Warren Lee interview
Friday, August 2, 2024 – 3:11 p.m.
Warren Lee is married to Trish Lee, Kelly Moran's friend.
Detectives Armstrong and Murphy spoke with him at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department.
Participants:
- Detective T. Armstrong
- Detective S. Murphy
- Warren Lee
Detective Murphy: Thank you for coming down. Would you please state your name and address for the record?
Warren Lee: My name is Warren Lee, and I live at 2 Argyle Lane.
Detective Armstrong: How's your wife holding up?
Warren Lee: It hasn't been easy. I'm not going to lie to you, detectives. I wasn't Kelly Moran's biggest fan, but what happened to her was awful, and my wife is seriously hurting. Have you caught the burglar responsible?
Detective Armstrong: Not yet.
Detective Murphy: How would you describe the Morans' marriage?
Warren Lee: What does their marriage have to do with anything? She was killed by a burglar.
Detective Armstrong: We're just being thorough.
Detective Murphy: Would you say they were happy?
Warren Lee: Sure. I mean, how do you define happy in terms of marriage? I never saw them fight. Trish never mentioned any real problems.
Detective Armstrong: We heard there might have been an affair.
Warren Lee: That was years ago, assuming you're talking about Russell's fling with Marea. That was just some chemical animal thing, two people who jumped in bed before their brains had a chance to kick in.
Detective Armstrong: Maybe the affair never ended.
Warren Lee: It would be long-distance if it didn't. Marea, her husband, and their baby moved up to Ohio. I have a friend who runs a shop there, and nobody runs four-color better than Marea.
Detective Armstrong: You maintain a friendship with someone in Ohio. Maybe Russell does the same.
Warren Lee: I ran into Phil a few times at trade shows and conferences. We hit it off, so we decided to explore whatever city it was we happened to be in rather than sitting in our separate hotel rooms. There's a world of difference between maintaining that kind of quote-unquote friendship and having an affair. Marea's got a kid. She's not sneaking out of the house to jump on a plane for a little no-tell motel.
Detective Murphy: Is it possible Russell found somebody else?
Warren Lee: Anything is possible. It's not like we're best friends or anything. I see less of Russell than I do Kelly—than I did. I still can't get my head around what happened.
Detective Armstrong: How did Kelly respond to the whole Marea situation?
Warren Lee: I was afraid you were going to go there. Kelly ripped me a new one when she discovered I interfered.
Detective Armstrong: She was upset that you stopped her husband from having an affair?
Warren Lee: No disrespect, but that woman had some issues.
Detective Murphy: Why do you think Kelly reacted the way she did?
Warren Lee: At first, I thought she was embarrassed, maybe angry that Trish repeated what Kelly probably told her in confidence. But then Kelly never said anything to Trish. The best I ever came up with was Kelly had some kind of agreement with her husband. Maybe he could step out so long as he kept things discreet. Who knows?
Detective Murphy: Why tell Kelly then?
Warren Lee: Just because Kelly agreed, in theory, doesn't mean she's not going to have feelings. In any case, I'm not saying that's what happened. It was just a theory I came up with to explain Kelly screaming at me for doing what I thought she'd consider a favor.
Detective Murphy: Kelly never explained herself?
Warren Lee: I went out of my way to stay out of her way. Lesson learned. Don't get involved. I lost a great printer, and for what?
Detective Armstrong: Did you tell Trish about Kelly's reaction?
Warren Lee: I did not, and I'm not in the habit of keeping secrets from my wife. For whatever reason, Trish values her friendship with Kelly. I wasn't about to cause any more waves.
Detective Murphy: Do you know of anyone else who saw this side of Kelly?
Warren Lee: I only socialize with that group when I have to. They're Trish's friends. I didn't like how Kelly treated her, but I'm not going to suggest to Trish how I think she should live her life.
Detective Murphy: What did Kelly do to Trish?
Warren Lee: It wasn't— Kelly fluctuated. She had good days and bad. Mood swings. I know all about the accident, and the chronic pain, and the meds. I'm sorry she had to deal with that, but it's no excuse for snide behavior.
Detective Murphy: How was Kelly snide?
Warren Lee: Snide. Two-faced. Cutting. When she was in a bad place, she didn't treat Trish well, and my wife is a sensitive person. I'm a sensitive person. I don't like to see my wife hurting. Like I said, I was never Kelly's biggest fan.
Detective Armstrong: We're trying to recreate Kelly's movements on the day of the burglary. Do you happen to have any information that could help?
Warren Lee: I'm afraid not. I wouldn't have seen her, and Trish went shopping in Memphis with her mother.
Detective Armstrong: What time did she get home?
Warren Lee: A little after 10:00 p.m., I got home and turned on the news. Trish came in shortly afterward.
Detective Armstrong: You were out?
Warren Lee: Trish and her mother do their shopping thing a few times a year, and Trish never gets home before 10:00 p.m. I left the shop long enough to grab a burger and a beer, and worked until 9:30 p.m. or so.
Detective Armstrong: Anyone else there?
Warren Lee: Not at overtime rates.
Detective Murphy: Do you have a surveillance system?
Warren Lee: I turn it on when I leave and off when I get in the next morning. Why are you asking me these kinds of questions?
Detective Armstrong: We need to confirm everything we're told.
Warren Lee: You don't think I had anything to do with Kelly's murder, do you? Listen, Kelly wasn't my favorite person, but that doesn't mean I'm going to break into her house and then panic when she catches me. How could you even think that?
Detective Murphy: It's our job.
Warren Lee: That's just messed up. Are we done here?
Detective Armstrong: For now. Thank you for coming in.
Warren Lee: Unbelievable.
Interview ended – 3:43 p.m.
