Hubert Jacobs interview

Sunday, November 8, 2020 – 12:30 p.m.

Hubert Jacobs is the custodian at Fatih and Glory Community Church. He came forward with information potentially relevant to the Frederick Miller investigation.

Detectives Armstrong and Murphy interviewed him at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department.

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Hubert Jacobs

Detective Murphy: Before we start, would you please state your name and address for the record?

Hubert Jacobs: Name's Hubert Jacobs, and my address is 210 Town Center Drive, Unit 26.

Detective Murphy: Thank you, Mr. Jacobs—

Hubert Jacobs: You can call me Hubert.

Detective Murphy: All right, Hubert. We understand you have some information that could help us with the Frederick Miller investigation?

Hubert Jacobs: That's right. I'm the custodian at Faith and Glory Community Church, and I was working on the day Mr. Miller was killed.

Detective Armstrong: Okay, why don't you walk us through everything you remember from that day.

Hubert Jacobs: Well, I got to work a little bit late, around 3:15 p.m., because when I got there, I had to put oil in my car and ended up ruining one of my work gloves. So I went around the back and stopped at the dumpster before heading into the office.

Detective Armstrong: Why'd you stop at the dumpster?

Hubert Jacobs: I had to throw away the glove I ruined. I didn't want to get oil stains in my car.

Detective Armstrong: Okay, so then you went to the office?

Hubert Jacobs: Yeah, I had to stop in to check my logs, see if I had any particular jobs to do that day.

Detective Murphy: Did you talk to anyone?

Hubert Jacobs: I said hello to Donna, the secretary, but we didn't talk. Then I just got to work.

Detective Murphy: Okay, and did you notice anything unusual while you were working?

Hubert Jacobs: Yeah, on my way over to the sanctuary building, I saw a man wandering through the garden. I was about to ask him if he needed any help, but he kind of snuck off when he saw me. I noticed that he was holding a clipboard, so I thought maybe he worked for the city or something like that. 

Detective Murphy: You say he snuck off. What do you mean by that?

Hubert Jacobs: Well, he kind of darted behind the building. It seemed like a weird thing to do since there's nothing but trees back there, but yeah, I just figured he was doing some official business.

Detective Murphy: Do you remember what the man looked like?

Hubert Jacobs: He was a white fella, dark hair, and he had a mustache.

Detective Murphy: About how tall do you think he was?

Hubert Jacobs: Oh, I'd say about average height, kind of skinny.

Detective Murphy: How about his age? How old did he look?

Hubert Jacobs: Middle-aged, maybe 40, 45.

Detective Armstrong: Did you see what he was wearing?

Hubert Jacobs: Hm, no, not really. I guess he had on a dark-colored jacket and maybe jeans? I didn't really notice.

Detective Armstrong: Okay, so what happened after that?

Hubert Jacobs: I went and did my rounds in the sanctuary building. Well, on my way to take the trash out, I saw that guy again. It looked like he was examining one of the side walls, and he was writing on his clipboard. I didn't really think that much of it at the time.

Detective Murphy: But you do think it meant something now?

Hubert Jacobs: Yeah, well, I've been keeping up with the case, you know, reading the papers. I saw that y'all had released that Huddleston kid. Then I read that you were really trying to get information from people by offering that reward., so I started re-thinking that day. Trying to see if there was anything else that might help.

Detective Armstrong: So you remembered something else?

Hubert Jacobs: Well, I hadn't really thought about the man with the clipboard since that day, but it really doesn't make sense. He couldn't have been there to do repairs because I'm in charge of maintenance for the whole property. If the parish thought the building needed repairs, then they would have me do them. There's no reason to bring in someone else.

Detective Murphy: Maybe the repairs require specialized services? An electrician or something like that?

Hubert Jacobs: There aren't any repairs like that that need to be done. Nothing I can't take care of. And even if that were the case, they would've told me about it.

Detective Armstrong: What time was it when you saw the man the second time? When you were leaving the sanctuary headed to the dumpster.

Hubert Jacobs: Let's see, I'd probably only been working for an hour, so it must've been around 4:00, 4:15.

Detective Armstrong: And where was he standing when you saw him?

Hubert Jacobs: He was in the garden area facing the sanctuary building.

Detective Murphy: Was he closer to the back of the building or closer to the parking lot?

Hubert Jacobs: Um, he was about in the middle. There are a few pathways that run through the garden, and he was on the main path that connects the two buildings.

Detective Armstrong: Are there any doors or windows he could've been looking through?

Hubert Jacobs: There are some windows, but he wasn't really near them. And the rooms that those windows belong to weren't being used at the time, so there was nothing to see.

Detective Armstrong: Do you think he noticed you?

Hubert Jacobs: He must've heard my cart rolling along the sidewalk, but I don't think he looked up. He certainly didn't say anything to me.

Detective Murphy: When you threw the trash away, did you see anything unusual or anyone nearby?

Hubert Jacobs: No, not that I recall.

Detective Armstrong: Did you see the man again after that?

Hubert Jacobs: No. I went and got the trash from the fellowship hall building, took that out, and then headed back to the sanctuary. That was probably at 4:30, and I didn't see him again.

Detective Murphy: What time did you leave that night?'

Hubert Jacobs: I finished up a little bit early, ended up leaving around 6:00.

Detective Armstrong: Did you see Mr. Miller at all that day?

Hubert Jacobs: No, I don't remember seeing him.

Detective Murphy: Did you park in the staff parking lot?

Hubert Jacobs: Yes, I did.

Detective Murphy: Did you see anyone in or near the parking lot when you left or notice anything out of place?

Hubert Jacobs: No, ma'am.

Detective Murphy: Was there anything else you noticed that day? Anything out of the ordinary?

Hubert Jacobs: No, that's it. Just that guy with the clipboard.

Detective Armstrong: Would you be willing to sit down with a sketch artist to help us get a better idea of what this guy looked like?

Hubert Jacobs: Sure, I can do that.

Detective Murphy: Okay, we appreciate your time, Mr. Jacobs— sorry, Hubert. If you think of anything else, please give us a call.

Hubert Jacobs: I'll be sure to do that. Say, who do I talk to about collecting that reward?

Detective Murphy: Follow me out, and I'll get that information for you.

Interview ended – 12:48 p.m.