Kent Erdell interview #2

Wednesday, February 7, 2024 – 2:02 p.m.

Kent Erdell was Blake Jenson's best friend and bandmate and is the person who called 911.

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

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Kent Erdell

Detective Murphy: Hello again. For the record, please state your name and address.

Kent Erdell: Hi, yourself. My name is Kent Erdell, and I live at 500 Wedgwood Drive right here in good ol' Oxford.

Detective Murphy: You seem awfully happy today, Kent.

Kent Erdell: Not really. I'm just so tired of being depressed that I'm forcing myself to try to be upbeat. It's been a rough few days.

Detective Armstrong: It sure has. I'm sure Miss Carr's death was quite a shock, too.

Kent Erdell: No, not really.

Detective Armstrong: I thought you had a crush on this girl. You sure got over her death in a hurry.

Kent Erdell: I'm trying to move on. I had a crush on Ginny back in high school, but we were just friends. I think she's better off.

Detective Murphy: That's a pretty cavalier attitude. Did you have something to do with her death?

Kent Erdell: What? No! I'm not glad she's dead, and I didn't help her die. I'm just happy she didn't suffer.

Detective Armstrong: How do you know she didn't suffer?

Kent Erdell: She didn't suffer for months of a slow, agonizing death. That's what I mean. Look, detectives, I haven't been able to eat or sleep since Sunday.

Detective Murphy: We understand.

Kent Erdell: Thank you.

Detective Murphy: Did you see Ginny at the party?

Kent Erdell: Yes. I don't know when she got there, but we were talking when the pizza was delivered. I got a plate of food from the kitchen and then went back into the other room. She followed me, the lights went out, and the rest you know.

Detective Armstrong: Well, thank you for that concise recollection.

Kent Erdell: After our last meeting, I have a pretty good idea that these questions aren't casual, and I might as well say everything I know to save us all some time.

Detective Murphy: Well, thank you. Did Ginny eat or drink anything?

Kent Erdell: She carried a bottle of water with her always, and she never ate at parties. She was on a restricted diet.

Detective Murphy: What kind of restrictive diet?

Kent Erdell: I don't know. I just know she never ate or drank what the rest of us were having.

Detective Armstrong: Let's move on to questions about some of the people who were at the guesthouse Sunday night, and let's start with Kane Victory.

Kent Erdell: Kane? He's our bass guitar player. Blake and Kane had their problems.

Detective Armstrong: Why's that?

Kent Erdell: Kane was always hitting on Maddie, and Blake didn't like it. They got into a shoving match once.

Detective Armstrong: How long ago was that?

Kent Erdell: A week or so ago. Don't get me wrong. They were friends. There were just times when Kane went a little too far, and Blake had to step in and say something.

Detective Murphy: How about Sunday night? Did Blake and Kane have words then?

Kent Erdell: Not that I saw, but at one point I walked up to talk to Blake. He was looking out the patio doors. He said, "Not tonight. Nothing is going to ruin tonight." I looked out and saw Kane and Madison talking by the pool. When she came in, Blake walked up and kissed her. Everything seemed just fine.

Detective Armstrong: Okay, tell us about Jennifer Alexander. What was her relationship with Blake like?

Kent Erdell: What relationship? They'd been over for months. She just wouldn't let go.

Detective Murphy: Wouldn't let go?

Kent Erdell: Yeah, She really got on our nerves, mine and Blake's. He never really cared for her. He just wanted to "get with her," you know? At first, she was a challenge, but she became clingy and obsessive real quick. Drove him up the wall, so he dropped her.

Detective Armstrong: Okay, how about James Allen?

Kent Erdell: Jamey? He and Blake were just casual friends. Bree introduced all of us to him. He's an okay guy. He's just different, is all. He seems a little jealous of Bree's friendship with all of us. It can be tense when he's around, but we like him.

Detective Murphy: Gary Wilson?

Kent Erdell: He's our teacher. He was just kind of there. He'd been over a few times before. He's the one who turned the breaker back on that night.

Detective Armstrong: The way everyone talks, those lights came back on real fast. How did he get to the breaker box so quickly?

Kent Erdell: I don't know, but I'm glad he did.

Detective Murphy: How did he get along with Blake?

Kent Erdell: Blake was everyone's favorite. Mr. Wilson was no exception.

Detective Armstrong: Did anyone know that Blake had a heart condition?

Kent Erdell: I didn't, and I was his best friend.

Detective Murphy: Have you met Blake's biological mother?

Kent Erdell: No, I have not. I don't care to either. Ole Man Jenson and Aggie were the ones who raised him. Blake never wanted to meet his birth parents, so neither did I.

Detective Armstrong: Was Blake in contact with his birth mother at all?

Kent Erdell: No. She dumped him and left town. I don't think he even knew where she was. If he did, he never mentioned it to me.

Detective Armstrong: But it's possible, and you just aren't aware?

Kent Erdell: I guess so, but it's a remote possibility, in my opinion.

Detective Murphy: Kent, can you think of anything else that might help us?

Kent Erdell: I really can't. It's still so unbelievable. I'm just … I'm at a total loss.

Detective Murphy: We'll be in touch if we have any more questions. Thank you for your time.

Kent Erdell: You're welcome.

Interview ended – 2:34 p.m.