Raquel Santos interview
Sunday, August 21, 2022 – 3:04 p.m.
Raquel Santos first reported finding the finger in Room 120 of the Rebel Inn to her boss, Rick Crawford.
Detectives Murphy and Parker interviewed her in a vacant guest room at the Rebel Inn.
Participants:
- Detective S. Murphy
- Detective E. Parker
- Raquel Santos
Detective Murphy: Ms. Santos, nice to see you again. This is Detective Parker.
Raquel Santos: I can't believe this. I can't believe I have to talk to you people again.
Detective Murphy: It's a delight for us too. Why don't we just get to it? Please tell us your name and address for the record.
Raquel Santos: My name is Raquel Santos, and I live at 594 Hathorn Road.
Detective Murphy: Tell us what happened today.
Raquel Santos: I got to work around 10:30 a.m. I started cleaning rooms around 11:00 a.m. I got to 120 about 12:30 p.m., I guess. I knocked on the door. No one answered, so I used my passkey to unlock the door. I called out in case the guest was asleep or in the bathroom and didn't hear me the first time. No one answered, so I pulled my cart in and turned around to see what kind of state the room was in. That's when I saw the stain.
Detective Parker: Do you clean the same rooms every day?
Raquel Santos: No. I usually work on the first floor, but not always. Depends on who's working.
Detective Parker: How do you decide which rooms to clean first?
Raquel Santos: I start with the ones that don't have "Do Not Disturb" signs on them.
Detective Parker: Was there a "Do Not Disturb" sign on Room 120?
Raquel Santos: No. I wouldn't have gone in if there was.
Detective Parker: Okay. Did you notice anything unusual when you went in the room? Other than the stain.
Raquel Santos: The bed was still made like no one slept there. Yesterday, the room was a mess.
Detective Murphy: You remember the condition of every room day to day?
Raquel Santos: Yeah, I live to memorize the details of my job.
Detective Murphy: Sarcasm will only make this take longer. Did something make you remember what the room was like yesterday?
Raquel Santos: Fine. Yesterday, the guest was in the room when I got there. He hit on me, okay? Offered me a big tip.
Detective Murphy: And?
Raquel Santos: And he was a pig. He wasn't the first guest to act like that. I just did my job and ignored him.
Detective Parker: So when you went in today, you saw a stain?
Raquel Santos: Yeah, a big stain in the middle of the floor.
Detective Parker: Could you tell what it was?
Raquel Santos: No, I went over to take a closer look and decide what to use to clean it up, and that's when I saw the finger. I backed off, got my cart, and got out of there. I left the cart in the hall and went to tell my boss to call the cops.
Detective Murphy: Who's your boss these days, Ms. Santos?
Raquel Santos: Rick Crawford. You met him. Nice kid.
Detective Murphy: And what did he say when you told him about the finger?
Raquel Santos: He asked me if I was kidding. I said no. He called you. The end.
Detective Murphy: That's not quite the end, though, is it?
Raquel Santos: Not technically, I guess. Rick sent me back to stand outside the room until the cops got here like someone was going to try to get in or something.
Detective Parker: Did anyone try to get in?
Raquel Santos: No, not till the cop showed up.
Detective Parker: Did you go back in?
Raquel Santos: No.
Detective Murphy: Did you see anyone in the hall while you were waiting?
Raquel Santos: No. The guy in 119 opened his door when the cop got there. Probably just wanted to see what was going on. He didn't come out.
Detective Parker: Do you know his name?
Raquel Santos: No. Rick can tell you.
Detective Murphy: Thank you, Ms. Santos. For now, please keep the details of what you saw in that room to yourself, okay?
Raquel Santos: Yeah, like anybody's going to ask me.
Detective Murphy: Ms. Santos.
Raquel Santos: Okay, fine. I won't tell anyone.
Detective Parker: Thank you. We appreciate your cooperation. If you think of anything else, please give us a call. You're free to go now.
Interview ended – 3:32 p.m.