Witness Interview: Arlene Melton, female victim

Tuesday, November 5, 2002 - 1:18 p.m.

The witness is identified as girlfriend and part-time employee of the victim. She was interviewed at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department in Oxford, Mississippi. The interview was recorded on audio tape with the witness's knowledge and consent.

TA = Detective T. Armstrong

SM = Detective S. Murphy

AM = Arlene Moore

SM: Please state your name and address for the record.

AM: Arlene Martha Melton. I live at 110 Hickory, right here in Oxford.

TA: How are you feeling now, Ms. Melton?

AM: Okay, I guess. I'm still shaken up over what happened.

SM: Why did you come back to Oxford? Weren't you living in Atlanta?

AM: I came to Oxford to get out of the kind of life I was leading in Atlanta. My mom died and I just felt like I, you know, needed to do something different. I needed a change in my life. Besides I liked it when I was here before, despite what happened.

SM: What have you been doing since you've been here? Are you still dancing?

AM: I work part-time at Two Stick as a waitress, and Kevin has paid me to do some modeling for him. I get by.

TA: Kevin who?

AM: Kevin Travers.

SM: Ah, that Kevin. Yes, we met him before. Is he your boyfriend?

AM: No! No, he's just a friend. He's been real nice to me.

TA: I seem to remember you had a relationship with J.P. Wallace. Is that right?

AM: Hey! I used to date J.P., but that was a nowhere relationship. It was never serious. I still see J.P. sometimes. We're still friends.

TA: Anyone else you're "still friends" with?

AM: Well, yeah. I go out with Tate every once in a while too.

SM: That being Tate Moore, am I right?

AM: Yes, ma'am. Look I know it doesn't sound so great, but I'm not hurting anyone or promising anyone anything. I have my life and I have my friends.

SM: When was the last time you went out on a date with Tate, Ms. Melton?

AM: Not sure. It's been a while probably. August or July.

TA: And Kevin Travers has only ever been a friend, nothing more?

AM: Kevin asked me to do some modeling for him in exchange for room and board, so I took him up on it. Is there something wrong with that? A girl's got to have a roof over her head, doesn't she?

SM: All right, let's move on. What else have you been doing since your return to Oxford?

AM: Well let's see, I'm pretty busy socially, and with the waitressing and modeling as well, I keep myself occupied.

SM: Let's talk about Wenzel Hitzig. What was your relationship with him?

AM: Wenzel was a friend too. Not like Kevin. I know he was older and all that, but I felt like me and him connected. He was still working on that T.I.N.A.G. game. Do you guys remember that? I was doing some modeling for that with him. Wenzel was a great guy... I... I'm going to miss him a lot.

TA: I know this is difficult for you, Ms. Melton, but we have to ask these questions.

AM: Oh I understand, Detective. I'm sorry. It's just so raw...

SM: What were the two of you doing in Avent Park?

AM: We had gone there to take more pictures for his game. Wenzel said I was great in front of the camera.

SM: What time did you get there?

AM: I don't know. I know Wenzel picked me up at about ten-thirty in the morning. Wasn't long after that probably. We walked around looking for a good place to take some pictures and then Wenzel started to take some.

TA: Where were you in the park?

AM: We drove to the back of the park. Then we walked along the trail into the woods.

TA: Anyone else around?

AM: I don't remember seeing anyone.

SM: What happened next?

AM: Well we took some pictures, then Wenzel said he wanted to download them on to his computer so he started to do that and I was just walking around. I didn't go far, but he said it would take a few minutes to sort out so I was just daydreaming.

SM: Did you hear anything?

AM: Yeah I heard something. I didn't know what it was but it sounded like a shot.

TA: What did you do?

AM: I walked back to Wenzel and I was going to ask him if he heard it. Then I saw someone bent over Wenzel, looking at his computer. I didn't understand what was going on. Wenzel was lying on the ground but I didn't think, didn't realize he was dead.

TA: What did this person look like?

AM: I couldn't tell you. I wish I could. But it all happened so fast. He was wearing some sort of mask. It was one of those Halloween masks. I think it's from that film, Scream.

TA: Like a ghost face?

AM: Yeah that's it. It's really creepy looking...

TA: You're sure it was a guy behind the mask?

AM: Yeah, I think so. He was dressed in black. Looked like the build of a guy. I don't think it was a woman, but it could have been. Maybe I just assumed it was a guy?

SM: Did you approach him or her or say anything?

AM: Yeah, I came out right next to the guy. He obviously didn't see me or hear me until I was next to him. I was slightly to one side and it was only when he turned his head -- when I asked him what happened, I thought Wenzel had an accident or something -- that I saw he was wearing a mask.

TA: What did he say to you?

AM: He didn't say nothing. He looked up from the computer and pointed the gun at me.

SM: Did you try to run?

AM: No, I didn't. I just froze for a second, then I tried to push the gun away.

TA: What sort of gun was it?

AM: I don't know anything about guns. It wasn't one of those long ones. A small one.

TA: How small? 12 inches? 6 inches? Black? Silver?

AM: Umm I'm not real good on sizes like that but I would say between 8 and 12 inches. It was black.

SM: And then this mystery man tried to shoot you?

AM: He did shoot me... I just managed to push his hand and the gun a little. I don't know why I reached out. It was just a survival instinct. He was going to kill me.

TA: Where was he when he tried to shoot you?

