Peter Pane interview #2

Monday, May 2, 2022 – 5:13 p.m.

Peter Pane was Wendy Holloway's brother. Detectives Armstrong and Murphy traveled to Memphis to speak with him and his live-in girlfriend.

Detective Murphy interviewed Mr. Pane at his residence.

Participants:

• Detective S. Murphy
• Peter Pane

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

Peter Pane: Peter Austin Pane. I live at 4888 Gill Road, Memphis.

Detective Murphy: Thanks for letting us come to your home on such short notice. We appreciate your cooperation.

Peter Pane: Of course. I want to do anything I can to help.

Detective Murphy: This is your office? Where you conduct your business?

Peter Pane: Yes, it is.

Detective Murphy: I see that detectives aren't the only ones with stacks of paperwork. How do you keep track of it all?

Peter Pane: Oh… I guess you'd say I have a system. Not one that anyone else would understand, but I know where everything is and can find it in a snap.

Detective Murphy: Impressive. I see you have a lot of flash drives around. A lot of them aren't even labeled. How do you keep track of what's what?

Peter Pane: The secret is in which area they're in.

Detective Murphy: I see. So, anyone coming in here would have no idea what's in any of the areas—except you, of course. Sort of like hiding them in plain sight, huh?

Peter Pane: I suppose, yes.

Detective Murphy: Well, it looks like you bury yourself in paperwork most of the time. Ever get out and bike around town?

Peter Pane: Bike around town?

Detective Murphy: I noticed you have a bike rack on your car.

Peter Pane: Oh, that's Amanda's car. She's the athlete around here.

Detective Murphy: So, you never cycle yourself?

Peter Pane: Rarely. Sorry, detective, but didn't you have questions about Wendy?

Detective Murphy: Of course. A few things have come up during our investigation that don't seem to add up.

Peter Pane: How's that?

Detective Murphy: For example, I believe you told Detective Armstrong that your sister was working on a new project but that you didn't know what it was. Is that correct?

Peter Pane: Yes, I believe I did say that.

Detective Murphy: But you see, we have documentation showing that not only did you know what it was, but you were involved in it.

Peter Pane: Documentation? What do you mean?

Detective Murphy: Are you denying you were involved in her new software project?

Peter Pane: No. But that wasn't the project I was referring to. Actually, it turned out to be Blake Stillwater's new novel.

Detective Murphy: Oh, so you didn't think mentioning your involvement in the software project was pertinent?

Peter Pane: I don't know what I thought, detective. My sister had just died. I'd just gotten back from the funeral, had jet lag. I don't think a mind reader could have told you what I was thinking.

Detective Murphy: So, not mentioning it was just an oversight on your part?

Peter Pane: I suppose.

Detective Murphy: What exactly was your involvement?

Peter Pane: Is that a trick question? I thought you said you had documentation?

Detective Murphy: Mr. Pane, your sister has been murdered. Don't you think playing games is inappropriate? Just answer the question. What was your involvement?

Peter Pane: I was looking for a deal for her.

Detective Murphy: And that means what, specifically?

Peter Pane: I was trying to find a company interested in buying and developing the software for distribution.

Detective Murphy: Did you have any hand in creating the software?

Peter Pane: No. I mean, Wendy and I often tossed around ideas about things, but she was the one who always ran with the idea.

Detective Murphy: The idea for the software was yours?

Peter Pane: I didn't say that. I just said we tossed things around. During one of our conversations, I could have said something about the general idea.

Detective Murphy: What about the testing stage?

Peter Pane: I didn't do any testing.

Detective Murphy: No, apparently Jenny Sadlier did that. Another fact you failed to mention was that you had a prior relationship with Ms. Sadlier.

Peter Pane: I know her, sure.

Detective Murphy: You knew her before your sister did, isn't that right?

Peter Pane: Yes, actually, I think I did.

Detective Murphy: You didn't think this was something important enough to mention?

Peter Pane: How could I know what you people would think was important? Now, I'm not trying to be difficult, detective, but there's no way I would know you'd want to know that.

Detective Murphy: How do you know her? Jenny Sadlier?

Peter Pane: We met in Dallas when we both worked at Rockwell a few years back. We dated briefly. Actually, I hadn't heard from her in ages, and then by coincidence, I learned she and Wendy were roommates and working on this software.

Detective Murphy: Did Wendy know that you knew Jenny?

Peter Pane: I don't know. I don't think I mentioned it to her. We had so many other things to talk about. I guess it never came up.

Detective Murphy: Back to the "tossing things around" conversations. When, exactly, did you have these conversations?

Peter Pane: Well, our whole lives, I guess.

Detective Murphy: Mr. Pane, it's not a secret that you and your sister were estranged for many years, and even when you were talking, things were strained.

