Austin Maxwell follow-up interview

Thursday, January 9, 2014 - 9:00 a.m.

Austin Maxwell is reportedly the last person to see his brother and sister when he dropped them off at the Eastgate bus stop. Detectives Armstrong and Murphy re-interviewed him 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
• Austin Maxwell

Detective Murphy: Thanks for coming in again, Austin.

Austin Maxwell: Did you find out where Cam and Cait are? I heard you were using dogs over at Eastgate yesterday. Did you find anything?

Detective Murphy: Before we get into any of that, just state your name and address for the record please.

Austin Maxwell: Austin Maxwell. 103 Pleasant Drive.

Detective Murphy: We seem to have some conflicting information in our notes from the last time we talked to you. Could you tell us again what happened the morning you took Cameron and Caitlin to the bus stop?

Austin Maxwell: I took them to the shopping center, dropped them off, and went home.

Detective Armstrong: And you stopped at Burger King on the way to the bus stop?

Austin Maxwell: Right. Yeah. We got in an argument, and I pulled over for a minute to yell at them. Then I dropped them off at the bus stop and went home.

Detective Armstrong: What was the argument about again?

Austin Maxwell: Just Cam being a brat and blaming Cait for everything that doesn't go his way, blaming me for having my own interests and not spending all my time supporting his, like that.

Detective Armstrong: And how did the argument end?

Austin Maxwell: With Cameron being an ass. Big surprise. But I told him if he didn't shut his mouth, he was going to have to walk the rest of the way to the bus stop.

Detective Armstrong: What did he say to that?

Austin Maxwell: He said Dad would kill me if I did that. I told him to get out of the car, and we'd find out. That shut him up.

Detective Murphy: Did he get out?

Austin Maxwell: No, of course not. He just stayed quiet for the five minutes it took to get to the bus stop.

Detective Murphy: And then?

Austin Maxwell: And then they got out and I left.

Detective Murphy: And none of you said another word the whole time?

Austin Maxwell: Nope. Well, after they both got out at the bus stop, Cait leaned back in and whispered, "Sorry." And I wished her good luck at Nationals. That was it. Then I left.

Detective Armstrong: And went home?

Austin Maxwell: Yeah.

Detective Armstrong: What time was it when you got home?

Austin Maxwell: 4:00 a.m.

Detective Armstrong: Are you sure? I thought you said it was 3:45.

Austin Maxwell: OK, 3:45.

Detective Murphy: I don't know, Detective Armstrong. I think maybe he did say 4:00 the last time.

Austin Maxwell: 3:45, 4:00, what difference does it make?

Detective Armstrong: The difference is one way maybe you had time to do something to your brother and sister and the other way you didn't.

Austin Maxwell: I didn't do anything to them.

Detective Armstrong: Then why don't you know what time you got home?

Austin Maxwell: I do know.

Detective Armstrong: OK. When?

Austin Maxwell: It was a little after 5:00.

Detective Armstrong: Did you get lost?

Austin Maxwell: Very funny. I went to see a friend.

Detective Murphy: Do you usually visit people in the middle of the night?

Austin Maxwell: No, but I was still mad and I didn't want to go home yet. And my friend stays up late.

Detective Murphy: Uh-huh. And who was this friend?

Austin Maxwell: Ronny Sill.

Detective Armstrong: Oh, really?

Detective Murphy: And where did you visit him?

Austin Maxwell: At the Dickerson ranch.

Detective Murphy: What did you and Mr. Sill do?

Austin Maxwell: Nothing. Just hung out.

Detective Armstrong: You know who I had a chat with yesterday, Austin? Charlie Hammel. You know him, right?

Austin Maxwell: Yeah.

Detective Armstrong: And I bet you can guess what he told me about you.

Austin Maxwell: Yeah.

Detective Armstrong: So you want to tell us again what you and Ronny Sill did that morning?

Austin Maxwell: Fine. We smoked a little pot, OK? I just needed to relax. Is that a crime?

Detective Armstrong: Well, yeah.

Austin Maxwell: Whatever. I didn't hurt anybody, especially not Cam or Cait.

Detective Murphy: Did you go anywhere else that morning?

Austin Maxwell: No. I dropped them off, went to Dickerson's and then went home. That's it.

Detective Murphy: I hope that's true, Austin, because you've got enough legal problems already.

Austin Maxwell: Tell me about it.

Detective Armstrong: OK, Austin. We'll be in touch, especially if your story doesn't check out.

Austin Maxwell: Wait. Aren't you going to tell me if you found anything at Eastgate yesterday?

Detective Armstrong: No.

Detective Murphy: Thanks for coming in. You can go now.

Interview ends: 9:33 a.m.