Richard Brown interview #2

Wednesday, July 19, 2023 – 1:45 p.m.

Richard Brown is Katy Brown's stepfather.

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

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Richard Brown

Detective Armstrong: Thank you for coming in today, Mr. Brown. Would you please state your address for the record?

Richard Brown: Of course, it's 202 Williams Avenue. What can I do to help you out, detectives? I hope you're close to finding the bastard who took my Katy. The thought of that scumbag running free while I have to suffer… makes me ill.

Detective Murphy: We're getting closer, Mr. Brown. How is your wife holding up?

Richard Brown: Lauren? She's doing fine. Why do you ask?

Detective Murphy: Well, we've heard she's having a hard time.

Richard Brown: And I'm not? Katy was the world to me. She meant everything. I just don't know what I'm going to do without her.

Detective Murphy: No one's saying you didn't care about your daughter, Mr. Brown. The two of you were extremely close, correct?

Richard Brown: Yes, as I told you the last time we talked, I was her best friend. She confided everything to me. Every spare moment she had we spent together, usually working at the office, but just being around her made me happy. She had that effect on people.

Detective Armstrong: Sounds like you two were much closer than a lot of parents are to their teenagers.

Richard Brown: I loved my daughter very much.

Detective Armstrong: That's what we've heard.

Richard Brown: What do you mean by that?

Detective Armstrong: I mean that's what we've heard. Any reason that makes you defensive?

Richard Brown: I'm not defensive. I'm simply not going to stand for anyone saying anything negative about my daughter.

Detective Murphy: Technically, she wasn't your daughter.

Richard Brown: Merely a small matter of DNA there, detective. For all intents and purposes, she was my daughter.

Detective Murphy: Have you ever had any contact with her biological father?

Richard Brown: That bum left town years ago, and no one's heard from him since.

Detective Murphy: Is there any chance Katy was in touch with him and just didn't tell you about it?

Richard Brown: Absolutely not! I told you, she told me everything. We didn't have any secrets. If that deadbeat had contacted her, she would've told me, and she never would've had anything to do with him. Why are you even bringing him up? He's been out of the picture for years.

Detective Murphy: We have to consider all the possibilities.

Richard Brown: Well, I hope you have some better leads than that because that's not a possibility.

Detective Murphy: If you say so, sir.

Detective Armstrong: We talked to Cody this morning.

Richard Brown: Yeah?

Detective Armstrong: How do you think he's coping with Katy's death?

Richard Brown: Who knows? The kid is always hiding in his bedroom. I'm sure he's fine.

Detective Armstrong: Cody said Katy had been cutting back on her hours at the library recently. Do you know why she did that?

Richard Brown: She was spending more time with me, helping me at my business. She didn't need to work at the library.

Detective Armstrong: Did she ever mention running into her boss from the library outside of work?

Richard Brown: Katy was very social. I'm sure she ran into him and lots of other people when she was out.

Detective Armstrong: But she never mentioned him specifically?

Richard Brown: No. Why would she? Is he the one who killed her?

Detective Armstrong: Take a breath, sir. We have no evidence that her boss had anything to do with what happened to Katy. We're just asking questions.

Richard Brown: I have to go.

Detective Armstrong: I don't think you should do that right now, Mr. Brown. If you go after this guy, it'll be you who ends up behind bars, not him. And like I told you, there's no evidence he did anything.

Richard Brown: Didn't you hear me? I said I have to go!

Detective Armstrong: Richard! Think about what you're doing here. You have a wife and a son who need you. Don't do something stupid that you won't be able to take back.

Richard Brown: I hear what you're saying, detective, but I really do—

Detective Murphy: Mr. Brown, did Katy talk to you about her relationship with her boyfriend?

Richard Brown: Tim?

Detective Murphy: Yes. Did Katy talk to you about him?

Richard Brown: Tim's a good kid. She liked him.

Detective Murphy: We heard Tim could sometimes be a little rough with Cody.

Richard Brown: Who told you that? Cody? That kid. Tim just goofs around with him. It's good for him. It'll toughen him up a little.

Detective Murphy: Did Tim ever goof around with Katy?

Richard Brown: You mean, did he roughhouse with her like he did with Cody? Of course not. You think I would let some guy treat my daughter like that?

Detective Murphy: You let him treat your son like that.

Richard Brown: It's completely different.

Detective Murphy: Of course, sir. So you don't have any concerns that Tim could've hurt Katy?

Richard Brown: Not at all.

Detective Murphy: Okay. Thank you for coming in again, Mr. Brown. We'll let you get back to your day now.

Richard Brown: Thank you.

Detective Murphy: And we'll be keeping an eye on all the witnesses in this investigation, just to make sure none of them come to any harm. You hear me?

Richard Brown: I hear you.

Interview ended – 2:08 p.m.