Birdie Tarver interview #2

Tuesday, October 24, 2023 – 4:30 p.m.

Birdie Tarver is Hoyt Biffle's ex-girlfriend and his son's mother.

Detectives Beckwith and Magee interviewed her at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department.

Participants:

• Detective P. Beckwith
• Detective J. Magee
• Birdie Tarver

Detective Magee: Hello again, Ms. Tarver. Please state your name and address for the record.

Birdie Tarver: Birdie Tarver. 1110 Scarlett Drive, Oxford. Is there a problem?

Detective Magee: Why don't you tell me?

Birdie Tarver: I'm not sure. I mean, what were you searching for at my house? Did you find something? Not that I'm hiding anything. I mean…

Detective Magee: What do you mean, Ms. Tarver? And what are you hiding?

Birdie Tarver: I'm not hiding anything!

Detective Beckwith: Then why did you lie to us about your alibi? You weren't with Don, and you have motive to want Hoyt Biffle dead.

Birdie Tarver: What? No. No, no, no. This is just a misunderstanding. I don't remember exactly what I said, but I… I…

Detective Magee: Let me read the transcript back to you. Regarding last Wednesday, I asked where you were between 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. You answered, "Oh… I… let's see. Yesterday…I was at Don's. With Don. At his house."

Birdie Tarver: Oh.

Detective Magee: And both Don and his employee said that wasn't true. Can you see how that's a big problem?

Birdie Tarver: Yes. Okay. I wasn't at Don's, but I was with people.

Detective Beckwith: And these people will confirm your whereabouts?

Birdie Tarver: Yes. They should.

Detective Magee: And? This would be a good time to give us the names of the people you were with, Ms. Tarver.

Birdie Tarver: I was… I was exercising. Yoga.

Detective Magee: Yoga? Why would you lie about Yoga?

Birdie Tarver: People don't understand. They judge.

Detective Beckwith: Give us names, Ms. Tarver.

Birdie Tarver: First, I was with Jingles and Shorty, then Vincent van Goat.

Detective Magee: Are you kidding? You don't seem to grasp the serious nature of your problems, Ms. Tarver.

Birdie Tarver: I'm sorry! I'm— you've got me so nervous! I was at goat yoga! Jingles and Shorty, Vincent van Goat—all goats! I'm telling the truth!

Detective Beckwith: And you really think these goats will corroborate your alibi?

Birdie Tarver: No, of course not! I'm forgetting her name, the woman who leads it. I promise you it's legit, and I was there. I was just so embarrassed to tell anyone. Then you started treating me like a suspect, and the lie was— it was stupid. But I didn't kill Hoyt!

Detective Magee: Can you see how we might think you're lying about that since you lied about where you were when he was killed?

Birdie Tarver: I understand, but I have no reason! He's the father of my child!

Detective Beckwith: Is he?

Birdie Tarver: His name's on Harrison's birth certificate, and he pays child support.

Detective Magee: Why did he request a paternity test?

Birdie Tarver: He wasn't going to go through with it. He knew he was Harrison's father.

Detective Magee: Apparently, he suspected that he wasn't. Why is that? And I cannot emphasize enough how important it is that you be truthful from this point forward.

Birdie Tarver: Fine. Hoyt suspected he wasn't Harrison's father.

Detective Beckwith: And you knew he wasn't? Is that why you were resistant to a paternity test?

Birdie Tarver: Yes. Listen. This is… I can't tell you who—

Detective Magee: Yes, actually, you can. We're investigating a murder. We need answers, and we're not going to stop asking just to protect you from the consequences of poor life choices. Who else could've been Harrison's father?

Birdie Tarver: Alden. Alden Puckett. We… we had… an affair.

Detective Magee: And if Hoyt found out, he would've stopped child support, correct?

Birdie Tarver: Yes, probably.

Detective Magee: That's motive, Ms. Tarver.

Birdie Tarver: Peace… Peace…

Detective Beckwith: Peace? What does that mean?

Birdie Tarver: Her name … Precious? Uh, the instructor's last name is Peace, and her first name is still escaping me.

Detective Beckwith: Do you know someone named Zeke Evans?

Birdie Tarver: Oh! Evelyn is in the class, and Chris, who's a man, and … Imani and Kris, who's a woman. And Cherish. Oh, my God, the instructor's name is Cherish. Okay. I'm breathing now. What did you ask me?

Detective Beckwith: Zeke Evans? Do you know him?

Birdie Tarver: No. Is that someone Hoyt worked with?

Detective Beckwith: Did you ever hear Alden talk about Zeke Evans?

Birdie Tarver: No. Alden didn't talk about work. He's a genius, and I'm… not. If Zeke Evans is someone Alden worked with, he wouldn't have mentioned him to me.

Detective Magee: Does Alden know he's Harrison's father?

Birdie Tarver: He knew it was a strong possibility all along.

Detective Beckwith: Has Alden done a DNA test?

Birdie Tarver: No. There was no need. Hoyt was happy to be Harrison's father. Everyone was happy with the way it was.

Detective Magee: What about June?

Birdie Tarver: June has no idea. Alden and I— nobody was supposed to get hurt. We never, ever would hurt June. Or Hoyt. Or Harrison. My God.

Detective Beckwith: Did Hoyt suspect Alden was Harrison's father?

Birdie Tarver: I think so, yes. I mean, he never made a specific accusation, but Harrison began showing symptoms that Hoyt recognized from Alden. I think. He must have suspected.

Detective Magee: Do you know Chas Laughlin?

Birdie Tarver: Not personally. I know he owns a car repair business or something.

Detective Beckwith: Did Hoyt ever mention Chas Laughlin?

Birdie Tarver: No, never. Hoyt also didn't discuss business with me. Ever.

Detective Magee: Do you know any of the Under Glass residents?

Birdie Tarver: No. Hoyt kept his business separate from Harrison and me.

Detective Beckwith: So, you never went online to check out the business? You weren't curious about what it was? Who he had living at the house? What Harrison might be exposed to?

Birdie Tarver: Was I curious, and did I go online? Yes. Was I concerned? Never. You asked if I knew any of the residents, and the answer is no. Hoyt ran a business. It was legal, and he ran it like a professional businessman. It wasn't because of the type of business, detective. Hoyt always kept all of his business separate from Harrison and me.

Detective Magee: Do you know any of his employees?

Birdie Tarver: No. I'm telling you, Hoyt kept his business life and his personal life very separate. Always. When he was with Harrison or me or the Pucketts, he was one hundred percent present. He rarely took a phone call even. He was… good—a good daddy.

Detective Beckwith: Thank you, Ms. Tarver. We'll need the contact information for that goat yoga instructor. Otherwise, you're free to leave.

Interview ended – 4:56 p.m.