Ned Fisher interview #2

Thursday, July 15, 2021 – 8:59 a.m.

Ned Fisher is victim #2 Wayne Fisher's son and business partner.

Detectives Armstrong and Murphy talked to him at the Fisher Pest Control office.

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Ned Fisher

Detective Murphy: Thanks for talking to us again, Mr. Fisher.

Ned Fisher: Well, I don't know why we have to go through this again. Are you guys bugging that lawyer's family as much as you're bugging me?

Detective Armstrong: We're exhausting all possible options in investigating this homicide. You want your father's killer found, don't you?

Ned Fisher: Sometimes, I think it would be best if y'all just let him rest in peace. All I see of your investigation is stirring up people. You know, I am grieving here. My father did die, after all.

Detective Murphy: And we're trying to find his killer. Many people say that finding out who did something like this brings a great deal of closure and helps them get on with the grieving process.

Ned Fisher: Okay, let's just get this over with.

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

Ned Fisher: Ned Fisher. 2584 College Hill Road.

Detective Murphy: And your occupation?

Ned Fisher: I co-own—although I reckon it's just plain own now—Fisher Pest Control.

Detective Murphy: Last time we spoke, you said you saw your father at work on the morning of the day he died. Is that right?

Ned Fisher: Yeah.

Detective Armstrong: You said you ordered some supplies, sent out some bills, that kind of thing.

Ned Fisher: Right. Ain't nothing illegal with running a business.

Detective Murphy: Of course not. Who did most of the paperwork: you or your father?

Ned Fisher: We shared. He did some. I did some.

Detective Murphy: Who did the work with customers? Not the exterminating work. I mean the calling them up to set up inspections, following up when they paid late or a check bounced, stuff like that.

Ned Fisher: We both did our fair share.

Detective Armstrong: How the heck did you two keep track of everything if you were both doing some of everything?

Ned Fisher: We worked together. We let each other know what was going on. Why are you asking?

Detective Murphy: It's just routine. Maybe there's something you know but don't realize you know, some detail you've forgotten and will remember that will help us.

Ned Fisher: I don't think so.

Detective Armstrong: You two always worked together?

Ned Fisher: Not always, but most of the time. It's a two-man job a lot of the time, but sometimes we did split up.

Detective Murphy: Did you and your dad take separate cars to the job sites?

Ned Fisher: Most times, no. But sometimes, we did. Why do you ask?

Detective Murphy: Just standard procedure.

Detective Armstrong: So, the night of your father's murder, you were at home all evening watching TV.

Ned Fisher: And drinking beer.

Detective Murphy: Yes, of course.

Detective Armstrong: But when we spoke, you said that no one could provide any sort of alibi for you.

Ned Fisher: No, I stayed here all night. I was drinking, remember? I wouldn't want to run afoul of the law for drinking and driving.

Detective Murphy: So you didn't talk to anyone on the phone? Didn't see anyone that whole night?

Ned Fisher: Nope. I'm the victim's son, remember? I didn't realize I would need to set up an alibi for my father's murder.

Detective Armstrong: We're collecting information from everyone involved. We've also checked the whereabouts of Mr. Pruitt's wife. It's just a routine part of the investigation.

Ned Fisher: Well, I don't have no alibi. I reckon you could ask my neighbors. I went out on the porch several times that night.

Detective Murphy: Why?

Ned Fisher: Get tired of sitting on the couch. Just get up, stretch my legs, get some air. Smoke a cigarette. I go out there on nice evenings, sit around and goof off. Some of my neighbors might have seen me.

Detective Murphy: When was the next time you saw anyone since you don't have an alibi for that Friday evening?

Ned Fisher: The next morning. I woke up real early, 'bout 5:30, and drove into town. Went to the Kroger and got some bacon and eggs to cook up. Talked to this cute cashier there.

Detective Armstrong: Let's talk about the guns you own.

Ned Fisher: What about 'em? I got my hunting rifle and my shotgun. They're both legal.

Detective Murphy: Do you own any other guns?

Ned Fisher: No, I don't need no other guns.

Detective Armstrong: But do you own any, whether you need them or not?

Ned Fisher: I said no.

Detective Armstrong: Did your father own any guns?

Ned Fisher: He had his old shotgun he used to hunt with.

Detective Murphy: Did he own a handgun?

