Yvonne Boyd interview #3

Friday, January 5, 2024 – 11:30 a.m.

Yvonne Boyd found Jared Plunk's body. They had also broken off an affair a few months before his death.

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

Participants

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

Detective Murphy: Thank you for coming back in. Have a seat, won't you?

Yvonne Boyd: You're welcome, but why do you want to talk to me again? I really don't have anything else to say.

Detective Murphy: Will you state your name and address, please?

Yvonne Boyd: Yvonne Boyd. I live at 1509 Smallwood Drive in Oxford.

Detective Murphy: Thank you. Since we last spoke, we've had a couple reports of some strange incidents over at the conference center, that someone was bothering the employees and guests on the day Jared Plunk was killed.

Yvonne Boyd: I didn't hear— oh, you mean that odd guy. Yes, I forgot about him. My assistant told me she'd seen him wandering the halls. She asked if he needed anything, but all he did was stare at her. She said he gave her the creeps.

Detective Parker: Did you see him or know what he was doing at the center?

Yvonne Boyd: Detective, I really don't have time to chase down every kook running around. Honestly, I never saw such a wacky assortment of folks except for that UFO conference we did. I can't remember everyone that runs around.

Detective Parker: One of the conference workers said she saw you talking to that man in the hall. Is there a reason you don't want to tell us about that?

Yvonne Boyd: What? I have nothing to hide. I talk to a lot of people. I can't be expected to remember them all. And with the mess with Jared— wait. I do remember that guy.

Detective Parker: What do you remember about him?

Yvonne Boyd: He was mumbling a lot. He kept muttering some name. Tammy? Cindy? I don't know what it was. Anyway, I saw him in the hall. I had gone to get a soda and was going back to my office. He saw me and started yelling about Jared and Elvis, saying it was all my fault. He said if I didn't cancel the conference, he'd go to the papers and tell them what I did.

Detective Parker: What did he mean?

Yvonne Boyd: I don't know. I didn't do anything. But he scared me. His eyes were all wild. I thought he was crazy or on drugs. He started pointing and yelling, telling me that nobody would fool Quentin again. I guess that was his name. Anyway, I thought he was going to attack me. I ran back into my office and locked the door.

Detective Parker: What did you do then?

Yvonne Boyd: I didn't do anything.

Detective Murphy: You didn't call security or 911?

Yvonne Boyd: No. I waited a few minutes, and it got quiet, so I figured he went away. I grabbed my umbrella, in case I needed to protect myself, and opened the door real slow. The hall was empty, and I didn't see him around. I haven't seen him since, so I figured he left, and there was no need to report it.

Detective Parker: You're sure you never saw him before that night?

Yvonne Boyd: Detective, of course, I'm sure. I doubt I'd forget meeting a person like that. I hope he isn't still hanging around. The conference is ending, after all. Do I need to be worried about my guests' and employees' safety?

Detective Parker: No, I don't think so. If anyone sees him again, just give us a call, and we'll take care of it.

Yvonne Boyd: We'll definitely do that. Is that all?

Detective Murphy: Not quite. The last time we talked, you admitted to picking up the weapon that killed Jared Plunk and hiding it, correct?

Yvonne Boyd: Yes, I did, but I also told you that I panicked. Why are we still discussing this?

Detective Parker: Is there anything else you want to tell us about that? We'll have the official report soon, and once we have that, we won't be able to help you.

Yvonne Boyd: What does that mean?

Detective Parker: Then we'll have enough evidence to arrest you. Are you ready to go to prison for the murder of Jared Plunk?

Yvonne Boyd: What? What evidence? You don't have anything that would mean I murdered Jared.

Detective Parker: The report will prove the murder weapon has your fingerprints on it. Not only that, but you were in the vicinity of the crime around the time of death and even led us to the body.

Yvonne Boyd: But I didn't do it! How can I prove to you that I didn't do it?

Detective Parker: You could start by telling us the truth.

Yvonne Boyd: I am telling you the truth.

Detective Parker: You told us your husband was in bed when you left your room that morning. Do you still want to stand by that statement?

