Lester Waterson interview

Thursday, August 14 - 2:41 p.m.

Lester Waterson is the maintenance man at Oxford Ridge Apartments, where Andy and Cindy Fine live.

Detectives Beckwith and Magee interviewed him at the Oxford Ridge leasing office.

Participants:

• Detective P. Beckwith
• Detective J. Magee
• Lester Waterson

Detective Magee: Good afternoon, Mr. Waterson. Thanks for allowing us to interrupt your busy schedule to ask you a few questions. Your manager said you would help us out. Could you please state your name and address, just for the record?

Lester Waterson: My name is Lester Waterson, and I live at 650 Hathorn Road, Oxford.

Detective Magee: We're trying to find some information on a couple of people in your complex that you might know or might know something about, but first, a few preliminary questions.

Detective Beckwith: What do you do for a living, Mr. Waterson?

Lester Waterson: I am the maintenance person for Ewok— ah, Oxford Ridge. I also get apartments ready for rent by painting and fixing whatever needs to be repaired from the tenants who are moving out, as well as day-to-day stuff.

Detective Beckwith: Do you know the Fines, Cindy and Andy Fine?

Lester Waterson: Oh yeah, I'm familiar with them. They— well, more the husband. He's a guy you don't forget.

Detective Magee: What do you mean?

Lester Waterson: I know you can't judge a book by its cover, but looking at him, you can almost tell he's shifty. Not only that, I had to fix a few walls in their place.

Detective Magee: I see. Did they ever tell you what happened when these things needed to be fixed?

Lester Waterson: Yeah, but I didn't really believe them. Most of the time, it was the wife who was there when I went to fix whatever needed done. I guess the old man was working or something.

Detective Magee: Did Mrs. Fine ever talk to you about the repairs?

Lester Waterson: I remember one time I had to patch a hole in a wall. She was saying it was real easy to slide the furniture around because there weren't any rugs in the apartment. She told me she did it moving furniture. I thought that was pretty weird.

Detective Magee: Why's that?

 Lester Waterson: Because the hole was higher than the couch. Not only that, the hole looked too big for the couch corner they had or any other furniture they had in the living room at the time. I'm no genius, but it just seemed to me that it would take more force to make a hole in a wall than just moving furniture.

Detective Beckwith: Besides maintenance, is there anything else you do for the apartment complex?

Lester Waterson: No, that's about all, plus whatever Jim has me do. Believe me, I stay plenty busy.

Detective Magee: Do you remember what you were doing late on the night of August 2nd, say around 1:30, 2:00 a.m.?

Lester Waterson: Man, I don't know. That was a while ago.

Detective Beckwith: It was two Saturdays ago, if that's any help.

Lester Waterson: Oh, yeah. What time did you say again?

Detective Beckwith: 1:30, 2:00 in the morning.

Lester Waterson: I was probably in bed by then. There was some kids setting off firecrackers in the parking lot that night, but I'd put a stop to it by then. Told 'em I was gonna call the cops if they didn't cut it out.

Detective Beckwith: Did you? Call the police?

Lester Waterson: Nah. They were just kids having fun. I only said that because it was late, and I wanted them to stop before I started getting calls from the residents.

Detective Magee: Did you see anyone else in the parking lot when you were out talking to the kids?

Lester Waterson: Don't think so. Wasn't really looking for anyone but those kids.

Detective Magee: Did you see Andy or Cindy Fine that night? Do you remember?

Lester Waterson: Not that I can think of.

Detective Magee: So, when was the last time you did see Andy Fine?

Lester Waterson: I really can't remember seeing him recently. If anything, I saw him hanging out at the pool a few weeks ago. He was there by himself. You wouldn't know he was married, the way he flirts. I hardly see him and his wife out together.

Detective Magee: Is there anything else about Andy Fine you can think of that might help?

Lester Waterson: I don't think so.

Detective Magee: Well, thank you for your time. If anything else comes to mind, here are our cards. Just give us a call.

Lester Waterson: I'll do that.

Interview ended – 2:59 p.m.