Witness Interview: Kevin Travers, Arlene Melton's landlord

Thursday, November 14, 2002, 11:00 a.m.

The witness was identified as the housemate of Arlene Melton, who was injured in the shooting attack which took Wenzel Hitzig's life. He was interviewed at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Office. The interview was conducted by Detectives Murphy and Armstrong, and was recorded on a portable tape recorder with the witness's knowledge and consent.

TA = Det. Ted Armstrong

SM = Det. Sam Murphy

KT = Kevin Travers

SM: Good morning. For the record, would you please state your name and address?

KT: Hi, Kevin Travers and I live at 110 Hickory Street.

TA: Thanks for agreeing to come and talk to us, Mr. Travers.

KT: I'm happy to help out in whatever way I can. It's a little unnerving being asked to come into the Sheriff's office though.

SM: What do you mean?

KT: You interviewed me at home while you were investigating Missy's death.

SM: Well, sometimes it's more convenient for us to do that. I'm sorry if this makes you feel uncomfortable.

KT: No. No, nothing as bad as that. You're obviously taking this very seriously, as you should. Listen I'm babbling. Please, go on.

TA: So what have you been up to since we last had cause to talk to you Mr. Travers?

KT: Oh I've been struggling along, Detective. I'm still making a living out of photography, but not doing anything which would interest you I'm sure.

SM: Do you ever see Liddie Hammond?

KT: Missy's daughter? No, I don't I'm afraid. I was hoping I might still get to see her once in a while. We got along pretty well; she was a great kid. But since Roger's arrest and the squabble over custody and everything, I've seen her once from a distance in town with Mr. and Mrs. Hammond. Maybe one day when she's older, she'll come to see me and ask about her mom. I'd like to think I could tell her about Missy and help her come to terms with the terrible thing which happened.

TA: Liddie's doing okay from what I hear. Let's hope it stays that way.

KT: Have you been making checks on her, Detective Armstrong?

TA: I just like to know what goes on in my town, and I wanted to find out how the kid was doing. Which brings us back to you. We've been hearing some things about you which we want to ask you about. Like your relationship with Arlene Melton?

KT: Yes, I know Arlene Melton, of course. I'm relieved she wasn't more seriously injured in that horrible attack.

SM: Arlene lives with you doesn't she, Mr. Travers?

KT: Yes, she does. Not in a man and wife sense though.

TA: You've never been intimate with Ms. Melton?

KT: I'll be honest with you, Detective. Many a time I've looked at her and thought how easy it would be to fall under her spell. Sometimes she looks so vulnerable and in need of protection and, yes, I once had hopes something might develop between us. But it hasn't proved to be, and those feelings have passed.

SM: This delicate creature you describe. It's not the Arlene Melton we know, is it?

TA: No, she's attractive, but I don't think of her as vulnerable.

KT: You have to know her, I guess. Know her like I do. She sometimes lets that guard down and you forget she was an exotic dancer and has hardened herself. She's a lovely girl.

TA: It almost sounds as if you still have feelings for her?

KT: No, I can assure you that whatever existed in that way is long gone. Now we're just friends and I'm helping her get back on her feet after a tough year. I was hoping she was going to move out, actually, but I think she probably is going to be with me for a bit longer now.

TA: You want to be rid of her?

KT: Maybe I didn't phrase that so well. Look, I only meant it would be nice, at some point, if she moved on. Not that I want her gone forever.

SM: And why would that be? Think you've been taken for a ride and gotten nothing out of it?

KT: What do you mean by that?

TA: Come on, Mr. Travers. We know exactly the arrangement you had with Ms. Melton. Rent-free for her; what was in it for you?

KT: You always have to be so suspicious don't you?

TA: It kinda goes with the job. So it's true then?

KT: Yeah, it's true in a way. But not the kind of sleazy way you meant it.

TA: So fill us in then, Mr. Travers. What did first make you invite the highly-sexed, beautiful former exotic dancer into your home with the promise of free bed and board?

KT: I felt sorry for her, okay!

SM: You felt sorry for her?

KT: Yes, look I met Arlene when she was working at Two Stick in town. When I first saw her, I thought I'd love to take her picture sometime. We used to have conversations once in a while when I was there and struck up a friendship. I told her how much I'd like to use her as a model and she said she'd think about it.

TA: And then?

KT: Well, as we got to know each other more, she confided in me about her relationship with JP Wallace and how things seemed to have gone wrong.

TA: And how did you feel when you heard she was involved with him?

KT: I was annoyed. I don't mind telling you I couldn't stand to see another woman wrecked by that drug-dealing scumbag.

SM: So you invited her to come and live with you?

KT: Well, yes, I suppose I did. At first, it was just supposed to be for a few nights, get her back on her feet, but then she posed for some pictures for me and she was a natural. I wanted to work with her on some black and white portrait ideas I had in mind and, so I asked her to stay on and offered her a free stay in return for being my resident model.

SM: Were they nudes?

KT: Some of the shots were naked, yes, but I can assure you they were artistic and not at all pornographic. I like to use shades and shadows and light, and in black and white they looked very artistic and, even though I say so myself, pretty graceful.

SM: Did you ever take anything more, er, graphic?

KT: Not my style, Detective. I can't be doing with that sort of cheap stuff. There's nothing wrong with nudity or the female form, but I don't do vulgar. Can't stand it.

TA: Okay, I think we got the message. So was it while Arlene was being graceful and naked that you got the hots for her?

KT: Look, I told you I did have some feelings for her, maybe even hoped we could get something together, but when it wasn't to be, it wasn't to be. Nothing more than that.

TA: Did she turn you down?

KT: Of course not. It was just something that was understood between us.

TA: I didn't know Ms. Melton was that fussy. You must have done something to turn her off?

KT: What's that supposed to mean?

