Marc Huddleston interview

Monday, April 14 – 4:30 p.m.

Marc Huddleston is a member of the archery team and the boyfriend of the victim's daughter. 

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

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Marc Huddleston

Detective Armstrong: Please state your name and address for the record.

Marc Huddleston: It's Marc Huddleston. 168 Orrwood Drive.

Detective Armstrong: Thanks, Marc. So, what was your relationship with Frederick Miller?

Marc Huddleston: He was the assistant coach on the archery team.

Detective Armstrong: And you know his daughter, Lizzie, pretty well, too. Isn't that right?

Marc Huddleston: Yeah, she's my girlfriend.

Detective Murphy: We heard Mr. Miller wouldn't allow Lizzie to date you.

Marc Huddleston: Yeah, so?

Detective Murphy: So you've been continuing to see each other anyway?

Marc Huddleston: Yep.

Detective Armstrong: And you've been lying to Lizzie's dad about it?

Marc Huddleston: Yeah. It was dumb that she was forbidden from seeing me in the first place.

Detective Armstrong: Did you ever worry about Lizzie getting in trouble with her dad?

Marc Huddleston: Of course, but we're careful not to get caught.

Detective Armstrong: I see. So you and Mr. Miller didn't get along very well, I take it?

Marc Huddleston: No, he hates me. He used to be okay with me until he found out about me and Lizzie. Now, he pretty much goes out of his way to make life miserable for us.

Detective Armstrong: How so?

Marc Huddleston: Well, at school, he's constantly watching us. I'm sure that's the only reason he even became assistant archery coach because that was when me and Lizzie got to spend the most time together.

Detective Murphy: So you two had to act like you weren't together when he was around. That must've been difficult.

Marc Huddleston: We had to act like we weren't together pretty much anytime we were at school 'cause you never know when he's gonna pop out from around a corner.

Detective Armstrong: Did he get on your case about anything else?

Marc Huddleston: He gets on everyone's case about everything: the way we dress, the music we listen to. Yeah, pretty much anything that's cool, he doesn't like.

Detective Murphy: Anything specific that he would hassle you about?

Marc Huddleston: He hates my hat, always telling me that we're not allowed to wear hats indoors, which I just don't even understand. That rule makes no sense.

Detective Armstrong: Had he said anything to you about that recently?

Marc Huddleston: No, I've been leaving it in my Jeep so I wouldn't have to deal with him.

Detective Murphy: So the two of you weren't arguing in the parking lot last week?

Marc Huddleston: Oh, yeah, but that had nothing to do with me wearing my hat. I tried to talk to Lizzie during practice, and then lo and behold, later that day, Mr. Miller came up to me to "remind" me that I wasn't allowed to talk to her.

Detective Murphy: And what did you say?

Marc Huddleston: I told him that he couldn't control who I happened to be looking at when sounds were coming out of my mouth. He got mad, as usual. Told me I wasn't good enough for his daughter, blah blah blah.

Detective Armstrong: And then what happened?

Marc Huddleston: I just listened to his lecture, said I was sorry, and then went home and texted Lizzie.

Detective Armstrong: Did you tell her about the confrontation?

Marc Huddleston: Yeah, but there wasn't much to tell. She knows how he is. No one is really surprised to hear when Mr. Miller has a confrontation with someone.

Detective Murphy: I see. So, we hear that you're pretty good at archery. Number one on the team, in fact, right?

Marc Huddleston: I'm the best in the district, actually. I got the highest ranking at our last competition.

Detective Murphy: Congratulations. Did you get a trophy or anything like that?

Marc Huddleston: No, we get a pin, which is usually right here on my jacket, but I lost it.

Detective Murphy: When's the last time you saw it?

Marc Huddleston: I don't know. I just noticed it was missing one day.

Detective Murphy: That's too bad. When did that happen?

Marc Huddleston: Umm, oh, it was like a week or so ago. I noticed it was gone when I was getting my stuff after an archery competition.

Detective Armstrong: So, do you do any bowhunting, Marc?

Marc Huddleston: Yeah, my dad takes me and some friends out during hunting season.

Detective Armstrong: Which friends are those?

