David Anderson interview #2

Wednesday, August 31, 2011 - 4:47 PM

David Anderson, a 60-year-old white male, is a former YCSD detective and was one of the lead investigators on the Kevin Gilmore case in 1987.

The interview was conducted at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department and was recorded with the witness’s knowledge and consent.

Participants:

• Detective Ted Armstrong
• Detective Samantha Murphy
• David Anderson

Detective Armstrong: Dave. Thanks for coming in again.

David Anderson: Not a problem. Let me help you out. My name is David Anderson, and I live at 321 Christman Drive.

Detective Murphy: Thanks. Listen, we wanted to run a few things past you.

David Anderson: Shoot.

Detective Murphy: It's been a couple of months since we talked, so–

David Anderson: It's OK. I've been keeping up with the case best I could.

Detective Murphy: Oh, really?

David Anderson: I've still got some friends.

Detective Murphy: Yeah. I don't want to know. So I guess you know, then, that we talked to Carly Brock and Richie Turner, as you suggested.

David Anderson: I may have heard something about that.

Detective Murphy: Right. So you said before that you thought there was something suspicious about them.

David Anderson: I didn't think so back in '87, but when I found out they'd gotten married, I did wonder if we'd missed something about them.

Detective Armstrong: Did you and Terry ever talk about it? After they got married?

David Anderson: It didn't sit right with him either, if I recall, but we didn't have any evidence that implicated either one of them, so there really wasn't anything we could do. I've never been much of a romantic, but who knows? Maybe it really was their grief that brought them together. Why? Did y'all turn up something incriminating on them?

Detective Murphy: Do you remember Kevin Gilmore's roommate, Nick Crosby?

David Anderson: OK. I get it. Yeah, I remember the roommate.

Detective Murphy: Did you ever hear that Nick got into a fight with Richie not long after Kevin's funeral?

David Anderson: Do tell. They kept that pretty quiet.

Detective Armstrong: Seems Richie thought Nick killed Kevin over some blackmail about that plagiarism situation.

David Anderson: Damn. I knew that kid was hiding something.

Detective Murphy: Which kid? Nick?

David Anderson: No, Richie. But all those kids were so damn closed-mouthed, you would've thought they were in the CIA. I guess they're not so worried about telling what they know now.

Detective Armstrong: Seems like Richie had more than one secret. He claims now that Kevin was going to steal from the pot farm and maybe that's what got him killed.

David Anderson: Hm.

Detective Murphy: You don't seem surprised.

David Anderson: I guess not. Y'all know as well as I do that The Juke Joint has practically been surrounded by a cloud of pot smoke since the day it opened, so hearing that pot could've been a part of this? Not exactly a shock.

Detective Murphy: Did you know Kevin was involved with pot?

David Anderson: Know? No. Are you sure?

Detective Armstrong: Carly said the same thing.

David Anderson: Damn.

Detective Murphy: So you believe it?

David Anderson: Carly wouldn't say that about Kevin if it wasn't true. She still thinks he hung the moon, but don't tell her husband that. Look, don't tell Don and Judy either, if you don't have to. Let them keep believing Kevin was the perfect son, if you can.

Detective Armstrong: No promises, but we'll try not to upset them if we don't have to. So if Kevin was trying to steal from the pot farm, you think he was doing it by himself?

David Anderson: No way. You know you can't just mosey into the pot farm and make off with a haul, even back then. That kind of thing would take planning and resources. I don't see how he could have done it without help.

Detective Murphy: Do you think someone was helping him or he was helping someone?

David Anderson: Couldn't say. I don't think he was the mastermind type, but sounds like the guy had secrets, so who knows?

Detective Armstrong: Any idea who might've been in on it with him? You think it was Carly and Richie?

David Anderson: I wouldn't have thought the girl would have anything to do with killing him, but you say they both said Kevin was planning to steal from the pot farm, huh?

Detective Armstrong: That's what they said.

David Anderson: Well, can't rule anything out, I guess. You looking at anyone else?

Detective Armstrong: You got someone in mind?

David Anderson: How closely did you look at those Juke Joint folks?

Detective Murphy: Which ones?

David Anderson: I'd start at the top and work my way down.

Detective Armstrong: Jim Mason?

David Anderson: He was running things back then, right?

Detective Armstrong: That's the guy.

David Anderson: Could be he was in on it. We didn't have much reason to look to closely at him back then, so I couldn't say for sure.

Detective Armstrong: What about Rhonda Pendergrass?

David Anderson: Yeah, back then she seemed like just another woman working a crappy job, in a crappy marriage with young kids. But she owns the whole shebang now, doesn't she? Be interesting to know how that happened.

Detective Armstrong: Inheritance she says.

David Anderson: Yeah? Hm. You believe that?

Detective Armstrong: Her ex says no.

David Anderson: Mm.

Detective Murphy: Have you ever heard of a guy by the name of Butch Weaver? Or Clarence Weaver?

David Anderson: Doesn't ring a bell. Is that one guy or two?

Detective Murphy: One. You never saw him around The Juke Joint?

David Anderson: Well, I don't exactly hang out there, but I don't remember him offhand. You think he was involved?

Detective Armstrong: Not sure. He just retired from the Physical Plant.

David Anderson: Did he now? And he's got a connection to The Juke Joint? That's worth looking into. But then, I'd say most everyone who has a connection to The Juke Joint is worth looking into, more than likely.

Detective Murphy: We didn't find any mention of Butch Weaver in the old case file. Do you remember anybody mentioning him back then?

David Anderson: Not that I recall. If anybody had said anything about him more than just in passing, it would've been in the file.

Detective Armstrong: You ever hear any scuttlebutt about Rhonda and another guy?

David Anderson: Like this Butch guy?

Detective Armstrong: Him. Or Kevin.

David Anderson: Kevin? Are we talking about the same Rhonda? Isn't she old enough to be his mama? Or his really older sister?

Detective Armstrong: You think Carly could have thought there was something between them?

David Anderson: I don't know. It sounds crazy to me, but if there's anything girls that age can be, it's crazy. What she thought and what was true didn't have to be the same thing.

Detective Murphy: Would you say that's worth looking into?

David Anderson: I think anything that sounds possible is worth looking into until it doesn't sound possible anymore.

Detective Armstrong: Fair enough. Anything else you've thought of that we might should look into?

David Anderson: Nope. Sounds like you've got things pretty well in hand.

Detective Armstrong: Thanks. Well, we appreciate you coming in, Dave. If you think of anything, be sure to let us know.

David Armstrong: Will do. It's been kind of fun having my hand in a little bit again. If y'all ever need any help with anything, you be sure to let me know.

Detective Armstrong: You bet. I'll give you a call. Maybe we'll go fishing.

David Anderson: Sounds good. Sam, always a pleasure. I'll see y'all around. I'd ask you to give me a call if you make an arrest, but I'll probably hear about it before you have a chance to.

Detective Armstrong: Maybe we should ask you to give us a call, in case you find out before we do.

David Anderson: I'm good, Ted, but I'm not sure I'm that good.

Interview ended: 5:11 PM