TA: Just wondering, is all. I mean, Tate Moore, JP Wallace, Achim Michaelis last year, Wenzel Hitzig, what did they have that you didn't?

KT: You'll have to ask Arlene.

TA: Or maybe it's that you had something they didn't and she didn't like it?

KT: I'm not sure what point you are trying to make here, Detective. Anyway, all this has nothing to do with me. I've been dating recently, you know.

SM: Yes, we'd heard something about that. Who's the lucky girl?

KT: Vicky Pett. I met her at an arts festival last year. We ran into each other a few months back and I asked her out for a drink.

TA: That was a bit direct for you, wasn't it?

KT: What's your problem now?

TA: I mean, why didn't you just hang around and take a few pictures, watch her for a while, do a bit of surveillance?

KT: Are you trying to suggest I'm some sort of stalker, Detective?

TA: I just remember how uncomfortable you made me feel during the Missy Hammond case.

KT: But I had nothing to do with that. You arrested the man who did it. Why are you still hassling me about it?

SM: Let's move back to the present case, please. So, how does Vicky feel about Arlene Melton living with you, about the pictures?

KT: Vicky's fine with it.

TA: You sure? Lot of girls in that position might feel a little put out, maybe even jealous. Attractive young lady living with their boyfriend who he regularly takes naked pictures of?

KT: Look, I said Vicky is fine with it. She knows what the deal is with Arlene. They've met a few times at the house and gotten along okay. As I've told Vicky, it's not like Arlene will be living with me forever.

TA: Has Vicky ever asked you to make Arlene leave?

KT: No, never.

SM: Where were you on the morning of November 4th, Mr. Travers?

KT: I was out with Vicky. We'd been out the night before, Sunday, and we spent the night together and then in the morning I wanted to go for a drive. I wanted to pick up some photographic supplies somewhere. Oxford sometimes doesn't have everything I need in stock.

SM: Can you be more specific than that please?

KT: Do I really need to be? Okay fine, we left about 10:00 a.m. and headed out Tupelo way.

TA: Which way did you drive?

KT: What do you think? I took the sensible route. Out on South Lamar to Highway 6 and then on to Highway 78.

TA: Stop anywhere?

KT: Yeah, we stopped in Tupelo. Did some shopping and had lunch.

TA: We'll check on that.

KT: You'll find everything's just as I said.

TA: I'm sure we will. So did Arlene mention Wenzel was coming to Oxford this weekend?

KT: Yes, she did. She was looking forward to seeing him again. He was here last month too.

TA: Do you know when exactly?

KT: No, but I think it was around the end of September, beginning of October that he was here. I met him.

TA: What did you think of him?

KT: He seemed like a regular guy. A big guy. Didn't seem to like me at first, but once we talked for a while, he was okay. To be honest, I didn't speak to him for that long, but from all that Arlene said about him and from my own impressions, he was okay. There was...

SM: Yes?

KT: I don't know if I should say, but I was just going to say that there was something about him, a sort of intense quality. Sorry, just my impression, not really relevant here.

SM: What did you talk about with Mr. Hitzig?

KT: Nothing interesting. I asked him about his trip, what did he and Arlene plan to do while he was in town. He showed me his digital camera, asked me what I thought of it... pretty standard small talk really.

TA: And what did you think of his camera? What did he and Arlene plan to do?

KT: Well, I, uh, don't really remember that well. I thought his camera was fine, had a good lens, plenty of features. I told him for sheer quality, you'd never rival a real, professional camera, but for his purposes it would be fine.

TA: Sounds like a put down.

KT: Far from it. The sort of camera he had can help an average photographer take a very good shot, but it wouldn't be for me.

TA: Do you remember anything Mr. Hitzig may have said about their plans?

KT: No, I don't. Sorry. I got the impression they were just going to spend some time together.

SM: Did you ever hear Arlene Melton mention life insurance?

KT: Arlene? No, I don't think so. She doesn't strike me as the sort of girl who plans ahead that much. It's one of the things I've been trying to get through to her.

TA: Go on?

KT: Well, I've told her she should be past making youthful mistakes now. She's got to get herself a plan, think about what she wants from her life, set some goals, work towards them... boring stuff like that.

TA: Do you think sleeping with JP Wallace in your house was a youthful mistake?

KT: Who told you about... no, let me guess. The scumbag himself told you? Probably boasting about it, I guess.

SM: He did seem pretty pleased with himself. So what did you say to Ms. Melton when you found out?

KT: I said I didn't want that man in my house. Told her she needed to get away from losers like that, find someone who would care about her and cherish her.

SM: And how did she take the advice?

KT: It didn't cause any problems between us, if that's what you mean. She agreed she needed to grow up and straighten herself out.

TA: Before we finish off here, Mr. Travers, can you think of any reason why anyone would want to harm Arlene Melton or Wenzel Hitzig?

KT: Well, I've been thinking about it, and I can only assume it maybe a robbery or something that went wrong. I admit I don't know enough about Mr. Hitzig to tell you if he has any enemies or who they might be, but I can't imagine why anyone would want to hurt Arlene.

TA: Why do you think it's a robbery that went wrong?

KT: Didn't whoever did this try to steal the computer equipment or something? I thought I remembered seeing that on the news.

SM: Do you think Arlene Melton could have arranged this attack?

KT: But that's ridiculous. She was shot too... wait... do you think she shot herself? I, no... It doesn't fit. Is there evidence against her?

SM: That's not for us to reveal at the moment, Mr. Travers.

KT: I wouldn't have thought it possible. Maybe we never really know someone?

TA: Well, thank you, Mr. Travers, for coming in today. If we need anything else, we'll be in touch.

KT: Yeah sure, okay. I can go, right?

SM: We're done here.

End interview 12:07 p.m.