Wednesday, February 19, 2014 - 11:22 a.m.

After Ryan Rand finished writing his account of the events surrounding the Maxwell homicides, the detectives asked him some follow-up questions. Detectives Armstrong and Murphy interviewed him at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department. The interview was recorded with the witness's knowledge and consent. [See Part 1 of this interview.]

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Ryan Rand

Detective Armstrong: OK, Ryan, you said in your statement that you have no clear recollection of how the gun came to be there on the ground?

Ryan Rand: No, I don't. It was just there.

Detective Armstrong: You didn't take it out of the car and carry it over there?

Ryan Rand: No, I really think I'd remember that. The first time I saw the gun was there on the ground.

Detective Armstrong: Then how do you think it got there?

Ryan Rand: I guess Cameron put it there.

Detective Armstrong: Why would he do that?

Ryan Rand: I don't know. He was scared someone would see us.

Detective Armstrong: But you're sure you did not see anyone else at the cemetery? Anyone that might have seen you?

Ryan Rand: No.

Detective Armstrong: Let's talk about what you did after the gun went off. What happened then?

Ryan Rand: Well, I can't recall it all clearly. I guess I shoveled the dirt in on top of Cameron and put the stuff in the car and left.

Detective Armstrong: What things do you remember clearly, Ryan?

Ryan Rand: I remember his head was… was bleeding, the hole in the back of his head, and that part of his forehead I could see was missing, in the dirt. I couldn't stand to look at it. I think that's what drove me to cover him up as fast as I could.

Detective Armstrong: So you picked up the shovel and filled in the dirt on top of him?

Ryan Rand: Yes. I can't really remember doing it clearly, but I must have.

Detective Armstrong: Then what happened?

Ryan Rand: I remember the birds were singing. They were so loud. It was getting light. I remember the birds. I was so tired. I just wanted to go home and go to bed.

Detective Murphy: What time did you get home?

Ryan Rand: I don't know. It must have been a little before 7:00 a.m., I think? I'm not sure. Somewhere around there.

Detective Murphy: Go on.

Ryan Rand: I went to bed. I slept all day. I didn't get back up until later that night.

Detective Murphy: What time might that have been?

Ryan Rand: I think about 6:00 or 6:30.

Detective Murphy: Then what did you do?

Ryan Rand: I had some coffee, and I tried to think. I went through so many thoughts. I was in bad shape. I went back and forth between panicking and going numb. I was– I felt so guilty, so bad. I got the shakes. I felt like I was going to vomit or have a heart attack. I don't know. I thought about my parents, about the Maxwells, about Cameron and Caitlin. I cried. I was scared. No, terrified. I had no idea what I was going to do.

Detective Murphy: What did you decide?

Ryan Rand: I was going to call my father, but I couldn't make myself finish dialing the number. I kept thinking about how this would hurt them, my mother. I couldn't do that. Then I thought I'd call you guys, and again, I'd pick up the phone, but I couldn't make myself do it.

Detective Armstrong: So who did you call?

Ryan Rand: The more time went by, the more I knew I wasn't able to call anyone, and that the more time that went by, the worse it was for me. I kept expecting someone to come and arrest me any minute. I realized I had to do something, so I took a shower. I knew I had to clean out the car.

Detective Armstrong: You decided you had to get rid of any evidence.

Ryan Rand: Yeah, I guess so. By then it was getting late and I was tired, but I was nervous about the luggage in my car. I was terrified someone would see me with it while I was driving, so I decided to put a blanket over it. I thought I heard a car pulling in the parking lot just as I was covering the stuff, so I jumped in the car and took off.

Detective Armstrong: Then what did you do?

Ryan Rand: I drove out Highway 7 and dumped the stuff off of a bridge. It seemed like a good place. I thought about taking off then, just keep on driving, but I was so tired. I went home and went back to bed. That's when the nightmares started. It's been bad. I was sure any minute I was going to be arrested. I got to where I was waiting for it, wanting it to happen. I guess I thought once you found them, you'd know it was me and it would be over.

Detective Murphy: Let's talk about that for a minute.

Ryan Rand: What?

Detective Murphy: How we found Cameron and Caitlin. Someone called us and told us where to look. Do you know anything about that?

Ryan Rand: I couldn't take it anymore, OK? Everyone was talking about when they'd be back and how they could still go to the next Olympics. And the Maxwells looked so upset on TV… I couldn't take it.

Detective Murphy: If you were convinced you were about to be arrested at any moment anyway, why didn't you just come and tell us directly?

Ryan Rand: I wanted to. I tried. But I couldn't make myself do it. It took everything I had just to make that call.

Detective Murphy: What did you do after you made the call?

Ryan Rand: I waited to see if anyone believed me, if you were really going to look and if it would be in the right place.

Detective Armstrong: And when we did?

Ryan Rand: I could feel the walls closing in on me. I had to go. I didn't even know where I was going. I just knew I had to go.

Detective Armstrong: That's when you left town?

Ryan Rand: Yeah, the next day.

Detective Armstrong: And you ended up across the country at a yoga retreat.

Ryan Rand: Zen center.

Detective Armstrong: Right. What was your plan? Were you just going to stay there until we stopped looking for you?

Ryan Rand: I didn't have a plan. I was lost. I just wanted to find some peace.

Detective Armstrong: And now you're at peace with what happened? That's why you decided to talk to us?

Ryan Rand: Yes. No. I'll never be OK with what happened. I don't think I'll ever have peace again. But I guess I accept what happened then and what's going to happen next.

Detective Armstrong: That's very Zen of you.

Interview ends: 11:52 a.m.

 

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