Craig Albright interview

Sunday, October 11, 2020 – 10:32 p.m.

Craig Albright used his passkey to let Mee-Yon Kim into Courtney Morris's apartment when Courtney didn't respond to attempts to contact her.

Detectives Murphy and Parker interviewed him at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department.

Participants:

• Detective S. Murphy
• Detective E. Parker
• Craig Albright

Detective Murphy: For the record, please state your name and address.

Craig Albright: My name is Craig Albright. I live at the Maplewood Apartments, 53 Effie Circle, Apartment 122, Oxford, Mississippi.

Detective Parker: You don't have to speak so loudly. The microphones can pick you up just fine for the recording.

Craig Albright: I don't hear so good, so sometimes I talk too loud. I'm sorry.

Detective Murphy: How long have you been the manager at the Maplewood Apartments?

Craig Albright: About seven years. Before that, I just handled the odd jobs and maintenance. I started working there in 2009.

Detective Murphy: Do you enjoy being the manager?

Craig Albright: Some of the tenants are very difficult. They make too much noise. They pay their rent late. You know how people are.

Detective Murphy: Was Courtney Morris a difficult tenant?

Craig Albright: Miss Courtney was neat, and she always paid her rent on time, even though she had tattoos. So many of these young people do. I just don't understand tattoos. Why would someone do that?

Detective Parker: Why don't you tell us about what you did this weekend, starting with yesterday.

Craig Albright: Yesterday was Saturday. I woke up, showered, and made myself breakfast. Two fried eggs, two slices of toast with blueberry jelly, and a glass of orange juice. That's what I eat for breakfast on Saturdays. After I ate and washed my dishes, I made my rounds of the building. I start with my building and work my way around.

Detective Murphy: About how long does that take you?

Craig Albright: Most of the morning. There are always things that need doing, and I like to be able to spend time talking with the tenants. I figure that if they consider me a friend, they will be less likely to cause me problems.

Detective Murphy: That sounds like a good policy. Do you remember seeing or hearing anything unusual during your Saturday morning rounds?

Craig Albright: No. Nothing unusual for a Saturday.

Detective Murphy: Did anything unusual happen Saturday afternoon?

Craig Albright: No.

Detective Murphy: Saturday evening? Saturday night?

Craig Albright: I went to escort a young male from one of the buildings on Saturday night. He was disturbing tenants. Mrs. Roy called me.

Detective Murphy: Was he disturbing Courtney Morris?

Craig Albright: I'm not sure. By the time I got there, he was gone.

Detective Parker: Do you know whether he left the building or entered one of the apartments?

Craig Albright: No, I don't. I'm sorry. Things were quiet, so I went back to bed.

Detective Parker: What time was that?

Craig Albright: I'm not sure. I was asleep when Mrs. Roy called, so sometime after midnight, probably.

Detective Murphy: Did you see Courtney Morris on Saturday?

Craig Albright: I don't know.

Detective Parker: You don't know whether you saw Courtney yesterday?

Craig Albright: I don't remember.

Detective Parker: You remember quite a few details about that day. Why not whether you saw Courtney Morris?

Craig Albright: I don't know.

Detective Murphy: Did anything unusual happen today?

Craig Albright: My grilled cheese sandwich burned on one side. I had flipped the grilled cheese sandwich when my telephone rang. I answered, in case it was an emergency. And one side of my grilled cheese sandwich burned.

Detective Parker: Did you see Courtney Morris today?

Craig Albright: I saw her when I went into her apartment.

Detective Murphy: Why did you go in her apartment?

Craig Albright: Miss Mee-Yon Kim, a friend of Courtney Morris, knocked on my door. Miss Mee-Yon said that she was concerned because she couldn't reach Miss Courtney.

Detective Murphy: What did you tell her?

Craig Albright: I told her that I would open the door so she could check on her friend.

Detective Parker: Is that typical practice when a tenant doesn't come to the door?

Craig Albright: It's never happened before.

Detective Parker: Never? And just because Mee-Yon couldn't get her friend to come to the door, you opened Courtney Morris's apartment?

Craig Albright: I have keys.

Detective Murphy: Did you know that Courtney was in her apartment when Mee-Yon came to your door?

Craig Albright: I don't know.

Detective Parker: How did you get along with Courtney?

Craig Albright: I like the tenants to think of me as their friend. That way, they're less likely to cause me problems.

Detective Parker: Did Courtney Morris consider you a friend?

Craig Albright: I'm sure of it.

Detective Parker: Why are you so sure?

Craig Albright: One time, when she was talking to some people, she called me her friend.

Detective Murphy: Do you know who sent Courtney flowers?

Craig Albright: No.

Detective Murphy: Did you ever give Courtney a gift?

Craig Albright: Miss Courtney was my friend.

Detective Parker: You didn't answer the question.

Craig Albright: I really have to get back. It's not good for me to be away from the property for so long. You shouldn't have made me wait around for such a long time. I told you that was going to be a problem. I really have to get back.

Detective Murphy: Okay, Mr. Albright. You can go. Thank you for coming in. We'll probably need to talk with you again.

Craig Albright: I understand, but maybe next time you can manage your time better.

Detective Murphy: Yes, well… we'll work on that.

Interview ended – 10:44 p.m.