Sonya Davis interview #2

Saturday, January 6, 2024 – 9:00 a.m.

Sonya Davis was initially scheduled to be the conference keynote speaker until she was replaced by Jared Plunk. In her previous interview, Mrs. Davis blamed Plunk for her sister-in-law's suicide.

Detectives Murphy and Parker re-interviewed her at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department.

Participants

• Detective S. Murphy
• Detective T. Parker
• Sonya Davis

Detective Murphy: Good morning.

Sonya Davis: It would be if all this business with Jared Plunk were ended.

Detective Murphy: Please state your name and address for the record.

Sonya Davis: My name is Sonya Davis, and I live at 622 Lincoln Avenue.

Detective Murphy: Thank you. Since we last spoke, have you thought of anything else that might help us find Jared Plunk's killer?

Sonya Davis: No, I have nothing new to tell you.

Detective Murphy: Are you sure? Maybe you've overlooked something.

Sonya Davis: Yes, wouldn't that be wonderful? But, no, I don't have any useful information for you.

Detective Murphy: We have some loose ends, and we think you might be able to tie some of those up for us.

Sonya Davis: I can't imagine any way I could help you with that.

Detective Parker: The last time we talked, you told us about your sister-in-law, Joy, and her interest in Elvis.

Sonya Davis: So what? I don't see how any of that can help.

Detective Murphy: Can you shed some light on those missing letters?

Sonya Davis: You mean you still believe that malarkey about the so-called letters?

Detective Murphy: Are you saying there were no letters?

Sonya Davis: I'm saying it was all a scam, and those letters never existed.

Detective Murphy: So Joy and Jared Plunk conspired to pull off this hoax, claiming they had some letters Elvis Presley wrote, but there never were any letters at all?

Sonya Davis: Who knows? Maybe. Or maybe Joy actually sold him some letters that somebody-who-wasn't-Elvis wrote, and he was too stupid to realize they weren't real.

Detective Murphy: You think Joy was lying about the letters? And then she kept up the lie, even in her suicide note to her brother?

Sonya Davis: Yes, I really do. She needed money, and she came up with that loopy idea to get it. Kelly Bradley must've told her that Jared was looking for information on Elvis to write a book, and I think that's when Joy decided to trick them both.

Detective Parker: Why would she lie to her brother? Why not just confess to the truth?

Sonya Davis: I don't think she wanted Peter to know what she had done. That's probably why she committed suicide. She felt so guilty about the lies and the scam that she killed herself before the truth came out.

Detective Parker: Do you have any proof of any of this?

Sonya Davis: No, but I've thought about it a lot, and I think Joy felt guilty for always asking Peter for money to pay her bills, and this was a way for her to make extra money so she wouldn't have to come begging to him yet again.

Detective Parker: Did Peter ever tell Joy he was tired of having to help her financially so often?

Sonya Davis: No, he would never do that, but I was really getting fed up with the constant handouts. We don't have endless resources to support every wayward relative who can't get their act together.

Detective Murphy: When we talked to your husband, he said Joy hadn't asked him for any money in months. He said she was selling off some of her Elvis memorabilia to get money. Was he lying?

Sonya Davis: No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying Peter doesn't know that I know about all the money he gave Joy, but I'm not an idiot. I can read our bank account balances. He wasn't giving her as much as he used to, but he was still doling it out here and there.

Detective Parker: It might be interesting to see if he feels the same way you do.

Sonya Davis: No, no, no. Peter is completely in the dark about all of this. I've never told him I had my suspicions about Joy and her so-called letters because it would break his heart. Don't you dare repeat any of this to him!

Detective Parker: Maybe he knew she lied about the letters and decided to get Jared Plunk out of the way before everyone found out what she'd done. Since Joy's gone now, he wouldn't have to worry about any repercussions for her.

Sonya Davis: Why must you keep up with that kind of talk?

Detective Parker: Maybe Peter has some secrets too.

Sonya Davis: You can't do that! I knew I was making a mistake by coming here today. You people are disgusting. You're going to cause problems between Peter and me. He has no idea how I felt about Joy and her constant whining and begging.

Detective Parker: I guess we won't know that for sure until we ask him, will we?

Sonya Davis: I'm done. Let me out of here!

Detective Parker: Just a minute. I think you've left out some crucial information. Why would you keep it to yourself? Guilt maybe?

Sonya Davis: What are you talking about? I don't have any crucial information. I'm not guilty of anything!

Detective Parker: Did you or did you not quarrel with Jared Plunk shortly before he was murdered?

Sonya Davis: Who told you that? That was just a little disagreement. Nothing big. It was exactly what I've said before. I didn't believe there were any letters, and I thought Jared was playing everyone for fools. That's all.

Detective Parker: We have information that it was a very heated argument, not just a little disagreement.

Sonya Davis: You're not going to pin this on me, detective. I was nowhere near Jared that morning.

Detective Murphy: Very convenient, Jared Plunk dying. I mean, seeing as how you probably received more money than you'd originally been offered to fill in as keynote speaker at the last minute.

Sonya Davis: That's none of your business. And you're looking in the wrong place for Plunk's murderer. I didn't do it, and neither did Peter. I'd like to leave now.

Detective Parker: Everything is our business in a murder investigation. You can go. We'll be in touch.

Interview ended – 9:33 a.m.