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Interview: Follow-up with Weldon Foyle, victim's student

Saturday, July 26, 2004 -- 8:30 AM

The witness, who was a student of the victim, was interviewed at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department. The interview was conducted by Detectives Armstrong and Murphy and was recorded on a portable tape recorder with the witness' knowledge and consent.

TA = Detective T. Armstrong
SM = Detective S. Murphy
WF = Weldon Foyle

SM: Thank you for coming back and talking to us again.

WF: No problem.

SM: Once again, for the record, would you please state your name and address?

WF: I'm Weldon Foyle. I live at 604 North 14th Street. In Apartment B.

SM: And your occupation?

WF: I'm a student and I work at a variety of part-time jobs. Nothing much has changed about my employment since we last spoke. I spent a weekend painting a house out in Yocona, but my regular jobs remain the same.

SM: Yes, the last time we talked, I remember you told us you work a lot of jobs -- dishwasher, tutor, housepainter, landscaper, general handyman. Did I leave anything out?

WF: That sounds about right. I also work a few shifts on the front desk at the Downtown Inn, but other than that, I think you got them all.

SM: Really? I don't think you mentioned that one before.

WF: Is that right?  Huh.

TA: So Weldon, have you thought of anything else that might help us since we last spoke?

WF: No, I'm afraid not, Detective. I'm sure you're searching quite hard to try to find whoever did this. But I don't know anything that might help.

SM: You're a smart guy. Surely you have thought about the case since we last spoke. Do you have any ideas who might be responsible?

WF: No. Not really. I thought you had your man when Hunter Nelson was in custody. But I suppose that didn't work out for you. Too bad. It seems like you guys had wrapped things up nicely.

TA: Too bad?

WF: Well, yes. This is a high profile murder case. Wealthy, powerful families involved. I'm sure there is tremendous pressure on you to solve the case. From the reports in the press, it seemed like Hunter was pretty tightly tied up in all this. But I guess you can't anticipate something as unusual as a latex allergy.

SM: Who said anything about allergies? Hunter was released. That's all.

WF: His medical conditions are now a big topic on campus. Hell, I was surprised that someone like Hunter would be so careful. I figured him for more of a guy who never used condoms. But it seems like he's quite responsible about it. Since all this came out, there have been several girls up and down sorority row talking about their first hand knowledge of Hunter's medical conditions.

SM: Do you know Hunter?

WF: Everyone knows Hunter.

SM: But are you acquainted with him?

WF: You could call us acquaintances, yes.

TA: You never told us that.

WF: Why should I? You never asked the question, and how would I have any idea you would arrest Hunter? Even if I did anticipate that arrest, I'm quite sure that I'm not the only one of Hunter's friends or acquaintances that didn't scurry down to the sheriff's office to declare his allegiance to a murderer. Of course, friendship doesn't go very far with the moneyed class anyway -- they have no real values.

SM: How well do you know Hunter?

WF: We are acquaintances. We have little else in common -- I work for my grades.

TA: And Hunter doesn't?

WF: He has money -- he doesn't have to.

SM: Where did you meet?

WF: He and I both took an introductory business class from Ms. Waterson. We became acquainted during a group project that required us to work together.

SM: How do you feel about Mr. Nelson?

WF: I don't feel anything about him.

TA: Ever have occasion to go to his apartment?

WF: None at all.

SM: Have you ever been in Hunter's car? Ever go out partying with him? WF: No. I wish I had the economic means to party. I'm too busy working or studying to spend my time with the idle rich, I'm afraid.

TA: What else did you do with Mr. Nelson?

WF: Detectives, there's nothing more between Hunter Nelson and me than a short acquaintance made during a college class and my knowledge of his campus reputation, which everybody has. Let's move on.

TA: Do you know John Brewer?

WF: Of course. He's the head of the department.

SM: What do you think of him?

WF: Are you asking me if I think he's capable of murder? Certainly.

TA: He is?

WF: Of course.

SM: You seem quite sure of yourself. How can you be so certain? What has he done that would give you that impression?

WF: He's human.

SM: What does that mean?

