Suspect #2 interview

Thursday, September 7, 2023 – 10:30 a.m.

Weldon Foyle was one of Kristi Waterson's students.

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

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Weldon Foyle

Detective Murphy: Thank you for coming back and talking to us again.

Weldon Foyle: No problem.

Detective Murphy: Once again, for the record, would you please state your name and address?

Weldon Foyle: I'm Weldon Foyle. I live at 604 North 14th Street, in Apartment B.

Detective Murphy: And your occupation?

Weldon Foyle: I'm a student, and I work at a variety of part-time jobs. Nothing much has changed about my employment since we last spoke. I spent a weekend painting a house out in Yocona, but my regular jobs remain the same.

Detective Murphy: Yes, the last time we talked, I remember you told us you work a lot of jobs — dishwasher, tutor, housepainter, landscaper, general handyman. Did I leave anything out?

Weldon Foyle: That sounds about right. I also work a few shifts on the front desk at the Rebel Inn, but other than that, I think you got them all.

Detective Murphy: Really? I don't think you mentioned that one before.

Weldon Foyle: Is that right? Huh.

Detective Armstrong: So, Weldon, have you thought of anything else that might help us since we last spoke?

Weldon Foyle: No, I'm afraid not, detective. I'm sure you're searching quite hard to try to find whoever did this, but I don't know anything that might help.

Detective Murphy: You're a smart guy. You must've thought about the case since we last spoke. Do you have any ideas about who might be responsible?

Weldon Foyle: No. Not really. I thought you had your man when Hunter Nelson was in custody, but I suppose that didn't work out for you. Too bad. It seemed like you guys had wrapped things up nicely.

Detective Armstrong: Too bad?

Weldon Foyle: Well, yes. This is a high-profile murder case—wealthy, influential families involved. I'm sure there's tremendous pressure on you to solve the case. From the reports in the press, it seemed like Hunter was pretty tightly tied up in all this, but I guess you can't anticipate something as unusual as a latex allergy.

Detective Murphy: Who said anything about allergies? Hunter was released. That's all.

Weldon Foyle: His medical conditions are a big topic on campus now. Since all this came out, girls up and down sorority row are talking about their first-hand knowledge of Hunter's medical conditions. Hell, I was surprised that someone like Hunter would be so careful. I figured him for more of a bareback guy, but it seems like he's shockingly responsible about it. I guess Daddy made sure he knew it simply wouldn't do to have any unplanned heirs running around.

Detective Murphy: Do you know Hunter?

Weldon Foyle: Everyone knows Hunter.

Detective Murphy: But are you acquainted with him?

Weldon Foyle: You could call us acquaintances, yes.

Detective Armstrong: You never told us that.

Weldon Foyle: Why should I? You never asked the question, and how would I have any idea you would arrest Hunter? Even if I did anticipate that arrest, I'm quite sure that I'm not the only one of Hunter's friends or acquaintances who didn't scurry down to the sheriff's office to declare his allegiance to a murderer. Of course, friendship doesn't go very far with the moneyed class anyway. They have no real values.

Detective Murphy: How well do you know Hunter?

Weldon Foyle: We are acquaintances. We have little else in common. I work for my grades.

Detective Armstrong: And Hunter doesn't?

Weldon Foyle: He has money. He doesn't have to.

Detective Murphy: Where did you meet?

Weldon Foyle: He and I both took an introductory business class from Ms. Waterson. We became acquainted during a group project that required us to work together.

Detective Murphy: How do you feel about Mr. Nelson?

Weldon Foyle: I don't feel anything about him.

Detective Armstrong: Ever have occasion to go to his apartment?

Weldon Foyle: None at all.

Detective Murphy: Have you ever been in Hunter's car? Ever go out partying with him?

Weldon Foyle: No. I wish I had the economic means to party. I'm too busy working or studying to spend my time with the idle rich, I'm afraid.

Detective Armstrong: What else did you do with Mr. Nelson?

Weldon Foyle: Detectives, there's nothing more between Hunter Nelson and me than a short acquaintance made during a college class and my knowledge of his campus reputation, which everybody has. Let's move on.

Detective Armstrong: Do you know John Brewer?

Weldon Foyle: Of course. He's the head of the department.

Detective Murphy: What do you think of him?

Weldon Foyle: Are you asking me if I think he's capable of murder? Certainly.

Detective Armstrong: He is?

Weldon Foyle: Of course.

Detective Murphy: You seem pretty sure of yourself. How can you be so confident? What has he done that would give you that impression?

Weldon Foyle: He's human.

Detective Murphy: What does that mean?

Weldon Foyle: Maybe I'm too cynical. Maybe I've worked too much in my short life. But I think people are inherently selfish to the point of being able to do anything. Certainly, I've seen it where money is concerned — either to get money or to use money to get away with something.

