he have been trying to hide or get away from someone, for instance?

DR: I don't know. I suppose anything is possible.

TA: If he was trying to get away from someone, do you have any ideas about who that could have been?

DR: How would I know? I guess someone he owed money to, if he did owe money to someone like you said before. I really don't know.

TA: Do you remember whether you went to the Double Decker Festival that year?

DR: Not specifically, but I probably did. We always went.

TA: We?

DR: Girls from my sorority. We usually went to things like that together, at least a few of us.

TA: Do you remember whether you saw Jamie Washington at the festival?

DR: No, I don't.

TA: What about Matt or Josh? Did they go to the festival?

DR: Sure. Matt's such a social animal. He wouldn't miss an opportunity like that to hang out with so many different people.

TA: And Josh?

DR: He probably went too. Most everyone did.

TA: Do you remember specifically seeing either of them at the festival?

DR: No, sorry. I don't remember seeing anyone specifically, at the festival that year or any of the other years I went. I'm sure I saw and talked to lots of people, but I don't remember who now.

TA: Do you remember ever hearing anything about Jamie Washington after that year? After he moved out of his apartment or after the Double Decker Festival or even the next school year?

DR: Now that you mention it, I sort of remember some people talking about how Jamie sort of disappeared. Nobody knew where he was or how to get in touch with him.

TA: Do you remember who those people were?

DR: I really don't. I feel like they were probably talking about it at our house -- I don't know why I think that -- but that doesn't narrow it down any anyway. There were so many people in and out of there, it still could have been anybody.

TA: Do you remember when it was? Before or after the '98 Double Decker Festival? Or was it during the next school year?

DR: I don't know. It could have been before the festival... or it could have been after. I just don't remember.

TA: We've heard there was some big party that you and your roommates usually gave, but you didn't do it that year, in 2002. Does that make sense to you?

DR: Oh yeah. The Mint Julep Party. It was always really fun! But you're right. We didn't have it that year.

TA: Why not?

DR: I don't really know. Matt just didn't want to, and I couldn't change his mind. So we didn't do it.

TA: Why didn't Matt want to?

DR: I don't know. He was really p**** around that time, I remember, like in a really bad mood that lasted a long time. Just generally a pain in the ***. I tried to stay out of his way when he was like that.

TA: Was he like that a lot?

DR: No, not really. But when he was, I just tried to stay out of his way, like I said. I didn't have to put up with that ****, you know?

TA: Was he in a bad mood again the next spring, when his name came up in the point-fixing investigation?

DR: Sort of, but not really. I mean, he was ticked that people were trying to link him to that, but he never seemed really worried about it.

TA: Do you know what made the investigators think he might have been involved?

DR: No, but it's no surprise.

TA: What's no surprise? That they thought Matt was involved or that you don't know why they thought so?

DR: Either. Both. Neither. Whatever. I don't know.

TA: Did he have anything to do with the point fixing? Do you know?

DR: I told you. I wasn't involved in any of that. How would I know?

SM: Ms. Radigan, now that we've talked for a while, can you think of anyone who might have wanted to hurt Jamie Washington? Or any reason someone might have wanted to?

DR: I really don't know. I didn't know Jamie that well, you know? I'm sure there were probably some people who didn't like him for one reason or another, but I can't imagine that anyone disliked him enough to kill him.

SM: Do you have any idea why Josh Boyd might have wanted to talk to us about Jamie?

DR: I don't know. I didn't even realize they knew each other much. You know, outside of the parties at our house. Why don't you just ask Josh?

SM: We certainly plan to. We're just waiting for his condition to improve so he can talk to us.

DR: Okay. Well, I don't know what else to tell you.

TA: All right, Danielle. We appreciate your help. If you think of anything else that might be helpful to us, even if it seems insignificant, please give us a call at the Sheriff's Office. Okay?

DR: Sure. But I don't think I know anything.

TA: And if you could keep us informed of your whereabouts for the next several weeks, that would be a big help. Just in case we want to ask you anything else, it would be nice if we didn't have to call all over creation trying to find you.

DR: So... what? You want me to call you every time I go to a different city?

TA: If that's not too much trouble. Or you could email us, if that would be more convenient.

DR: Fine. I'll try to remember to let you know every time go somewhere.

SM: Thank you for your time, Ms. Radigan. You have a nice day now.

End interview - 2:19 p.m.