WF: Maybe I'm too cynical. Maybe I've worked too much in my short life. But I think that people are inherently selfish. To the point of be able to do anything. Certainly I've seen it where money is concerned -- either to get money, or to use money to get away with something. I've seen prominent members of the church feeling up girls at the summer picnic. I've seen leaders of the community, lawyers and doctors, screw over their farmhands on their pay. I've seen it all. And for a long time, you're shocked at the knowledge they could do such things. But then you see how money allows them to get away with it. I hate to sound so pessimistic, but I think people are liable to do just about anything, if they think they can pull it off.

SM: So you don't have any specific reasons to suspect John Brewer?

WF: No more than anyone else, no. I can't say that I suspect him at all. Just as a general belief, I think he, like almost anyone could be guilty.

TA: What about yourself?

WF: Me? I could be guilty. I'm not, but I'm also not going to sit here and be hypocritical either. I said that almost anyone could be a killer, and that includes me -- in a hypothetical sort of way. I had nothing to do with this killing.

SM: Would you say that you have much of a temper?

WF: No, I don't believe that I do.

TA: Nothing gets you mad? Traffic, drunks, lazy people, you gotta have some pet peeves.

WF: I suppose lazy people irritate me. I don't have that luxury in my life. Work can sometimes get under my skin.

SM: Do you ever get in trouble at work? Have a jerk for a boss? That gets a lot of people really ticked off.

WF: No, I don't usually get in trouble at work. And when I do, I realize what I've done wrong. I'm not a child. I know what's right and wrong. I don't need a supervisor to yell at me. So I generally accept criticism pretty well. Getting in trouble at work doesn't really get me very angry.

SM: Really?  Not even when you get called on the carpet for something that's not your fault?  I tell you, that's the one that really burns me.

WF: Yeah, that can be annoying.

SM: Nothing you can do in a situation like that but shut up and take it. Anything else you try will only make it worse.

WF: Well--

SM: And it's always some clueless boss or incompetent co-worker or inconsiderate friend who has no concept of the difference between work time and personal time that gets you into the mess in the first place. It gets so frustrating, sometimes you feel like you could just kill somebody.  You know what I mean?

WF: I hear you.

TA: What would it take for you to kill someone, Weldon?

WF: I don't know. Not a work situation, certainly, but I suppose if someone hurt a person I cared about. If I felt like I had to avenge some wrong. Where I grew up in Kentucky, if I walked up to someone and said "Joe Bob got killed," the response is likely to be "did he need it?" That's a good question. Did a person need killing? I suppose that if I thought someone needed killing, I could do it.

TA: But what situation?

WF: I told you a couple of situations. I tell you something else… I was reading a book about executioners. There's this guy named Sam Jones in Louisiana. At one time, he was the state executioner. That might not even be his real name. But when I read an interview with him, I thought, I could do that. If someone had been convicted and that was the sentence, I could do it. I could push the button.

SM: We don't normally have people talk to us this way. Why are you saying all this?

WF: I'm just being honest, Detective. I'm sure that everyone who comes in here stares at the solid concrete walls of this room and says, "oh no, not me! I could never hurt a fly!" but everyone knows that's all just B.S. I'm just being honest. And I'm also being comfortable. I can talk about these subjects without feeling nervous or threatened because I have no reason to feel anxious. I'm not afraid of anything. So why wouldn't I answer your questions candidly.

TA: On the night of Kristi Waterson's murder, where were you?

WF: As we discussed last time, I was working for Myra Olander. I'm sure it's all in your transcripts. I'm also aware that you spoke to Myra and she confirmed everything I said.

TA: Anything go on that night maybe Myra doesn't know about? Anything happen to you? Anything you saw happen? Anything you forgot to mention before?

WF: No.

TA: You sure?

WF: Yes.

SM: Weldon, you know our investigation is still ongoing. Is there any reason why we may have to talk to you again?

WF: Is that question in your training manual, Detective? Seems to be standard operating procedure around here. I'll answer it the same way I answered it in our first interview. No, there is no reason why you should have to talk to me again since I had nothing to do with this. However, I understand in that in your thorough nature of investigation, you may obviously want to talk to me again. And I'll be glad to chat with you if you need.

SM: Okay. Thanks.

Interview ends -- 9:12 AM

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