Arrestee #2 interview

Friday, June 27 – 9:41 a.m.

Allie Lamar is the owner of Lamar Cosmetics, the primary business sponsor of the Yoknapatawpha County Literature Festival pageant. She was arrested for the murder of Barbara Dubois.

Detectives Armstrong and Murphy talked to her again at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department shortly after her arrest.

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Allie Lamar

Detective Armstrong: For the record, Mrs. Lamar, you have been advised of your rights, and you waived the right to counsel and the right to remain silent. Is that correct?

Allie Lamar: Yes. As I said, this is clearly some kind of misunderstanding that I am perfectly capable of clearing up on my own, if you'll simply permit me.

Detective Armstrong: Let us get what we need for the record before we do anything else. Please state your name and address.

Allie Lamar: Allie Lamar. 638 North Lamar. Oxford.

Detective Murphy: Mrs. Lamar, we've concluded our investigation—a very thorough investigation.

Detective Armstrong: There is no doubt that you did this, Mrs. Lamar.

Allie Lamar: I didn't do—

Detective Murphy: Wait a minute, Mrs. Lamar. Just listen to what we have to tell you.

Allie Lamar: But—

Detective Armstrong: Now, just stop there, Mrs. Lamar. Just stop. You killed Barbara Dubois. There's no doubt about it, and no use denying it. After you got entry to the pageant headquarters on the night of the murder, you found out that Barbara would win the pageant. Isn't that correct?

Allie Lamar: I only wanted to check on—

Detective Murphy: Mrs. Lamar, we know it's correct. We have both a witness and physical evidence as proof, so don't bother to lie about what we already know. You entered the pageant office, checked the confidential balloting, and then took the trophy and left.

Allie Lamar: Yes. But—

Detective Armstrong: Just wait. Just listen. You took the pageant trophy and left the office. You encountered Barbara Dubois in the hallway. You confronted her, there was a struggle, and the pageant trophy got broken during the scuffle.

Allie Lamar: No—

Detective Armstrong: You knocked her to the floor, and in the process, Barbara scratched you and got your DNA underneath her fingernails. When she was on the floor, you clubbed her with the heel of your shoe. You then dragged her body into a closet and shut the door.

Allie Lamar: What—

Detective Armstrong: Then you took your shoes outside and got rid of them in the dumpster. On the way back, you met your son in the hallway. He saw you to your room. Now, that's what happened. Don't bother denying it because those are the facts.

Detective Murphy: Mrs. Lamar, the evidence puts you at the crime scene and puts the murder weapon in your hands, so we're not going to debate either one because those facts are established, aren't they?

Allie Lamar: I guess so.

Detective Murphy: Mrs. Lamar, you must feel horrible about all that's happened. It's been so hard for you, hasn't it?

Allie Lamar: Yes. So very hard.

Detective Armstrong: But you've held up very well. You never let them see you cry.

Allie Lamar: I didn't, did I?

Detective Murphy: No, you didn't. But you know, don't you think it's about time you let someone else bear the burden?

Allie Lamar: What do you mean?

Detective Armstrong: You kept secrets for Bill's own good, didn't you?

Allie Lamar: Yes. How do you know? Do you have children?

Detective Armstrong: I know about parenting. Sometimes there are things you don't tell children, aren't there?

Allie Lamar: Yes.

Detective Armstrong: And you were a good parent. But nobody's perfect, are they?

Allie Lamar: No.

Detective Murphy: We're all only human, aren't we?

Allie Lamar: Yes. Just human beings.

Detective Armstrong: So we're fallible. It happens. Nobody expects us to do everything right, but it feels that way, doesn't it? Like we have to be perfect?

Allie Lamar: Yes. It does.

Detective Murphy: So, isn't it time you stopped trying to be what you can't be—perfect—and just be human? Doesn't it feel like time to let someone else try to be right all the time?

Allie Lamar: Yes. Yes, it does.

Detective Armstrong: People are just going to have to accept our mistakes and get over them, aren't they?

Allie Lamar: Yes. I tried so hard.

Detective Murphy: I know. You kept Bill and Barbara apart for their own good, didn't you?

Allie Lamar: Yes. That baby, it would have ruined both their lives.

