Yvonne Boyd interview

Monday, June 13, 2022 – 10:30 a.m.

Yvonne Boyd is the Events Manager at the Yoknapatawpha County Convention Center (YCCC), where the victim was attending the Faulkner and Yoknapatawpha Conference. His body was found in one of its conference rooms.

Detectives Murphy and Parker interviewed her in another meeting room at the YCCC.

Participants:

• Detective S. Murphy
• Detective E. Parker
• Yvonne Boyd

Detective Murphy: You may remember from our previous dealings that this is Detective Parker, and I'm Detective Murphy.

Yvonne Boyd: Yes, I remember, detective. I didn't kill Doug Reed, and I don't know who did. May I go now? I have lots of work to do.

Detective Parker: No. There's a protocol to be followed. A man is dead, and we need to cross all of our "T's" and dot all of our "I's" to ensure that when we find out who's responsible for what happened, that person will be appropriately held to account for their actions.

Yvonne Boyd: Yes. Fine. I'm sorry. I'm very stressed. This is a public relations nightmare, and I need to handle it.

Detective Murphy: Well, then, let's not waste any more time. Would you please state your name and address for the record?

Yvonne Boyd: Yvonne Boyd, 1509 Smallwood Drive, Oxford.

Detective Murphy: Are you still the Events Manager at the Yoknapatawpha County Convention Center?

Yvonne Boyd: Yes.

Detective Murphy: Were you acquainted with the victim Douglas Reed?

Yvonne Boyd: I was acquainted with Doug, yes.

Detective Parker: Well?

Yvonne Boyd: Well, what?

Detective Parker: Were you well acquainted with the victim, Douglas Reed?

Yvonne Boyd: I wasn't. Okay?

Detective Murphy: Are you still married to Taylor Boyd?

Yvonne Boyd: What has that got to do with this investigation?

Detective Murphy: Ms. Boyd, you seem defensive.

Yvonne Boyd: I'm nervous. You make me nervous.

Detective Murphy: In my experience, people are nervous when they have something to hide. I would be inclined to think that it's not us making you nervous.

Yvonne Boyd: I have nothing to hide.

Detective Parker: As I recall, when we interviewed you in previous investigations, you weren't entirely honest with us. It would serve you to be completely honest with us today.

Yvonne Boyd: Yes, Taylor and I are still married.

Detective Murphy: How did you become acquainted with Douglas Reed?

Yvonne Boyd: I met him because he was involved in planning the Faulkner and Yoknapatawpha Conference.

Detective Murphy: Ms. Boyd, where were you between the hours of, say, 6:00 p.m. last night and 7:00 a.m. today?

Yvonne Boyd: I was here, making last-minute preparations for the conference. I left at around 9:00 p.m. and went home, then returned this morning at 6:00 a.m.

Detective Murphy: Can anyone corroborate that?

Yvonne Boyd: I'm not sure. Someone on the night shift might've seen me leave.

Detective Murphy: Can we get a statement from your husband as to the time you arrived home last night and when you left this morning?

Yvonne Boyd: No. He's out of the country on assignment.

Detective Parker: This is not looking good for you, Ms. Boyd.

Yvonne Boyd: I didn't kill Doug. I didn't have anything to do with this.

Detective Murphy: And I'd like to believe you, but you have lied to us in the past.

Yvonne Boyd: I understand, and I'm sorry about that, but I am telling you the truth. I had nothing to do with Doug's death.

Detective Parker: Do you know of anyone who may have wanted Douglas Reed dead?

Yvonne Boyd: Well, from what I understand, he was a real jerk. Moved up the ranks pretty quickly. I would think he stepped on some faces on his way up. I'm not familiar with all the names, but maybe someone he worked with?

Detective Murphy: Is there anything else you can think of that may help us in our investigation?

Yvonne Boyd: Not really. Just that there was a lot of tension during the planning of the conference, and Doug caused most of it.

Detective Murphy: How so?

Yvonne Boyd: He created conflict. Most everyone else was collaborative in the planning stage, but it seemed to me that Doug was more interested in making waves and pissing people off. He seemed to like the attention.

Detective Murphy: For example?

Yvonne Boyd: Well, any time either Jill or Carol had an idea, he would immediately dismiss it without consideration, almost as if to show them their place in the hierarchy.

Detective Murphy: Who are Jill and Carol?

Yvonne Boyd: The secretaries in the English department at Ole Miss.

Detective Parker: How did they react to him?

Yvonne Boyd: They didn't react. I guess it was the normal course of business for them dealing with Doug, and it didn't seem to bother them. But it was frustrating to others who also were trying to plan the conference.

Detective Murphy: Anyone in particular?

Yvonne Boyd: Well, Jake didn't like Doug pushing people around. Jake was always respectful during meetings, even when Doug was being completely irrational about some insignificant decision. But I could tell Jake was seething inside.

Detective Murphy: Let's talk about Jake. How well do you know him?

Yvonne Boyd: Not well. He's working on the conference too, as I said.

Detective Murphy: So the two of you just happened to be together when you found Douglas Reed's body?

Yvonne Boyd: No. Jake found Doug. I was just walking by, and he came out and told me, so I called 911.

Detective Parker: Did you go into the room to see Mr. Reed for yourself?

Yvonne Boyd: No, I know better than that.

Detective Murphy: Well, this isn't your first time dealing with finding a body.

Yvonne Boyd: No, it isn't.

Detective Parker: When was the last time you saw Douglas Reed?

Yvonne Boyd: Yesterday afternoon, before everyone went over to Rowan Oak.

Detective Parker: What did you talk about?

Yvonne Boyd: Just about the conference, I think.

Detective Parker: It was less than 24 hours ago. You can't remember?

Yvonne Boyd: I've talked to a lot of people over the last 24 hours. I can't remember the details of every conversation.

Detective Murphy: Do you know what Douglas Reed was doing in that meeting room?

Yvonne Boyd: I don't have any idea.

Detective Murphy: Are the meeting rooms secured overnight?

Yvonne Boyd: Yes, the doors are locked when the meetings are done for the day.

Detective Murphy: And what time were they unlocked this morning?

Yvonne Boyd: I'm not sure. Around 7:00 a.m. probably.

Detective Murphy: So how did Mr. Reed get into that room then?

Yvonne Boyd: Dr. Reed. He liked to be called "doctor." I don't know how he got in. Look, I know you have a job to do, but so do I. How much longer do you think this is going to take?

Detective Parker: I think we're finished for now. If you can think of anyone to corroborate your whereabouts last night or this morning, please let us know. We'll be in touch.