Ned Fisher: If he did, he never showed it to me.

Detective Murphy: How did your father leave his legal affairs?

Ned Fisher: What do you mean?

Detective Armstrong: How were his financials? Did he have a will?

Ned Fisher: Not much of one to speak of. Basically, it just left me his house, which he ain't never paid on except the interest, really, and he left me his share of the business.

Detective Murphy: Did he have a life insurance policy?

Ned Fisher: No.

Detective Armstrong: No policy?

Ned Fisher: We're not rich people, Detective. And we owned a small business, remember? It's not like some of these places where you work, and they automatically give you life insurance. We had to pay the premiums on them things. Plus, his family was all grown. We're all supporting ourselves. No real need for life insurance.

Detective Murphy: Well, you got the business. At least that's something.

Ned Fisher: Don't even try to go there.

Detective Murphy: Where?

Ned Fisher: I know how you people work. You're going to try and twist things around. You're gonna try and say that I killed my father for his share of this crappy little business. Fisher Pest Control barely pays its own bills. Me and my dad paid ourselves $20,000 last year. It ain't like I stand to inherit some big million-dollar company, so don't try to make it out like that.

Detective Armstrong: Did the business owe anyone it shouldn't have owed?

Ned Fisher: What do you mean?

Detective Armstrong: Sometimes, we see folks who need help, and they reach out to the wrong people. Maybe you borrowed some money to get the business off the ground, and they wanted their money back.

Ned Fisher: Nope. You can check at First National. We got a small business loan from them, and we paid our bills on time. I think my father might have gotten some small grant from the VA or something, being a vet and all. But we didn't have to pay that back.

Detective Murphy: You know, your father had a bit of a police record. Goes back a little ways. But in recent years, he was clean as a whistle. What happened?

Ned Fisher: I think Dad just settled down is all. Some people grow up and mature when they're in their teens or twenties or whatever. Maybe Dad just needed a little bit of extra time.

Detective Murphy: Meaning?

Ned Fisher: He was under a lot of pressure with Mom and our family and all. Sometimes divorce is actually the best thing in the long run. After the family split, he seemed to settle down. Get more comfortable with his life.

Detective Armstrong: Or maybe, instead of learning how to live a quiet life, he just learned how to avoid being caught.

Detective Murphy: Was your father still involved with criminal activity?

Ned Fisher: No. And I think you're way outta order in even saying such a thing.

Detective Armstrong: You said earlier that you didn't know Robert Pruitt.

Ned Fisher: That's right.

Detective Murphy: But you fumigated his house.

Ned Fisher: Uh, yeah. But Dad did all the work with him. I mean, he made all the customer contacts.

Detective Armstrong: But I thought you two shared information.

Ned Fisher: Well, he told me about what we had to do for the job, but that's it. So I didn't know that Pruitt fella.

Detective Armstrong: You never met him?

Ned Fisher: Never did.

Detective Murphy: How about his wife?

Ned Fisher: Now, wait a minute. I don't know what problems that fellow had, but—

Detective Murphy: Ever meet or talk to Mrs. Pruitt?

Ned Fisher: No. I don't know her at all.

Detective Armstrong: Ned, what would you say if we find your fingerprints in the Pruitt home?

Ned Fisher: Well, I'd say it don't prove nuthin'. We did work there, so maybe my fingerprints got on things when we was spraying and injecting the compounds.

Detective Armstrong: But why didn't you do any work there that weekend?

Ned Fisher: 'Cause that Pruitt woman called and said we'd have to reschedule.

Detective Murphy: What reason did she give?

Ned Fisher: I dunno. Dad just said we'd have to change the date.

Detective Armstrong: You didn't take the call?

Ned Fisher: No. Dad must have. Then he told me. Why we had to, he didn't say.

Detective Murphy: So tell me, Ned, what about you? Your dad's been on the straight and narrow, and you've been pretty good the last couple of years as well.

Ned Fisher: I suppose I was the same way as my dad. I just needed a little time to act a fool. Then I settled down. I paid for my problems. I did my time, and then I moved on. Going into business together gave both me and my dad some structure with something good to concentrate on. We were trying to build something together here.

Detective Murphy: Okay, thanks for your time.

Detective Armstrong: We'll be in touch.

Interview ended – 9:47 a.m.