AM: He was kneeling down next to Wenzel. Next to the computer, like I told you. I was lucky he didn't hit me somewhere important. There was just this noise and then I remember feeling this pain and I thought I was going to die. I didn't know where I'd been hit right away.

SM: Did he shoot at you again?

AM: No, I think I was down and screaming or shouting. He probably thought he'd got me.

SM: And this masked man just ran off?

AM: Yeah, I mean, he must have. Look this all happened so quickly, I'm sorry if I can't remember everything.

TA: Did you see which way he went? Did he take anything?

AM: I was too busy thinking I was going to die. I think he didn't go along the trail, but back into the woods. I'm sorry I need to try to remember. There seemed to be a lot of blood and then I don't remember anything else. I think I passed out.

SM: Can you remember anything else about this masked man?

AM: No, I can't. It all happened so fast, I couldn't believe it.

TA: I'm having difficulties myself.

AM: You don't believe me?

TA: It's not that I don't believe you. I try to stick to the facts. This man, he didn't have one arm, did he?

AM: What's that mean?

SM: It means we find your statement difficult to believe, Ms. Melton. It sounds like something out of a movie.

AM: But that is what it was like! It was horrible.

TA: When did you first learn you were the beneficiary of Wenzel Hitzig's life insurance policy?

AM: What?

SM: When did you find out about it, Ms. Melton? It's a pretty simple question.

AM: This is the first I've heard about it, I swear.

TA: You don't know how much it is for then?

AM: No! Just what are you accusing me of, Detective? What insurance policy? What exactly are you talking about?

SM: Wenzel Hitzig took out a life insurance policy earlier this year. He made you the beneficiary. Are you telling us that he never discussed that with you?

AM: No. I didn't know anything about it.

SM: How long had Mr. Hitzig been in town?

AM: Since Saturday afternoon.

TA: Do you know if he carried a gun? Do you know of any enemies he may have had? Was he in any financial trouble?

AM: I don't know if he carried a gun or not. Why would I know that? I don't think he had any enemies. He was a really nice guy. I can't think why anyone would hate him enough to kill him. He has had some trouble financially, but J.P. helped him get a loan through a friend of his so he had money. I know he was getting ready to pay the loan back as soon as he finished the game and he said he was close to doing that. He said the payday wasn't far away.

SM: You're saying Mr. Hitzig borrowed money from J.P Wallace?

AM: Not from J.P himself. J.P just worked out something for him.

SM: Do you know what was worked out?

AM: No, I don't. Sorry. You'll have to ask J.P about that.

TA: We will. How much time have you spent with Mr. Hitzig since he arrived?

AM: We spent all of Saturday afternoon and evening together and I stayed at his hotel on Saturday night. I wasn't with him all day on Sunday. We grabbed some coffee and breakfast and then we went to the museum at Ole Miss. He said there was something he wanted to find out about.

TA: Did Mr. Hitzig tell you who he was going to see? Or what was his interest in the museum?

AM: I wasn't interested. It's just a museum full of a lot of old junk to me. Wenzel tells you stuff when he's ready and not before. We looked at some professor's collection or something. Robertson? It was a name like that anyway. Wenzel spoke to a young lady who worked there, but I was bored so I didn't listen or anything. I can't imagine the museum having anything to do with his murder.

TA: It's not the most obvious conclusion for me either.

SM: So after the museum, what happened? Did you go anywhere else?

AM: I asked Wenzel to take me home. We talked about going out to dinner together and I wanted to do some things and get ready. In the end though, we didn't go out. He called me later in the afternoon to say he couldn't make it, but could we meet on Monday to do some photos.

TA: You didn't see Wenzel again until he picked you up on Monday morning?

AM: Yes, that's right.

SM: What were your movements for the rest of Sunday and Monday morning, Ms. Melton?

AM: Oh, nothing really. I went home. Kevin was out. I just watched some TV, had something to eat later on and then I did some chores and had an early night. I got up on Monday and got ready and waited for Wenzel

TA: Did you make or receive any telephone calls?

AM: I don't think so, no. Well, I got the one from Wenzel late on Sunday to say did I mind not going out to dinner. Why is that important?

TA: I want to be able to verify your story as much as possible. So you didn't, say for instance, call Tate Moore?

AM: No. Why are you bringing his name into it?

SM: Tate Moore found you at the scene... yet another friend who you sleep with?

AM: Tate is a fantastic guy. He saved my life I think.

TA: How many other guys were you seeing, Ms. Melton?

AM: Am I on trial here?

SM: Did any of these guys know about the other guys?

AM: Not really. I mean, I don't lie but I don't announce it either. There's no sense in upsetting them. You don't think I had something to do with this, do you?

TA: Let me put it this way. I'm not convinced that you are telling us the truth.

AM: If I had killed Wenzel, then how come I got shot too? Do you think I'd actually shoot myself? Have you ever been shot? This hurts like a son of a b****! There's no way I could ever do this to myself!

SM: It wouldn't be the first time a murderer had faked an injury to divert our attention. You may have been just a little more inventive.

AM: You really think I shot Wenzel?

TA: There was gun shot residue on your hand.

SM: Do you own a gun, Ms. Melton?

AM: No, I don't.

AM: Am I under arrest?

TA: No, not yet.

AM: Then I can leave now right?

SM: Yeah you're free to leave for the moment.

AM: I didn't have anything to do with this. I can't believe you would even think I would. I really cared about Wenzel.

TA: That'll do for now, Ms. Melton. We'll be in touch soon.

Interview ends 2:15 p.m.