Maureen Kirby interview

Wednesday, February 21, 2001 – 11:15 a.m.

Maureen Kirby is married to Steve Kirby, Missy Hammond's high school boyfriend.

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

The interview was recorded with the witness's knowledge and consent.

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Maureen Kirby

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

Maureen Kirby: Maureen Silver Kirby. I live at 210 Sisk Avenue. Here in Oxford.

Detective Murphy: And what is your occupation?

Maureen Kirby: I am the Business Manager for Complete Computing Specialists.

Detective Murphy: You're probably aware that we're investigating the murder of Missy Hammond. I appreciate you taking the time to talk with us.

Maureen Kirby: Of course. But I have no idea how I might be able to help you.

Detective Murphy: You never know what little bit of information can break a case. First, I'd like to ask you some basic questions. Just for our file.

Maureen Kirby: Sure.

Detective Murphy: How tall are you?

Maureen Kirby: Well, I'm 5' 8". Why do you need to know that?

Detective Murphy: It's pretty standard. How much do you weigh?

Maureen Kirby: Do I have to say?

Detective Armstrong: C'mon now, ma'am. You look pretty fit to me. What could it hurt to tell us?

Maureen Kirby: Fine. I weigh about 135.

Detective Murphy: Thank you. Now, tell us about your relationship with Missy Hammond.

Maureen Kirby: I can't say that I had a relationship with her. Of course, we went to high school together, and I always knew who she was. She and my husband dated back then, so I knew of her in that sense.

Detective Murphy: Did she cut your hair?

Maureen Kirby: No, I usually get my hair done at La Bohéme.

Detective Armstrong: Missy never cut your hair?

Maureen Kirby: Well, there was one time I went to Southern Beauty.

Detective Murphy: And you specifically requested Missy, isn't that right?

Maureen Kirby: Yes. I guess it was kind of a dumb thing to do, but I wanted to know what was so special about her. My husband cared about her so much when he was in high school, I just wanted to try and figure it out.

Detective Armstrong: We've been told that this wasn't the most pleasant of haircuts.

Maureen Kirby: Detective, why don't you just come right out and say it? I caused a scene. I was mad, and I wanted to confront her. In hindsight, it was a pretty childish thing to do, but I did it. I wanted to embarrass her in front of everybody.

Detective Armstrong: Just because she dated your husband in high school? In this small of a town, just about everyone dated someone's husband in high school.

Maureen Kirby: I told you, I just couldn't figure out what was so special about her.

Detective Armstrong: That's fine, but I still don't understand why you were so mad. Big deal if he cared about her in high school. That's no reason to go pick a fight with her.

Maureen Kirby: Well, it's very hard for me to talk about this, but I know that my husband and Missy were talking again after all these years.

Detective Murphy: How did you know this?

Maureen Kirby: My husband had been acting weird for a while. He was keeping very odd hours and just seemed distant in general. I kept asking him about it, but he wouldn't talk to me about it. My marriage is very important to me, so I had to find out what was going on.

Detective Murphy: OK. And?

Maureen Kirby: Finally, I hired an investigator to check into what my husband was doing.

Detective Armstrong: Doesn't that seem a little drastic?

Maureen Kirby: I told you already that my marriage is very important to me. So, no, I don't think it's too drastic.

Detective Murphy: Go on. You hired an investigator?

Maureen Kirby: So I hired Pam Thompson, and she followed Steve around for a bit. She reported to me that there was something going on between my husband and Missy, although she hadn't been able to catch them actually doing anything other than talking yet. But they were definitely talking. Pam delivered her first report, and that's when I got mad and went to the beauty shop and made a big scene.

Detective Murphy: Is that the only thing you did to Missy Hammond?

Maureen Kirby: Look, Detective. I got mad, jealous, angry, scared. You name it. I couldn't stand the thought of losing my husband. And I acted poorly. But I had nothing to do with Missy's death. It's a long way from trying to embarrass someone to murdering them.

Detective Armstrong: But what if she really was having an affair with your husband? What if she really was some hussy trying to steal your man?

Maureen Kirby: I wouldn't kill her! It's completely natural for someone in my position to be angry and wary of Missy Hammond, but I told you before that I had nothing to do with her death!

Detective Murphy: Let me ask you this. Have you ever been inside Missy's house?

Maureen Kirby: Of course not!

Detective Murphy: This is sort of a random question for you, but do you have any friends or relatives that work for doctors in this town?

Maureen Kirby: No. I don't think so.

Detective Murphy: Do you know Dr. Charles Flaherty?

Maureen Kirby: No. Why?

Detective Murphy: It's not important. Let's get back to Steve and Missy. So, do you think that they were having an affair?

Maureen Kirby: No. I trust my husband.

Detective Armstrong: Yeah, you trust him so much that you hired a private investigator to tail him.

Maureen Kirby: That's unfair. I trust my husband, but I also know how much he cared for Missy. And if she approached him about getting back together, then I could see how he might be tempted.

Detective Armstrong: So you think she approached him?

Maureen Kirby: I don't know that for sure, but I bet that's what happened.

Detective Murphy: Do you and your husband have any children?

Maureen Kirby: No, not yet.

Detective Armstrong: Does Steve have any kids?

Maureen Kirby: I know what you're trying to say, and the answer is no.

Detective Armstrong: How do you know what I'm trying to say?

Maureen Kirby: I'm not deaf, you know. I've heard all the rumors, ever since high school. I know that people thought Steve might be the father of Missy's daughter. But that's just small town gossip.

Detective Armstrong: You're sure of that?

Maureen Kirby: Of course. My husband told me he wasn't the father of that child, and I believed him.

Detective Murphy: Where were you on the afternoon of Friday, January 26th?

Maureen Kirby: I was probably out running errands. That's what I usually do on Friday afternoons.

Detective Armstrong: Where did you go that afternoon in particular?

Maureen Kirby: I don't really remember. I usually go by the bank to make CCS deposits, if there are any. And I usually go to the dry cleaners because we always seem to have something to drop off or pick up. Sometimes I stop and pick up office supplies, if we need them, or go by the post office or whatever needs to be done. Sometimes I go to the drug store or the grocery store or something like that, depending on what we need at home. Just the usual running around kind of thing.

Detective Murphy: What is a CCS deposit?

Maureen Kirby: Those are the business deposits. You know, Complete Computing Specialists? CCS?

Detective Armstrong: And of all those possible destinations you just said, do you remember which places you visited on the 26th?

Maureen Kirby: I really don't. I'm sorry.

Detective Murphy: Do you remember what time you left the office and when you got back?

Maureen Kirby: No. I usually leave around 3:30 or 4:00, and I try to make it back by 6:00.

Detective Armstrong: What were you wearing that day?

Maureen Kirby: I really have no idea.

Detective Murphy: A dress? A skirt? A suit?

Maureen Kirby: We're pretty casual at the office, so I was probably wearing pants or slacks of some kind, but which ones exactly I don't know.

Detective Armstrong: Do you own a dark-colored jacket with a hood?

Maureen Kirby: Yes. Well, actually it's my husband's, but I wear it too. It's a sweatshirt kind of jacket. Is that what you're talking about?

Detective Murphy: Were you wearing it on January 26th?

Maureen Kirby: I don't think so. I know I said we're casual at work, but we're not that casual. You know what I mean?

Detective Murphy: OK. Well, that's about it for now. I'm sure we'll be talking to you again. If you think of anything you'd like to tell us, just give us a call.

End interview – 11:51 a.m.