Yvonne Boyd: I was worried. That's all. I knew Taylor and Jared had words, and Taylor was very angry with him. But I have to tell the truth now. Taylor went for a walk. He wasn't in bed when I left. He didn't see Jared that morning, though.

Detective Murphy: Why was your husband angry?

Yvonne Boyd: Taylor was angry about the affair, which he had every right to be. And I knew you'd be suspicious of him if I told you. I thought if I said he was still in bed when I left, it would keep him safe.

Detective Murphy: So you knew that your husband left early that morning and murdered Jared Plunk.

Yvonne Boyd: No, no, no! Taylor did not do it. But when I saw Jared's body, and I knew how angry Taylor was, just for a moment, I was afraid that he did do it, and that would've been all my fault. But later, I talked to Taylor, and he was hurt that I would even think such a thing. He didn't do it.

Detective Parker: So you took the knife to cover for your husband?

Yvonne Boyd: Yes, I did. Is that a crime?

Detective Murphy: Yes, it is, but I think you already know that.

Detective Parker: Why are you so sure that your husband didn't commit the murder? He left your room early that morning before you did. Who's to say he didn't do it?

Yvonne Boyd: Taylor couldn't sleep. He wanted to talk to Jared, but he thought it was too early for that, so he left the room to go for a walk.

Detective Murphy: Where did he go on this walk he claims he went on?

Yvonne Boyd: I don't know. He didn't say. But it doesn't matter because I think I know who murdered Jared.

Detective Murphy: Who would that be?

Yvonne Boyd: Kelly Bradley, obviously. What's wrong with you? You don't know about their affair? She was another one of Jared's conquests.

Detective Parker: Like you.

Yvonne Boyd: Yes, like me. I was one of the fools who fell for his shtick. I was so stupid. Jared was a pig who had a lot of little affairs. The big difference was she really intended to kill him, and it looks like she did just that, doesn't it?

Detective Parker: Why focus on Kelly Bradley? You just said yourself that Jared had a lot of affairs. Why not one of the other women?

Yvonne Boyd: Because Kelly was sick of being mocked by everyone who came into the store where she worked.

Detective Parker: You know Kelly personally, then? Is that how you learned all this?

Yvonne Boyd: No, I don't know her personally. I'm just telling you the dirt that's going around. Everyone thinks she did it. Besides, the scuttlebutt is that she had a gun and was going to shoot Jared but changed her mind at the last minute because of the noise a gun would make.

Detective Murphy: Do you actually suspect Kelly, or are you just trying to distract us from thinking your husband is the killer?

Yvonne Boyd: I know the law. You can't make me testify against my husband.

Detective Murphy: Maybe your husband didn't do it.

Yvonne Boyd: He didn't!

Detective Murphy: How can you be so sure? You know better than anyone else how angry he was with Jared.

Yvonne Boyd: I know because he told me. And I know him. He would never do anything like that, no matter how mad he was.

Detective Murphy: I don't know. I wonder if maybe you're so sure he didn't do it because you killed Jared Plunk.

Yvonne Boyd: I didn't! I told you! It was Kelly Bradley. Why won't you believe me?

Detective Murphy: Unfortunately, we can't just take people's word for things. We have to believe what the evidence tells us. And your fingerprints on the murder weapon, your so-called discovery of the body, and your lack of an alibi tell us that, more than likely, you're the killer.

Yvonne Boyd: I'm not. I'm not! It wasn't me, I swear. How can I convince you?

Detective Murphy: That's an interesting question. What do you think, Detective Parker? How can she convince us?

Detective Parker: Maybe she could stop talking about scuttlebutt and rumors, and tell us exactly who said what. Or she could tell us what was in those Elvis letters and where they are now.

Yvonne Boyd: I don't know anything about the letters. I don't know what to tell you. Why won't you believe me?

Detective Murphy: Mrs. Boyd, your tears may have persuaded your husband to forgive you for cheating, but they're not going to help you with us.

Yvonne Boyd: I can't help it. I don't know what to do. I just want to go home.

Detective Murphy: All right, Mrs. Boyd. You can go—for now. But you think about what we've talked about today. When you come up with something to convince us you didn't kill Jared, you let us know.

Interview ended – 12:03 p.m.