Emily Peyton interview #2

Tuesday, September 5, 2023 – 4:30 p.m.

Emily Peyton was a colleague of Kristi Waterson.

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

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Emily Peyton

Detective Murphy: Good afternoon, Ms. Peyton. How are you today?

Emily Peyton: I'd be better if I knew what all this is about. I told you everything I knew the first time you had me in here. What's going on?

Detective Armstrong: Calm down, ma'am. We'll get to that, but first, state your name and address for the record, please.

Emily Peyton: This is ridiculous and a waste of my time

Detective Murphy: It'll go a lot faster if you just cooperate, Ms. Peyton. Now, your name and address, please.

Emily Peyton: Oh, all right. Emily Peyton. I live at 120 Faculty Row, but you already have all of that.

Detective Armstrong: Now, Ms. Peyton. You know this is an ongoing investigation into the murder of Kristal Waterson. Our problem is we haven't been able to eliminate you as a suspect. Tell us why it couldn't have been you.

Emily Peyton: It couldn't have been me because I had nothing to do with that woman's death. It's that simple. What do you have that makes you think I was involved?

Detective Murphy: Do you suspect someone in particular or know for sure who did it?

Emily Peyton: Of course, I don't know who did it. That's your job. I just know I had nothing to do with that woman's death. Talk to her students. She was much friendlier with them than she was with me.

Detective Murphy: The last time we spoke to you, you said you knew we had evidence against Hunter Nelson, yet we hadn't released any information on that to the media.

Emily Peyton: So?

Detective Armstrong: So how could you know something that only we and Ms. Waterson's killer could know?

Emily Peyton: I didn't know you had anything, and since you released that Nelson kid, you must not have.

Detective Armstrong: But that's not what you said.

Emily Peyton: Look, John and I talked about it. He said you must have had some kind of evidence to get a search warrant on someone like Hunter Nelson because otherwise, you'd make jackasses out of yourselves. Looks like you did, anyway.

Detective Murphy: How might Mr. Brewer have known we have evidence?

Emily Peyton: It's Dr. Brewer, and John reads about that stuff, but I can't read his mind. Go ask him yourselves.

Detective Armstrong: Tell me again where you were the night Ms. Waterson was killed.

Emily Peyton: This is ridiculous. I told you once I was with John—John Brewer—all evening, from the time we met at Venice Kitchen until I went home about 2:00 a.m.

Detective Murphy: But you weren't with him on the drive from the restaurant to his home, were you?

Emily Peyton: Well, no, but—

Detective Armstrong: And he wasn't there when you arrived.

Emily Peyton: No, but—

Detective Murphy: Where do you suppose he was?

Emily Peyton: If you would give me a chance to get a word in, I'd tell you.

Detective Armstrong: Okay. Tell us.

Emily Peyton: He stopped at the liquor store to get a certain kind of wine I like. He had the bottle in his hand when he arrived. He's very thoughtful that way.

Detective Murphy: And what kind of wine did he buy?

Emily Peyton: I especially like Beringer's White Zinfandel. It's too sweet for his taste, so he gets it just for me.

Detective Armstrong: And where were you during this separation time?

Emily Peyton: I drove directly to his house, and then I waited in my car in his driveway until he arrived. It couldn't have been more than a few minutes.

Detective Murphy: But you don't know if anybody saw you there.

Emily Peyton: No, unless his nosy neighbor was peeking out her window. Why don't you go ask her?

Detective Murphy: Ms. Peyton, did you kill Kristi Waterson?

Emily Peyton: What? Are you crazy? How many times do I have to tell you I had nothing to do with her death? I'll admit I wasn't fond of her, but I certainly didn't wish her dead. … Well, anyway, I didn't kill her.

Detective Murphy: Would there be any reason for us to find evidence that you were in Ms. Waterson's apartment?

Emily Peyton: Of course not, because I never was in her apartment. I told you before we weren't exactly buddies, but I had nothing to do with her murder—and I'm leaving now. I've had enough of this nonsense.

Detective Armstrong: Ms. Peyton, you're free to go, of course, but we may be talking with you again.

Emily Peyton: Not without my attorney, you won't. I'm sick of this harassment. Goodbye.

Interview ended – 5:53 p.m.