Cody Matthews interview #2
Cody Matthews is a former student of Kimberly Pace, and some witnesses have identified him as the person who might have been stalking Dr. Pace.
Detectives Armstrong and Murphy re-interviewed him at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department.
Sunday, October 23, 2022 – 4:35 p.m.
Participants:
- Detective T. Armstrong
- Detective S. Murphy
- Cody Matthews
Detective Murphy: Okay, Cody, thanks for coming in again. Are you more comfortable this time? I know the last time you were here, you thought maybe you should've been accompanied by an attorney.
Cody Matthews: I guess so. I haven't done anything wrong, so I really have nothing to worry about. Right?
Detective Armstrong: That's right, Cody. If you weren't involved in Dr. Pace's death, you shouldn't be afraid to just be straight with us.
Cody Matthews: What do you mean? I told you everything!
Detective Murphy: Good. Okay, that's great, Cody. Can you also tell us anything about whether or not you talked to Dr. Pace on the telephone the week before her death?
Cody Matthews: The week before she died? No, I didn't talk to her on the phone the week before she— the week before she died. In fact, I don't think I talked— I don't think I talked to her at all that week. I don't really talk to her very much now that she's not my teacher.
Detective Armstrong: Did you phone her that week and not talk to her?
Cody Matthews: No, sir.
Detective Murphy: Are you sure, Cody?
Cody Matthews: Yes, ma'am.
Detective Armstrong: Okay. Cody, how well do you know Carter Nichols?
Cody Matthews: I didn't really know him at all, but I—he had an argument the day before— he had— he had an argument with Dr. Pace the day before she was killed. I mean, you know what? From what I've seen, he seems like a real big jerk.
Detective Armstrong: Did you see Dr. Pace argue with anyone else that week, especially the week before her murder?
Cody Matthews: Not that I can remember. I don't think so. But you could tell she was real upset about that letter that was written in The Mississippian. But it's not like she went around picking fights with people or anything.
Detective Murphy: What about Patrick Richards? Do you know him?
Cody Matthews: Yeah, he's a— he's an okay guy. But I don't believe that he wrote that letter that—talking about teachers selling— selling grades.
Detective Armstrong: Do you and he hang around?
Cody Matthews: Not really, no. I see him around campus every once in a while.
Detective Armstrong: You live in the same dorm.
Cody Matthews: We do? I did— I— there's like 500 people that live in the— Kincannon. I didn't even know that Patrick lived there too.
Detective Murphy: Okay, Cody. Can you tell us a little more in detail about what you did on the evening of Saturday?
Cody Matthews: Well, like I told you before, I went down to the Square and walked around 'til around, like, 9:30 p,m. And then— and then I went in, and I headed into the Pizza Den, and I picked up a pizza. And then I drove over to the Walgreens, and I— I rented a video game from the Redbox.
Detective Armstrong: What video game was that?
Cody Matthews: I don't know. It's been a while. Let's see. Oh, yeah. Call of Duty: Black Ops.
Detective Armstrong: Did anybody at your dorm see you that night between 9:30 p.m. and midnight? Didn't you say your roommate came home at midnight?
Cody Matthews: I don't know if anybody saw me when I got home. I mean, there was a couple of people hanging around when I came in with the pizza. Or say— say, the pizza place! They might remember me there. I mean, I go there enough. Do I— do I need an alibi? Someone— someone's got to remember me at that pizza place. And my roommate— my roommate, he had a slice when he came home, so— so he knows I bought it.
Detective Murphy: Okay. And so when you came into your dorm that night, you never went out again later?
Cody Matthews: No, ma'am.
Detective Armstrong: Is there anything else you want to tell us, Cody? You know, we'd really appreciate any information you can give us that would help us solve this crime.
Cody Matthews: I know. Gosh, I wish I could. I really hope you find this creep that did this to her. She— she was a real special lady.
Detective Murphy: Okay, Cody, thanks. Thanks for coming in. If you think of anything else, you'll give us a call, right?
Cody Matthews: Yes, ma'am.
Interview ended – 4:47 p.m.
