Vincent Fischer interview

Wednesday, March 2, 2022 – 2:35 p.m.

Vincent Fischer is a Yoknapatawpha County probation and parole officer and was Andrea Stover's sex offender registration officer.

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

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Vincent Fischer

Detective Murphy: Hi, Vincent. How are you today?

Vincent Fischer: Good. How are you two?

Detective Armstrong: Doing all right.

Detective Murphy: For the record, could you please state your name and address?

Vincent Fischer: I'm Vincent Fischer, and I live at 407 Timber Lane.

Detective Murphy: And how did you know Andrea Stover?

Vincent Fischer: I was her sex offender registration officer.

Detective Armstrong: How long had you worked with Andrea?

Vincent Fischer: I've been the only person assigned to her case. I got her right when she was released.

Detective Murphy: So you hadn't really been monitoring her case for very long?

Vincent Fischer: No, not really.

Detective Murphy: What were your impressions of Andrea?

Vincent Fischer: She was all right. Real smart and real opinionated. She could be a royal pain in the a** when she wanted to be. She never could understand why she got in trouble in the first place. She was always going on about art this and art that.

Detective Armstrong: Did you ever see any of her work?

Vincent Fischer: The plays? Nah, I'm not much of one for plays myself. I'll go see a movie every now and then, but I don't usually take in no plays.

Detective Murphy: How often did Andrea report into your office?

Vincent Fischer: Once a week. Generally, what I do is, see, to get the people to come in real regular when they first get out. After a few months, if they prove they're doing all right, then we can cut back some. Some of my guys only come in once a month or even once every two months.

Detective Murphy: Any problems? Did she miss any appointments or anything?

Vincent Fischer: No, none.

Detective Armstrong: Did you ever notice her talking to any of your other cases?

Vincent Fischer: A little bit. Sometimes they'll all sit out there in the waiting room and bellyache about having to report in. The druggies all sit there and b**** about having to pee in a cup. They all basically got the same story about life screwing 'em over and all that. You know, it ain't their fault. But I was aware of her hanging around Jim Taylor more. They hung out some outside of the office.

Detective Murphy: Who's he?

Vincent Fischer: He's a guy I got back in November. Put some time on the books for abusing his daughter.

Detective Murphy: What did you think about their relationship? Did you think it was a good thing or a bad thing?

Vincent Fischer: I don't really know. Some POs like for their cases to spend time together. They think it helps 'em out. Gives 'em support, you know, kinda like AA or something. Others don't much care for it. They believe that criminals together just scheme and get into more trouble. I hadn't decided yet what I thought about Andrea and Jim.

Detective Murphy: Did Andrea ever talk about being afraid for her safety?

Vincent Fischer: Not that I recall. She didn't really open up too much. I went out of my way to be friendly to her, to try to help her. But she was too snobby, too artsy.

Detective Armstrong: Now, look, Vince. This is kind of difficult, but we've got to ask it anyhow. Did you try to start any type of sexual relationship with Andrea?

Vincent Fischer: Of course not!

Detective Murphy: Well, we heard that you did. We heard you were pretty blunt about your interest in her.

Vincent Fischer: That's a damn lie. Why would I want to run around with a convict?

Detective Armstrong: I don't know. She's a sex offender. Puts on dirty plays. Might be fun, right?

Vincent Fischer: You're outta your mind.

Detective Murphy: Your records show that she's not the only case that has claimed you sexually harassed them.

Vincent Fischer: And they're all liars too.

Detective Armstrong: All of them? They all are telling similar stories, and it's just coincidence that they made them up?

Vincent Fischer: This is crazy. I'd expect you guys to be sympathetic in a situation like this. You know what kind of animals these people are. You know how they get together and talk. You ask any dope fiend in this town, and he can tell you who the lenient judges are and which cops will smack people around. They all talk, and they all scheme and plot to hurt good, upstanding people.

Detective Murphy: So you're the victim of a criminal conspiracy. All these women are just trying to get you in trouble?

Vincent Fischer: That's exactly right. They don't like it that I'm hard on 'em. Some POs look the other way on missed appointments and failed drug tests. I don't, so they don't like me.

Detective Armstrong: If it's just because you're tough, then why haven't the men complained about you too? It only seems to be women who struggle with your toughness.

Vincent Fischer: I don't know. You'd have to ask them.

Detective Armstrong: Let's float this one by you and see what you think. Andrea Stover was a pretty good-looking woman. She's done time as a sex offender, acts in dirty plays, almost like a porn star in some people's minds. She's reporting to you, and one day you get a little too friendly. Put your hands in places and make offers. She refuses and threatens to report you. You've been reported too many times in the past. You can't let her make that report, or you'll lose your job—

Vincent Fischer: Now you just wait a damned minute! I didn't have nothing to do with that woman's death.

Detective Murphy: Sure about that, Vincent?

Vincent Fischer: It's not the kind of thing a person gets confused about.

Detective Murphy: Well, then, do you have any ideas about people who might want to kill Andrea?

Vincent Fischer: You should talk to that Jim Taylor.

Detective Armstrong: Why would he want to kill Andrea?

Vincent Fischer: I don't know, but anyone who would abuse their own kid has got to be sick. He'll likely do anything.

Detective Murphy: Oh, we'll talk to him, but that's pretty weak—

Vincent Fischer: Ain't no more weak than you two insulting me by thinking I'd mess around with some damn convict or that I'd kill the skank.

Detective Armstrong: Where were you on Sunday night, early Monday morning?

Vincent Fischer: I was at home with my wife.

Detective Armstrong: And she'll verify that if we ask her?

Vincent Fischer: You better believe it.

Detective Murphy: All right. Thanks for your time, Vincent.

Vincent Fischer: I don't know what this department is coming to when officers turn against parole and probation staff. You guys seem to care more about the scum than your own co-workers.

Detective Murphy: Just doing our job.

Detective Armstrong: Doing our job in a professional manner too, I might add. Unlike some people.

Interview ended – 3:07 p.m.