Lita Harrison interview

Wednesday, March 13, 2024 – 3:30 p.m.

Lita Harrison traveled to Oxford with the victim, Rolf Warner, and his business partner, Gus Heller.

Detectives Armstrong and Murphy interviewed her in her motel room at the Rebel Inn.

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Lita Harrison

Detective Murphy: Please state your name and address for the record.

Lita Harrison: Lita Marie Harrison. I live at 1088 North Avenue in Atlanta. Of course, here, I'm staying at this motel, but I don't know the address.

Detective Murphy: For the record, the witness's temporary local address is the Rebel Inn at 2133 S Lamar Blvd.

Lita Harrison: I used to live in Macon. Nice place.

Detective Murphy: Macon, Georgia? Do you maintain an address there in Macon?

Lita Harrison: Oh no, ma'am. I was just saying.

Detective Murphy: All right, well, we have several questions about your traveling companion, Mr. Rolf Warner. How did you come to know him?

Lita Harrison: Through Gus. Gus Heller. We met at The Pink Posy in Atlanta, where I work. I have an act with ostrich feathers. Gus really liked it. We really hit it off.

Detective Armstrong: So you're a … dancer?

Lita Harrison: Yes, an exotic dancer.

Detective Murphy: Do you remember when you met Mr. Heller? What date?

Lita Harrison: Well, I'd say about two months ago.

Detective Murphy: And when did you meet Mr. Warner? That same night?

Lita Harrison: It was the next day at breakfast. Gus just thought I was so beautiful. It's a curse, I tell you. Men only ever notice my looks. Anyways, he was looking for a model for his game. He and Ralph are doing this mystery game, and they needed a female superhero, and Gus said I was it.

Detective Murphy: Who is Ralph?

Lita Harrison: Oh, that's Gus's friend, the one you've been talking about? The guy who got killed? I can't pronounce his name. I just call him Ralph.

Detective Murphy: I see. So, you met Ralph, and he agreed that you should be a part of this game he was working on with Gus?

Lita Harrison: Oh yes!

Detective Murphy: And what exactly did they want you to do?

Lita Harrison: Oh, pose for pictures and do some video stuff. They were going to work all that into the game somehow, but I don't know how all that stuff works.

Detective Murphy: Then what? Did you continue your work at The Pink Posy? Pose for pictures during the day?

Lita Harrison: Yeah. I mean, I don't pose for them every day, and they can't pay me enough right now for me to quit my job, but yeah. That's pretty much how it is.

Detective Murphy: And you've been doing this since you met Mr. Heller and Mr. Warner sometime in … January?

Lita Harrison: Right.

Detective Armstrong: So what are you doing in Oxford?

Lita Harrison: I guess part of the game is that it happens in these sort of famous places, you know, where famous writers are from.

Detective Murphy: Like Rowan Oak, for example?

Lita Harrison: Yes, ma'am. So we had to go on the road and take pictures and whatever at all these places. That's how we got here—to take the pictures and all.

Detective Murphy: And you arrived when?

Lita Harrison: Monday afternoon.

Detective Murphy: Do you know why Ralph was at Rowan Oak this morning?

Lita Harrison: To take pictures, I guess.

Detective Murphy: He went alone? You didn't go with him?

Lita Harrison: I don't know if he went alone. I didn't go. I needed my beauty sleep, and then I had a date for breakfast.

Detective Murphy: Do you know who Ralph might have gone with?

Lita Harrison: I don't know. Maybe Gus? When I went out to breakfast, I didn't see either of them. When I got back, Gus was here, and he was in a bad mood, so I just stayed away from him.

Detective Armstrong: Who was your date with this morning?

Lita Harrison: Just this guy, JP.

Detective Armstrong: Is that his first name? His initials?

Lita Harrison: First name?

Detective Armstrong: What's his last name?

Lita Harrison: I don't … remember.

Detective Armstrong: Okay. What time was it when you went to breakfast?

Lita Harrison: I left about 9:00 a.m.

Detective Armstrong: What time did you return here to the motel?

Lita Harrison: I got back about 10:00, 10:30 a.m.

Detective Murphy: Do you know why Gus was in a bad mood when you got back?

Lita Harrison: I don't know. I think maybe he had a fight with Ralph.

Detective Murphy: What makes you think they had a fight?

Lita Harrison: They fought a lot. Nothing too serious ever really, but still they argued a lot.

Detective Murphy: What would they fight about?

Lita Harrison: Probably about Gus spending too much money.

Detective Armstrong: And Ralph didn't like that?

Lita Harrison: Ralph kind of had a thing about it. I guess they had limited funds.

Detective Murphy: You were being paid for your part in the game, though, right?

Lita Harrison: A little pocket money is all, and room and board while we're on the road, of course. I was going to get the big money when the game made it big, and we had all the merchandising contracts signed and all that stuff.

Detective Murphy: I see. I'm curious: how old are you?

Lita Harrison: I'm legal, if that's what you mean. I'm 23.

Detective Murphy: Ralph and Gus seem a good deal older than you.

Lita Harrison: I like older men.

Detective Murphy: Were you or are you having a sexual relationship with either Ralph or Gus?

Lita Harrison: I'm not sure if that's any of your business.

Detective Murphy: One of your traveling companions has been brutally murdered. I think just about everything is our business at this point. Were you having a sexual relationship with Ralph?

Lita Harrison: Sometimes.

Detective Murphy: Did Gus know?

Lita Harrison: Well, I didn't tell him if that's what you mean.

Detective Murphy: Were you also sleeping with Gus?

Lita Harrison: Sometimes.

Detective Murphy: And you didn't tell Ralph about that either, right?

Lita Harrison: A girl has to have insurance policies sometimes. I was just making sure I wasn't going to be left out in the cold. You know what I mean?

Detective Murphy: Yes, I'm afraid I do. Can you think of anyone who would have a grudge against Ralph that might do something like this?

Lita Harrison: Are you kidding? Of course not!

Detective Armstrong: Is there anyone who might resent his relationship with you and want revenge on him?

Lita Harrison: No! Like who?

Detective Armstrong: Like Gus?

Lita Harrison: No way. He would never kill Ralph.

Detective Armstrong: What about someone else from your past? Someone you met through your job, maybe?

Lita Harrison: No. There's no one.

Detective Murphy: Okay, Ms. Harrison. I'm sure we'll be talking to you again. We need you to stay in town for the time being, okay?

Lita Harrison: Well, we can't stay here forever, you know.

Detective Murphy: If you need to leave, be sure you let us know first. You have a good day now.

Interview ended – 4:04 p.m.