Peter Pane: Well, yes, that's true. But there were times when things just seemed, well, normal. I guess it was then. When we were kids, a couple of years after college, and then, of course, recently…

Detective Murphy: What about the meeting with Michael Robbins? That slip your mind too?

Peter Pane: What meeting?

Detective Murphy: Mr. Robbins says you visited the Kelly Green site with him and your sister.

Peter Pane: Oh, that. Well, I'm sure I mentioned him. Yes, she was all excited about the development and wanted me to see it, but I wasn't impressed.

Detective Murphy: So, it just didn't occur to you that we would be interested in that?

Peter Pane: Yes, that's right. I barely remembered it myself. Like I said, I wasn't impressed.

Detective Murphy: And the fact that her body was found very near that same site didn't jog anything in your memory?

Peter Pane: Like I said, I was pretty shook up. Oh, maybe something did for a moment, but then everything else just came crashing in on me. My mother was upset. The whole family was upset. I could barely breathe. Sorry, I guess I should have said something. What else can I say?

Detective Murphy: Okay, Mr. Pane. So, which of these areas is Wendy's?

Peter Pane: Beg your pardon?

Detective Murphy: You said you have things in areas, and that's how you tell them apart. Which ones have to do with your sister's project?

Peter Pane: None of them. I mean, after what happened… things are in limbo, I guess you'd say.

Detective Murphy: Well, did you pack them away?

Peter Pane: I have a box of stuff—correspondence, logs, that sort of thing—somewhere in the attic.

Detective Murphy: Mind turning it over to the Sheriff's Department?

Peter Pane: Well, technically, it's work product and, in fact, now belongs to my mother, so you would have to consult her about that.

Detective Murphy: You can bet on it. Mind telling me where you were the night of April 15th?

Peter Pane: April 15th? I guess I could consult my calendar. Let's see… looks like I worked most of the day and most of the night, a lot of phone calls, conference calls.

Detective Murphy: You never left the house? This was the night before Wendy's body was found. Does that jog your memory?

Peter Pane: I know what night it was, detective. Yes… worked all day, all night, and Amanda came home sick. So no, I didn't go anywhere. I worked and tried to take care of her.

Detective Murphy: Take care of her how?

Peter Pane: Oh, I gave her a back rub and made her dinner. Insisted she go to bed when it was obvious she wasn't feeling any better.

Detective Murphy: What time was that?

Peter Pane: About 10:00 p.m., I'd say.

Detective Murphy: You seem pretty sure. Why is that?

Peter Pane: It was right after that crime news show… "Dateline NBC." I think it ends at 10:00 on Friday nights. I suppose I could check the listings for you.

Detective Murphy: Did you retire at the same time?

Peter Pane: No, I worked for a while longer, probably a couple hours.

Detective Murphy: So, you went to bed about midnight?

Peter Pane: That sounds about right.

Detective Murphy: The next morning, did you go anywhere?

Peter Pane: No. I think I got the bug Amanda had. My head was splitting. I stayed in bed most of the morning.

Detective Murphy: Okay. Were you ever able to make a deal for your sister with the software?

Peter Pane: No. I came close a couple of times. It's frustrating. You think you have somebody closed, and then some other V.P. steps in and says no. But we hadn't even grazed the tip of the iceberg. I knew we'd get a deal.

Detective Murphy: How long did you work on trying to market the software?

Peter Pane: Oh, around three months, I guess.

Detective Murphy: And you got nowhere in that time?

Peter Pane: Like I said, you get close, then they shut the door. You try again. Find a new door to knock on. It's a numbers game. Eventually, you find somebody who bites, and then it's sweet.

Detective Murphy: And you didn't resent doing this for your sister?

Peter Pane: Are you implying something, detective? Why would I resent it?

Detective Murphy: Your sister seemed to have a habit of outshining you. From what I hear, you've had more downs than ups. On the other hand, your sister was golden.

Peter Pane: Well, let's just say I was a late bloomer, and Wendy was a prodigy. Our talents were different, just like our lives.

Detective Murphy: Who killed your sister, Mr. Pane?

Peter Pane: I wish I knew.

Detective Murphy: You can't think of anyone who would bear such a grudge that they would want her dead?

Peter Pane: Well, I'm sure you know she was having an affair with a married man?

Detective Murphy: Yes, we know.

Peter Pane: Jealousy does strange things to people.

Detective Murphy: Yes, it does.

Peter Pane: To answer your question, I don't know anyone who would want to harm Wendy. Kill her? No, I can't think of anyone.

Detective Murphy: Okay. We may have further questions for you.

Peter Pane: I'll be happy to answer them.

Detective Murphy: Thanks for your time.

Peter Pane: You're welcome.

Detective Murphy: If you should have occasion to leave town, please notify us before you go.

Peter Pane: Certainly.

Interview ended – 5:47 p.m.