YOKNAPATAWPHA COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT

Investigating Officer(s): Det. T. Armstrong, Det. S. Murphy
Incident No.: 004378-27H-2023
Case Description: Kristi Waterson death investigation

Based on witness statements during interviews, investigators have put together the following summary of the alibis for several persons of interest on the night of Saturday, August 26, 2023, when Kristi Waterson died.

An alibi is designated partially or tentatively substantiated when:

  • The witness's alibi is corroborated only by another witness who has a close personal relationship with him/her.
  • One or more portions of the witness's time remain uncorroborated.
  • The corroboration for all or part of the alibi is not conclusive.

Brewer

Name: John BrewerSmiling man with short dark hair

Description: Department Head, Ole Miss School of Business; victim's supervisor

Alibi: In both his first and second interviews, he said he was with Emily Peyton from 6:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m., except when they drove from the restaurant to his residence.

In his second interview, he acknowledged he stopped twice during his trip from the residence to his home: once to buy a bottle of wine and again to buy an espresso.

Verified? Tentatively

Verification: Emily Peyton verified in her first and second interviews that they were together from 6:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m., except for a short period around 8:00 p.m. when they drove in separate cars from the restaurant to his residence. She could not be specific about the travel time or how long she waited at Brewer's residence for him to arrive.

Devoe

Name: Dewey DevoeSmiling man with wavy dark hair and scruffy facial hair

Description: Manager of The Turn, the victim's apartment complex

Alibi: He said in his first and second interviews he stayed home all evening, watched TV, did his laundry, and had no visitors.

In his third interview, he admitted Hunter Nelson came by to buy pot around 9:30 p.m. and then Nelson gave him a ride to Proud Larry's bar to meet a girl.

Verified? Partially

Verification: The early part of Devoe's evening, when he was alone, cannot be corroborated.

In Hunter Nelson's second interview, he confirmed he went to Devoe’s residence to buy marijuana around 9:30 p.m.

Eaton

Name: Deborah EatonSmiling young blonde woman with hair pulled back

Description: Dating Hunter Nelson, the victim's ex-lover

Alibi: In her first interview, she said she and Hunter Nelson were together at his place from 5:00 p.m. on the night of the murder until 10:00 a.m. the following day

In her second interview, she admitted Nelson went out to buy marijuana for them. She claimed he was gone for less than an hour.

Verified? Partially

Verification: Hunter Nelson verified in both his first and second interviews that he and Eaton were together all or most of the evening.

Nelson's admission in his second interview that he left Eaton at his apartment while he went to buy marijuana from Dewey Devoe leaves a gap in Eaton's alibi of approximately one hour that cannot be corroborated.

Foyle

Name: Weldon FoyleUnsmiling young man with very short dark hair

Description: Victim's former student

Alibi: In his interview, he said he was working for Myra Olander the night of the murder.

Verified? Partially

Verification: Myra Olander corroborated that Foyle was working for her from 6:30 p.m. until after 2:30 a.m. at her home.

LaRouche

Name: Rob LaRoucheSerious young man with close-cropped dark hair

Description: Boyfriend of the victim's roommate & cousin

Alibi: Rob LaRouche said Michelle Prescott came to his apartment at 9:00 p.m., they went for a ride and back to his apartment for pizza and a movie.

Verified? Tentatively

Verification: In her first and second interviews, Prescott confirmed she was with LaRouche throughout the evening and until 9:00 a.m. the next morning.

A gas station attendant saw a man driving a hybrid car in her station before 8:00 p.m. with a long-haired blonde woman in the passenger seat. She identified Rob LaRouche as the driver from a photograph.

Nelson

Name: Hunter NelsonSmirking young man with short, dark, wavy hair

Description: Victim's student and ex-lover

Alibi: In his first interview, he said he and Deborah Eaton were together and stayed in all evening

In his second interview, Nelson admitted he went to buy marijuana from Dewey Devoe around 9:30 p.m., but says he and Eaton were together for the rest of the night.

Verified? Tentatively

Verification: Deborah Eaton confirmed that she and Nelson were together from 5:00 p.m. Saturday night until Sunday morning. In her second interview, Eaton revealed that Nelson went out to get some marijuana after they had watched the movie.

Dewey Devoe admitted Nelson bought marijuana from him around 9:30 p.m. and they were together until at least 10:00 p.m. when Nelson was stopped by a sheriff's officer for an expired tag.

YCSD Officer Steve Harding (Unit #224) verified that he issued a written warning to Nathaniel Harrison Nelson on October 6, 2018, at 10:13 p.m.

Peyton

Name: Emily PeytonSmiling woman with long blonde hair

Description: Victim's colleague

Alibi: In her first and second interviews, she said she was with John Brewer from 6:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m., except for a short period around 8:00 p.m. when they drove in separate cars from the restaurant to his residence.

Verified? Partially

Verification: In his first interview. John Brewer confirmed he was with Emily Peyton from 6:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m. In his second interview, he acknowledged he was asleep during a significant portion of the time Peyton was at his residence and could not be positive she did not leave during that period, though he doubted she did.

Prescott

Name: Michelle PrescottSmiling young woman with long blonde hair

Description: Victim's cousin and roommate

Alibi: In her first and second interviews, she said she went to her boyfriend’s (Rob LaRouche) residence at 7:00 p.m., they went for a car ride, then back to his residence for dinner and a movie. She was there until 9:00 a.m. the next morning.

Verified? Tentatively

Verification:

Rob LaRouche said in his interview Prescott came to his apartment at 9:00 p.m., they went for a ride and back to his apartment for pizza and a movie. Prescott explained the discrepancy in the time of her arrival as simple confusion and said she would not intentionally lie.

A gas station attendant saw a man driving a hybrid car in her station before 8:00 p.m. with a long-haired blonde woman in the passenger seat. She identified Rob LaRouche as the driver from a photograph.


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