LaDonna Kitterman interview

Friday, September 13, 2024 – 4:25 p.m.

LaDonna Kitterman is a nurse's aide at the Yoknapatawpha Acres nursing home where Jerry Shaw was employed.

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

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• LaDonna Kitterman

Detective Murphy: Thanks for coming in. Please state your name and address.

LaDonna Kitterman: My name is LaDonna Kitterman. I live at 1198 Pleasant Drive here in the city.

Detective Murphy: I'm sure you know why we wanted to talk to you today.

LaDonna Kitterman: Yes, I think so. It's about Jerry, isn't it? Poor guy.

Detective Murphy: That's right. Were you acquainted with Mr. Shaw?

LaDonna Kitterman: Sure. All of us at the Acres know each other. I mean, I don't run around with anyone, but we talk on a daily basis.

Detective Murphy: What kind of talk? You mean about your lives away from work or what?

LaDonna Kitterman: Some are more open than others. Take Mr. Landrigan, for example. He's not all that friendly to all of us. He has picks, you know?

Detective Murphy: Picks?

LaDonna Kitterman: Oh, I mean, the employees he likes get to choose the shifts they want and even some of the jobs. I'm not one of the picks. I get a lot of dirty work, and I have to take the shifts that are left after the others get what they want.

Detective Armstrong: Where did Jerry Shaw stand in the order? Did he get his pick?

LaDonna Kitterman: That would be funny if it weren't so awful. Jerry used to be the one who got to take whatever shift he wanted, but something happened, and then he ended up getting all the worst jobs anyone ever had.

Detective Armstrong: What do you mean? What did he do that caused him to get the worst jobs?

LaDonna Kitterman: No one knew what happened at first, but then I started hearing Jerry and Mr. Landrigan having fights. Jerry would argue with him like he was the boss instead of Mr. Landrigan.

Detective Murphy: Why would Jerry think he was the boss?

LaDonna Kitterman: I don't know, but those arguments just got worse and worse. I mean, sometimes it seemed like they were losing control. It was getting scary. I didn't know what was going to happen.

Detective Armstrong: What were they arguing about?

LaDonna Kitterman: I'm not sure. It seemed like Mr. Landrigan was threatening to fire Jerry, but he was afraid to really do it. There was something going on between them, and Jerry seemed to be getting pushier each day.

Detective Armstrong: Did Mr. Landrigan ever actually tell Jerry that he was going to lose his job?

LaDonna Kitterman: I think so. I heard Jerry tell Mr. Landrigan that if he fired him and didn't give him what he wanted, Mr. Landrigan was the one who would be fired and not him. But I could only hear bits and pieces of what they were saying. I'm just telling you what it seemed like they said.

Detective Murphy: Did you hear what Jerry was threatening Mr. Landrigan about?

LaDonna Kitterman: No, I never did hear that.

Detective Armstrong: Did everyone else ever hear them arguing?

LaDonna Kitterman: I'm not sure.

Detective Armstrong: Were their arguments just verbal, or did they ever get physical?

LaDonna Kitterman: No, I never did see either one of them go so far as to hit the other.

Detective Armstrong: Is there anything else you can tell us about Jerry?

LaDonna Kitterman: Something was going on between Jerry and Matt, the oxygen guy. I don't know what, but something.

Detective Murphy: Matt, the oxygen guy?

LaDonna Kitterman: Yeah, I don't know his last name or anything. We always call him "Matt, the oxygen guy" because he delivers the oxygen.

Detective Murphy: Sure. What do you mean something was going on between them?

LaDonna Kitterman: I don't know. They were always talking about sports, and sometimes they'd get mad if they thought someone was listening to them. Like anyone cares what they talk about.

Detective Murphy: Did Jerry have anything going on with anyone else?

LaDonna Kitterman: Well, I think Jerry and Sylvia had a little something going, but that's just a guess. I don't have any proof.

Detective Murphy: Sylvia?

LaDonna Kitterman: Sylvia Powell, but like I said, I don't really know.

Detective Murphy: Did you ever have anything going on with Jerry?

LaDonna Kitterman: Me? No way. Jerry was so not my type.

Detective Armstrong: When was the last time you saw Jerry?

LaDonna Kitterman: I saw him at work on Wednesday.

Detective Armstrong: You didn't see him yesterday?

LaDonna Kitterman: I was off yesterday.

Detective Armstrong: Okay, Ms. Kitterman. Thanks again for coming in. We'll be in touch if we need to talk to you again.

Interview ended – 4:48 p.m.