Henry Butler interview

Wednesday, May 27, 2020 – 5:30 p.m.

Henry Butler is the other person Jack Swanson said he was with the night Zoe Chase was killed.

Detective Armstrong interviewed him at his residence.

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Henry Butler

Detective Armstrong: Would you state your name and address, please?

Henry Butler: Henry Butler. 153 College Hill.

Detective Armstrong: And where do you work, Henry?

Henry Butler: I'm a mechanic at the Exxon station on North Lamar.

Detective Armstrong: Do you know Jack Swanson?

Henry Butler: Sure. We've been buddies for a while now.

Detective Armstrong: You guys hang out a lot?

Henry Butler: Yeah, we get together at least once or twice a week and drink a beer or two.

Detective Armstrong: What do you know about Jack and his girlfriend, Zoe?

Henry Butler: Well, what about them?

Detective Armstrong: Were they close?

Henry Butler: Kinda hard to say. I mean, she was always out screwing around with different guys, and Jack ain't no angel. But, for some reason or another, they always seem to end up back together. It's hard to explain.

Detective Armstrong: I see. Now, do you remember where you were last Saturday night, May 23?

Henry Butler: Sure, kinda hard not to. That's the night Zoe was killed. Jack, Russell, and me were all down to The Roadhouse.

Detective Armstrong: And were you there all night?

Henry Butler: Yeah. We got pretty tore up. We had been out to a few places like Proud Larry's and all, but we spent most of the time at The Roadhouse. We was there for a while. Shut the place down.

Detective Armstrong: What happened after you guys left?

Henry Butler: We all went home.

Detective Armstrong: Do you know where Jack went?

Henry Butler: I'm not really sure. We dropped him off at his car at the Beacon. He had left it there after we ate. He said something about going out to Zoe's, but he also mentioned going home. He was pretty drunk. He told me later that he went home.

Detective Armstrong: Do you know if he went straight home?

Henry Butler: I don't think he did. He was pretty hammered and said he might close his eyes for a few in his car before he tried to drive anywhere. He had called Zoe, but she wasn't home, so he just crashed in his car.

Detective Armstrong: Did you hear his call to Zoe?

Henry Butler: Hell, it was hard not to. Damn fool screaming on the phone. Like I said, he was pretty drunk and was just sort of rambling. Telling her he loved her and stuff, but that he hoped she wasn't out with some dude. Just talking s***.

Detective Armstrong: And you guys just left him in his car?

Henry Butler: That's right. He's a grown man, and he's spent more than a few nights in that car, so we didn't think anything about it.

Detective Armstrong: Do you think he really spent the night there?

Henry Butler: Like I said, I don't know for sure. He did tell me that he slept most of the night there at the Beacon and then drove home out to Abbeville come morning. I doubt he could have gone anywhere without a little sleep at least. He was so drunk, I imagine y'all would know if he'd tried to drive anywhere without sobering up.

Detective Armstrong: Okay. Thanks for your time, Henry. We'll be in touch if we need anything else.

Interview ended – 5:47 p.m.