Wednesday, July 19, 2000 - 9:30 a.m.

The witness, a waiter at Henry's Café, was interviewed at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department.

TA = Det. T. Armstrong
AK = Al Knight

TA: Would you state your name and address, please?

AK: Al L. Knight. I live at 11 Avent Street, Oxford, MS.

TA: And where are you employed?

AK: I do several little jobs here and there. My main job is at Henry's Café. I normally work at least four or five dinner shifts and several lunch shifts each week.

TA: Can you tell me exactly why you contacted our office?

AK: Well, I saw the article in the Eagle about those clothes that were found. You know, the shirt that kid and her dog found? The paper said they might be tied to that murdered woman.

TA: You have something to tell us?

AK: Last Friday, I was working the lunch shift. I had been scheduled to work that evening, 'til closing. But one of the waitresses had to take off for an exam or something so I picked up her shift too. There was a woman who had lunch in the restaurant that day with a shirt on like the one in the article.

TA: Can you describe the shirt?

AK: It was just like in the paper. Looked sort of Indian. Not Indian like Cherokee and stuff, but Indian like in Asia. Like it was from the islands. It had a cobweb on it and a yin-yang symbol. You don't see many like that around town. And the lady that was wearing it looked just like the description in the newspaper of the victim.

TA: Do you know who the woman was?

AK: No. I never her anyone call her name or anything.

TA: Was this lady having lunch alone?

AK: No, she was with that writer, Blake Stillwater. They ordered lunch, but then there was a phone call for him. He took the call at the bar, talked for a while and then left.

TA: Left? Just like that?

AK: Yeah. He talked on the phone for a little while, then walked back over to the table. I couldn't hear what he said, but the lady stood up and gave him a hug and he left.

TA: Do you have any idea where he was going? Or who was on the phone?

AK: No clue. His Range Rover was right outside the door and I saw him get in it and drive away. I know that he didn't just walk around the corner or anything.

TA: What did the lady do?

AK: I went over to her and she said to cancel his order but that she would still take her lunch. Then, Willie King, that blues singer, went over to her table.

TA: What was he doing?

AK: He had been at the bar for a while already. When Stillwater left, he went over to the lady's table and sat down. They started talking and when I brought her lunch, he just asked for another drink. He never ordered any food. He just sat there drinking while she ate.

TA: Then what happened?

AK: She finished her lunch, paid her bill with a twenty and left.

TA: And the singer?

AK: Oh, he left with her.

TA: They walked out together?

AK: Yeah. I couldn't see where they went but they turned up towards the Square. That was it.

TA: Can you think of anything else that might be of use to us?

AK: No, not really. I don't even know if what I said will help you. I just saw the article in the paper and thought I should call.

TA: Well, thank you for your time. If we need anything else, I'll get in touch with you.

End interview 9:40 a.m.