Marc Huddleston: Usually, it's me, Riley Simms, and Scott Rice. Sometimes Alex McCallister comes with us too, but his mom is, like, against hunting or something, so he's only gotten to go a couple times.

Detective Murphy: Let's get back to Mr. Miller. We found this necklace in his office. Does it look familiar at all to you?

Marc Huddleston: Yeah, I gave that to Lizzie. That's my nickname, "Ten."

Detective Armstrong: Interesting nickname. What's it mean?

Marc Huddleston: It's an archery thing, as in scoring a perfect 10.

Detective Armstrong: Did you know that Mr. Miller confiscated the necklace?

Marc Huddleston: Yeah, that was when he found out that we were officially dating, and he told her she wasn't allowed to talk to me anymore.

Detective Murphy: Okay. When was the last time you saw Mr. Miller?

Marc Huddleston: I saw him in class on Thursday.

Detective Murphy: How did he seem to you? Did you notice anything unusual?

Marc Huddleston: He was fine, I guess. I don't know. I tried to just do what I had to do and avoid him as much as possible.

Detective Murphy: Did you have archery practice that day?

Marc Huddleston: No, we had practice on Wednesday.

Detective Murphy: I'm guessing you didn't try to talk to Lizzie this time?

Marc Huddleston: No, but we can still text as long as we don't get caught with our phones out too much.

Detective Murphy: Do you remember what you were texting about?

Marc Huddleston: Just the usual stuff. We made plans to meet up later that night.

Detective Murphy: So you were with Lizzie on Wednesday night. What about Thursday night? What were you doing?

Marc Huddleston: I was with Lizzie then, too. We hung out at the skate park.

Detective Murphy: What time did you two meet up?

Marc Huddleston: I don't know. Like 5:30 p.m., I guess.

Detective Armstrong: Doesn't the skate park close when it gets dark? You must've had to leave pretty early.

Marc Huddleston: No, they don't close 'til 11:00 p.m.

Detective Murphy: So what time did you end up leaving?

Marc Huddleston: Around 9:00 p.m. or something.

Detective Murphy: How did you and Lizzie get home?

Marc Huddleston: Lizzie got picked up by her mom, and I just drove home.

Detective Murphy: So, Mrs. Miller knew that the two of you were together?

Marc Huddleston: Yeah.

Detective Armstrong: What's your relationship like with Mrs. Miller?

Marc Huddleston: She's much better than Mr. Miller, that's for sure. She actually seems to trust Lizzie and me. I just don't understand why she doesn't stand up to him instead of sneaking around.

Detective Armstrong: What do you mean?

Marc Huddleston: Just, she should just stand up to Mr. Miller and tell him that Lizzie should be allowed to see me. But I guess she doesn't want to start problems or something.

Detective Armstrong: I see. So she's been sneaking around to help Lizzie spend time with you?

Marc Huddleston: Yeah.

Detective Murphy: All right. So, did anyone see you and Lizzie while you were at the skate park?

Marc Huddleston: I don't know, probably not. It's not like we were actually skating. We were sitting over in the grassy area.

Detective Armstrong: Did you go anywhere else after that?

Marc Huddleston: Nope, just went home and played GTA.

Detective Armstrong: What's GTA?

Marc Huddleston: Grand Theft Auto? It's a video game? You know, you play them on those flashing color picture boxes?

Detective Armstrong: Very funny, smartass. I know what video games are.

Marc Huddleston: Oh, okay. So can I go now?

Detective Murphy: One more thing. We'd like to get your fingerprints and a DNA sample.

Marc Huddleston: Oh, wait. Am I a suspect? I didn't do this!

Detective Murphy: Calm down, Marc. It's standard protocol. You knew Mr. Miller, and it's possible that your prints could be found somewhere. We need to know which prints belong to who.

Marc Huddleston: Well, my dad's a lawyer, so I should probably talk to him first.

Detective Murphy: That's your call.

Detective Armstrong: We'll be in touch, but if you think of anything else in the meantime, you can get ahold of me or Detective Murphy here at the sheriff's office, okay?

Marc Huddleston: Okay.

Interview ends – 4:58 p.m.