Detective Armstrong: You worked with Susan Dubois to make sure that Barbara thought Bill dumped her, and you told Bill that Barbara didn't want to see him anymore and was going away. Then you sent him to Europe. It was all for their own good. You had their best interests at heart, but that's what you did, wasn't it?

Allie Lamar: Yes. So immature. They would have thrown away everything, all their potential.

Detective Murphy: So you did what you thought was best. A parent has to do that, doesn't she?

Allie Lamar: Yes. I had to.

Detective Murphy: But you had a good side. You gave money to ensure that Barbara's daughter was taken care of. Only a loving, caring person would do that. Unless, of course, Susan Dubois forced you to or threatened—

Allie Lamar: No, she did no such thing. In fact, I insisted on paying the lawyer's adoption fees, Barbara's medical bills, and sending the child money each month. Susan put up a fight at first, but I was very firm.

Detective Murphy: Of course you were. You are a strong woman. You do what has to be done. Yet you're caring. Everyone will see that in what you did for the child.

Allie Lamar: You think so?

Detective Armstrong: Of course. Then, when Bill showed up at the pageant, you did what needed to be done. They were about to ruin their lives all over again, weren't they?

Allie Lamar: Yes, they hadn't learned.

Detective Armstrong: Kids. They're like that, aren't they? So later, when you found out Barbara was going to win, you knew you couldn't keep them apart. And they weren't mature enough to understand why you kept them apart so many years before, were they?

Allie Lamar: Not at all. It took them ten minutes, and they were head over heels in love again.

Detective Armstrong: And you couldn't let that destroy everything, could you? You had a responsibility.

Allie Lamar: No. I couldn't. Yes, yes, I did.

Detective Murphy: And later, you ran into Barbara in the hallway. She was sick, but I bet she was stubborn.

Allie Lamar: That girl always was.

Detective Murphy: She was going to tell Bill, wasn't she?

Allie Lamar: Yes.

Detective Murphy: She didn't understand at all, did she?

Allie Lamar: No.

Detective Murphy: And Bill is a fine boy—you did such a good job—but he just isn't mature enough yet to understand either, is he?

Allie Lamar: No, I'm afraid not.

Detective Murphy: So you didn't have a choice, really, did you?

Allie Lamar: No. You're right. I didn't.

Detective Murphy: So when Barbara wouldn't listen to reason, you did what you had to do with what you had on hand, didn't you? She fought with you, and you used your shoe because you had to.

Allie Lamar: Yes. Yes. I really didn't have a choice, as you say.

Detective Armstrong: We understand. On your way back to your room, before you ran into Barbara, did you think about what you needed to do to keep the two apart?

Allie Lamar: I'm not sure.

Detective Murphy: I bet you were very sad on the way back to your room when you realized that Barbara would have to go—for everyone's sake. Did it hurt you?

Allie Lamar: Yes, I was very sad. I really liked that girl, in a way.

Detective Murphy: So, when you realized you'd have to eliminate her, you tried to make some plans on how to do it?

Allie Lamar: Yes, but I couldn't think too well.

Detective Murphy: But then you saw her, and you knew what you had to do.

Allie Lamar: Yes.

Detective Murphy: And you took charge and did what had to be done. People will understand that. Some will look up to you for it.

Allie Lamar: You think so?

Detective Armstrong: We've seen a lot. Believe us.

Detective Murphy: And you wanted to spare Bill and the others, so you put Barbara out of sight for a while, maybe just to give yourself some time to think. Lord knows, with the pressure you were under, you needed it. So you used the closet, didn't you?

Allie Lamar: There wasn't anyplace else.

Detective Murphy: Now, Allie, you know we need to know who helped you.

Allie Lamar: Nobody. I did this all myself.

Detective Murphy: That's too much for one person.

Allie Lamar: Just me.

Detective Armstrong: But Susan Dubois—

Allie Lamar: She cashed my checks. That's it. I had to do it all. No one helped me at all. No one.

Detective Murphy: So now it's out. Don't you feel better? Isn't it better to have the truth in the open?

Allie Lamar: Yes. I've been carrying all this for so long. It feels good to be free of it. I feel very alive.

Detective Murphy: It feels good to feel alive.

Allie Lamar: It does. It really does. Everyone should feel this way.

Detective Armstrong: Too bad Barbara Dubois can't.

Interview ended – 10:24 a.m.