Detective Murphy: I see.

Weldon Foyle: I've seen prominent church members feeling up girls at the summer picnic. I've seen community leaders—lawyers and doctors—screw over their farmhands on their pay. I've seen it all. And for a long time, you're shocked at the knowledge they could do such things, but then you see how money allows them to get away with it.

Detective Armstrong: That's quite a perspective on the world.

Weldon Foyle: I hate to sound so pessimistic, but I think people are liable to do just about anything if they think they can pull it off.

Detective Murphy: So you don't have any specific reasons to suspect John Brewer?

Weldon Foyle: No more than anyone else, no. I can't say that I suspect him at all. Just as a general belief, I think he, like almost anyone, could be guilty.

Detective Armstrong: What about yourself?

Weldon Foyle: Me? I could be guilty. I'm not, but I'm also not going to sit here and be hypocritical, either. I said that almost anyone could be a killer, and that includes me—in a hypothetical sort of way. I had nothing to do with this killing.

Detective Murphy: Would you say that you have much of a temper?

Weldon Foyle: No, I don't believe that I do.

Detective Armstrong: Nothing gets you mad? Traffic, drunks, lazy people, you gotta have some pet peeves.

Weldon Foyle: I suppose lazy people irritate me. I don't have that luxury in my life. Work can sometimes get under my skin.

Detective Murphy: Do you ever get in trouble at work? Have a jerk for a boss? That gets a lot of people really ticked off.

Weldon Foyle: No, I don't usually get in trouble at work, and when I do, I realize what I've done wrong. I'm not a child. I know what's right and wrong. I don't need a supervisor to yell at me, so I generally accept criticism pretty well. Getting in trouble at work doesn't really get me very angry.

Detective Murphy: Really? Not even when you get called on the carpet for something that's not your fault? I tell you, that's the one that really burns me.

Weldon Foyle: Yeah, that can be annoying.

Detective Murphy: Nothing you can do in a situation like that but shut up and take it. Anything else you try will only make it worse.

Weldon Foyle: Well—

Detective Murphy: And it's always some clueless boss or incompetent co-worker or inconsiderate friend who has no concept of the difference between work time and personal time that gets you into the mess in the first place. It gets so frustrating, sometimes you feel like you could just kill somebody. You know what I mean?

Weldon Foyle: I hear you.

Detective Armstrong: What would it take for you to kill someone, Weldon?

Weldon Foyle: I don't know. Not a work situation, certainly, but I suppose if someone hurt a person I cared about. If I felt like I had to avenge some wrong. Where I grew up in Kentucky, if I walked up to someone and said, "Joe Bob got killed," the response would likely be, "Did he need it?" That's a good question. Did a person need killing? I suppose if I thought someone needed killing, I could do it.

Detective Armstrong: But what situation?

Weldon Foyle: I told you a couple of situations. I'll tell you something else. I was reading a book about executioners. There's this guy named Sam Jones in Louisiana. At one time, he was the state executioner. That might not even be his real name. But when I read an interview with him, I thought, I could do that. If someone had been convicted and that was the sentence, I could do it. I could push the button.

Detective Murphy: People aren't often so frank with us. Why are you saying all this?

Weldon Foyle: I'm just being honest, detective. I'm sure that everyone who comes in here stares at the solid concrete walls of this room and says, "Oh no, not me! I could never hurt a fly!" but everyone knows that's all just B.S. 

Detective Murphy: Is that right?

Weldon Foyle: I'm just being honest. 

Detective Murphy: So you said.

Weldon Foyle: And I'm also being comfortable. I can talk about these subjects without feeling nervous or threatened because I have no reason to feel anxious. I'm not afraid of anything, so why wouldn't I answer your questions candidly?

Detective Armstrong: On the night of Kristi Waterson's murder, where were you?

Weldon Foyle: As we discussed last time, I was working for Myra Olander. I'm sure it's all in your transcripts. I'm also aware that you spoke to Myra, and she confirmed everything I said.

Detective Armstrong: Anything go on that night maybe Myra doesn't know about? Anything happen to you? Anything you saw happen? Anything you forgot to mention before?

Weldon Foyle: No.

Detective Armstrong: You sure?

Weldon Foyle: Yes.

Detective Murphy: Weldon, you know our investigation is still ongoing. Is there any reason why we may have to talk to you again?

Weldon Foyle: Is that question in your training manual, detective? Seems to be standard operating procedure around here. I'll answer it the same way I answered it in our first interview. No, there is no reason why you should have to talk to me again since I had nothing to do with this. However, I understand that given the thorough nature of your investigation, you may want to talk to me again, and I'll be glad to chat with you if you need to.

Detective Murphy: Okay. Good to know. Thanks for your time today.

Interview ended – 11:12 a.m.