Chester Hawkins interview #2

Thursday, March 16, 2023 – 2:45 p.m.

Chester Hawkins was initially apprehended near the crime scene and claimed he wanted to confess to murdering Ambrose Garrett.

Detectives Armstrong and Murphy spoke with him again at his residence.

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Chester Hawkins

Detective Armstrong: Can you state your name and address for the record?

Chester Hawkins: Charles Brinkley Hawkins. 158 Oak Place.

Detective Armstrong: Good. Do you remember why we're here?

Chester Hawkins: No. Yes. The spotlights, there's no cover with all the lights.

Detective Armstrong: Right. The spotlights.

Detective Murphy: Mr. Hawkins, we need you to try to remember what happened the night Ambrose Garrett was killed.

Chester Hawkins: Who?

Detective Murphy: Ambrose Garrett. He lived in Whitehall. He was the president of the homeowners association.

Chester Hawkins: Oh.

Detective Armstrong: You said you killed him.

Chester Hawkins: What? No. No! You people don't understand. You can't kill what's already dead.

Detective Armstrong: Who was already dead?

Chester Hawkins: All of them. Sometimes there are rats. They follow you. Dank like a tomb. The rats eat them.

Detective Murphy: Mr. Hawkins, we need you to try to focus on what happened the night Mr. Garrett died.

Chester Hawkins: March 5th. The night of March 5th.

Detective Murphy: Right! That's right. What happened?

Chester Hawkins: It was too bright. I had to go home again—too much blood on the knife.

Detective Murphy: So you went to the community center and then back home?

Chester Hawkins: I was being followed.

Detective Murphy: Who was following you?

Chester Hawkins: The lady. She knew I saw the devil.

Detective Murphy: Who is the devil?

Chester Hawkins: The devil. The devil!

Detective Murphy: From the Bible? As in Satan?

Chester Hawkins: No. No! He walks among us, keeping track. Who's been naughty? Who's been nice?

Detective Armstrong: The devil is Santa Claus?

Chester Hawkins: Ha, ha. You're funny. Santa Devil. And you think I'm the crazy one.

Detective Armstrong: You may have me there, Chester. So the lady knew you saw the devil—

Chester Hawkins: The lady! She had burned-out eyeballs. Terrible. Terrible medicine.

Detective Armstrong: Last time, it was a man who had the eyeballs.

Chester Hawkins: No. No! Wrong again. The man is the one to follow. He can help you.

Detective Armstrong: Okay, we're following.

Detective Murphy: Or trying to.

Detective Armstrong: So, who was the lady?

Chester Hawkins: Skin and bones, that's all she was. The rats already got her. There was nothing to do but let her drift away down the swamp. Burying would make too much noise.

Detective Murphy: Mr. Hawkins, we were talking about the night of March 5th.

Chester Hawkins: Yes. March 5th.

Detective Murphy: Did you see a lady at the community center on March 11th?

Chester Hawkins: It was too bright out. I should've waited longer. Not enough shadows.

Detective Murphy: Who was she?

Chester Hawkins: I'm the man. I'm the one.

Detective Murphy: Understood. But who was she?

Chester Hawkins: Awful, awful. There were flowers to hide her. She had the bottle and poured it in. I had to hide out back.

Detective Murphy: She poured what in?

Chester Hawkins: Not in. The blood pours out. You saw it. Too slippery. I could barely hold the knife. Sometimes it sticks, you know, on the way out. It's what she lives on.

Detective Armstrong: Right.

Detective Murphy: Who is the lady?

Chester Hawkins: Terrible, just floating along. You'd think she was pregnant, but it was just the gas. Floating away, long, slimy hair. This was after they drank. Last call. Ha!

Detective Armstrong: So let's get this straight. You went to the community center, and while you were there, you saw a lady pour something into a bottle? Or out of a bottle?

Chester Hawkins: You're not listening. No. It's all wrong. I did it. See? I killed everyone.

Detective Armstrong: You killed Mr. Garrett?

Chester Hawkins: Who?

Detective Murphy: Mr. Hawkins, let's try again. You went to the community center at what time?

Chester Hawkins: March 5th. Light falling. It was dusk. Better cover that way. You have to stay low and creep.

Detective Armstrong: Okay, so that would be, what, around 8:00 p.m.?

Chester Hawkins: It's beautiful until the lady comes. Flowers, tall grass. I needed to cut them with my knife. I needed them for my mission.

Detective Murphy: So the lady came outside around 8:00 p.m.?

Chester Hawkins: Pay attention! Santa Devil. She saw me see him. Then the blood poured.

Detective Armstrong: So around 8:00 p.m., you saw Santa Devil, and then you saw the lady, and she saw you. And then she poured something in or out of a bottle?

Chester Hawkins: So shiny.

Detective Armstrong: You said it was dusk, right? What was shiny?

Chester Hawkins: No. No! The bright lights. You people are dangerous. Get out!

Detective Murphy: Mr. Hawkins—

Chester Hawkins: I told you to get out. It's wrong, all wrong. They're killing people every day, you know.

Detective Murphy: Can we please try again? If you'll just sit back down—

Chester Hawkins: I'm done now. I want you to leave.

Interview ended – 3:01 p.m.