Interview: Gordon Snyder

Saturday, April 21, 2012 - 10:14 a.m.

Gordon Snyder is a friend of Ronny Brandt. Detectives Armstrong and Murphy interviewed him at the Biloxi Police Department. The interview was recorded with the witness's knowledge and consent.

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Gordon Snyder

Detective Murphy: For the record, could you please state your name and address?

Gordon Snyder: Gordon Snyder. I'm at 2018 Popps Ferry Road.

Detective Armstrong: Do you have any idea why we asked to speak with you today?

Gordon Snyder: Nope

Detective Murphy: You know a Ronny Brandt?

Gordon Snyder: Sure. We used to work together. BK.

Detective Armstrong: BK?

Gordon Snyder: Before Katrina.

Detective Murphy: Have you seen him since he left?

Gordon Snyder: Not a lot. The living must be good up there in Oxford. Keeps him to busy to visit his old friends.

Detective Murphy: So you have seen him since they moved to Oxford?

Gordon Snyder: Yeah. They come down to visit Gracie, put flowers on her grave, like that.

Detective Armstrong: Does he come alone?

Gordon Snyder: No, the family comes too.

Detective Armstrong: What about Andy?

Gordon Snyder: His brother? I don't know. I don't know him too good.

Detective Murphy: Do you see Ronny and the family when they come to town?

Gordon Snyder: Sometimes.

Detective Armstrong: Talk to him much when he's back in Oxford?

Gordon Snyder: Every couple of months he calls. Asks about Ox.

Detective Murphy: Ox a person?

Gordon Snyder: He's a shark. Ronny owed him some money and was having trouble making the payments. You could almost say that Katrina was good for Ronny. Got him out of a sticky situation. For a little while anyway.

Detective Armstrong: You know why Ronny needed to borrow money?

Gordon Snyder: Ronny's the type that flies off the handle. Not only is he right, he'll bet money to prove it. Of course, putting money down doesn't prove anything, and Ronny's wrong more than he's right, sad to say.

Detective Armstrong: Did Ronny borrow back when he lived in Biloxi or has he borrowed money from Ox since then?

Gordon Snyder: How would I know?

Detective Armstrong: Because Ronny probably told you. You do know, don't you?

Gordon Snyder: I don't know nothing for sure, but yeah, I think he might've borrowed money since then.

Detective Murphy: Would you say Ronny confides in you?

Gordon Snyder: I guess he does sometimes. You never know what secrets a man's keeping.

Detective Armstrong: Did he ever tell you that he thought his wife was messing around with his brother?

Gordon Snyder: Ronny always thinks every man's trying to get with Heather.

Detective Armstrong: Even his brother?

Gordon Snyder: Probably.

Detective Armstrong: Even you?

Gordon Snyder: Hey! I would never do that. She's married to my friend. What's wrong with you?

Detective Armstrong: I didn't say you messed around with her. I'm asking if Ronny thought you did.

Gordon Snyder: I don't know, man. A long time ago, maybe. But only when he was drunk. When he sobered up, he always said he was sorry, said he knew it wasn't true, that it was just the liquor talking.

Detective Murphy: When was the last time you talked to Ronny?

Gordon Snyder: Mid-March or so, I guess.

Detective Armstrong: What did you two talk about?

Gordon Snyder: Just shooting the breeze.

Detective Armstrong: He didn't mention anything about RJ? Or something that was going on with RJ?

Gordon Snyder: No. Like what?

Detective Armstrong: He didn't say anything about RJ getting in trouble at school or anything like that?

Gordon Snyder: Nope. Did something happen to RJ?

Detective Armstrong: Has he said anything about RJ's behavior or attitude being different lately?

Gordon Snyder: No. Is the kid OK?

Detective Murphy: He's fine. So Ronny didn't say anything that struck you as unusual?

Gordon Snyder: No. But he did call back the next day. We don't usually talk two days in a row. He wanted to me to check the paper to see if there were any funerals happening in the cemetery where Gracie was buried.

Detective Armstrong: Were there?

Gordon Snyder: Not that I saw.

Detective Murphy: Did he say why he wanted to know?

Gordon Snyder: He said they were thinking of coming down to spend some time with Gracie. I said, if he did, he should give me a holler and we'd put back a few in her memory. He must have changed his mind because he never called.

Detective Armstrong: Why wouldn't they be able to spend time with Gracie if there was a funeral?

Gordon Snyder: I don't know. Maybe he was feeling shy. Ox can have that impression on people who fall behind.

Detective Armstrong: You think Ronny was missing payments?

Gordon Snyder: Wouldn't be the first time.

Detective Murphy: You ever borrow money from Ox?

Gordon Snyder: I learned better than that when I was a kid.

Detective Armstrong: Why didn't you warn your friend away from Ox, then?

Gordon Snyder: Ronny doesn't hear anything he doesn't want to hear. Besides, I tried, but Ronny needed the money. He was in a bad spot.

Detective Murphy: If Ox wanted to send Ronny a message, how would he go about that?

Gordon Snyder: It depends. He doesn't usually go after the person who owes the money because someone laid up in the hospital isn't out there earning money. But you cough up the dough fast enough when your family is threatened.

Detective Armstrong: Would he use a kid to throw a scare into someone?

Gordon Snyder: Sure, if he thought it would work.

Detective Murphy: Does Ox operate outside of Biloxi?

Gordon Snyder: Don't get me wrong. I don't work for his organization. I just hear things. From Ronny and other people who have gone to him.

Detective Murphy: Does that mean he does or he doesn't have business interests outside of Biloxi?

Gordon Snyder: I don't know. Maybe.

Detective Murphy: Do you ever visit Gracie's grave yourself?

Gordon Snyder: I go out there sometimes. We lost a lot of good people to the storm. It does a man good to pay his respects. Helps you remember what's important.

Detective Armstrong: Did you ever notice anything strange about Gracie's grave?

Gordon Snyder: Strange? Like what?

Detective Murphy: You tell us.

Gordon Snyder: I don't know. Sometimes, if the family hasn't been down in a while, maybe the grass gets a little tall. The flowers get old. I always bring fresh flowers for her. She was a sweet kid. Nearly broke that family up when they lost her.

Detective Murphy: How often does the family get down here?

Gordon Snyder: Couple times a year. Maybe more. It's hard for them to come as much as they used to, what with gas so expensive these days.

Detective Armstrong: OK. Thanks for your time. We may be in touch again, if we have any more questions.

Gordon Snyder: No problem.

Interview ends: 10:33 a.m.