Friday, August 1, 2008 - 9:04 a.m.

The witness, identified as the YCHS Class of 1983 25th reunion committee member who arranged the time capsule ceremony, was interviewed at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department. The interview was recorded on a portable audio tape recorder with the witness's knowledge and consent.

Detective T. Armstrong

Detective S. Murphy

Jen Gaudette

Detective Murphy: Could you please state your name and address?

Jen Gaudette: My name is Jen Gaudette. I live at 407 Vivian Street.

Detective Murphy: You can speak in your regular voice. The tape recorder is professional grade.

Jen Gaudette: I'm sorry. I'm just a little bit nervous, I guess. I don't want to do anything wrong.

Detective Murphy: There's no need to stress. There's no right or wrong here. We just ask you to think through your answers and be truthful.

Jen Gaudette: I can do that.

Detective Armstrong: Tell us how you came to be involved with the reunion.

Jen Gaudette: You know how those things develop. Whoever doesn't step back fast enough is considered a volunteer. And that's what happened at our twentieth. I was at a table with Gloria Reynolds when two things happened at the same time. Gloria asked for a volunteer to organize the time capsule ceremony, and I choked on a dry piece of roll. Next thing I know, the person on my left is slapping my back, and the person on my right is congratulating me. I was hoping maybe they'd forget and pick someone else, but no such luck.

Detective Armstrong: What did your duties consist of?

Jen Gaudette: Not much really. I called Dale -- Dale Putman -- and asked him to open the capsule. He was our class president. And I made sure Frank Daniels was all set to get into the school so he could bring the capsule to the hotel.

Detective Murphy: Did you check the time capsule at the school to make sure it was still there?

Jen Gaudette: I never even thought of doing that. I mean I did talk to Lawrence Troutman, the new principal, but I never physically went to the school to check. Imagine if two classes had put together time capsules, and we opened the wrong one. A disco ball might have rolled out.

Detective Armstrong: Did you monitor the time capsule once it was brought to the hotel?

Jen Gaudette: No, although maybe I should have. You see, officers, I was given this position at the last reunion, before anybody really knew what needed to be done. Once someone was picked to bring the time capsule, and another person was picked to open it, there wasn't really anything for me to do. I asked the reunion committee if they wanted special music or lighting, and the answer was no. So ... my job was done.

Detective Murphy: Did anybody ask if they could help with the capsule? Or suggest it be saved until the 50th? Anybody suggest any changes at all?

Jen Gaudette: I don't really see my old classmates much. The committee, they wanted to micromanage, choose the table, pick the tablecloth and everything, but what did I care? Less work for me.

Detective Murphy: What did you think when the capsule was opened?

Jen Gaudette: I wasn't actually there.

Detective Murphy: You weren't there? You were in charge.

Jen Gaudette: Not really. Like I said, I was superfluous. So I took advantage of the fact that everybody was focused on the time capsule to hit the bar.

Detective Armstrong: The highlight of the evening, and you went for a glass of wine?

Jen Gaudette: Shots of tequila, actually. Five of them, pounded down one after the other.

Detective Armstrong: Let's back up for a minute. Did you actually walk over and look at the time capsule before the opening ceremony?

Jen Gaudette: I saw Frank and asked him if he got it. And I saw Dale through a crowd, so I knew he was there. Time to party.

Detective Murphy: When did you first learn that something unusual had happened?

Jen Gaudette: Someone ran past me. Then I heard like the crowd react, but not with the oohs and ahhs I expected. And then Officer Spearman took control.

Detective Murphy: Sergeant Spearman.

Jen Gaudette: Sergeant. I ordered another shot and just hung there at the bar until the room stopped spinning.

Detective Armstrong: You said someone ran past you.

Jen Gaudette: I think so, yes.

Detective Armstrong: You think so. Could you describe this person?

Jen Gaudette: I sensed a blur. That's about it for details.

Detective Murphy: Did you go and see what came out of the time capsule?

Jen Gaudette: No, but everybody was talking about it. The knife and the pin in some kind of fake book. I'd like to get one of those for the office. Hide a tiny bottle, some breath mints.

Detective Armstrong: How well did you know David Morgan?

Jen Gaudette: He always knew when I'd been drinking. He was cool about it, but I could tell he cared. He was a caring person. Say, are we almost done? I told my boss I'd be late today, but....

Detective Armstrong: That will be all for now. Thanks for coming in.

Interview ends - 9:43 a.m.