Ginny & Mitchell Hankins interview

Friday, September 3, 2021 – 7:00 p.m.

Ginny and Mitchell Hankins, a married couple in their mid-20s, reportedly transferred their business from the Harte Agency to Pearce Brokers.

Detectives Murphy and Parker interviewed them at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department.

Participants:

• Detective S. Murphy
• Detective E. Parker
• Ginny Hankins
• Mitchell Hankins

 Detective Murphy: Thank you for coming in. This won't take long. Would you both state your names and your address for the record?

Ginny Hankins: I'm Ginny Hankins, and I live at 194 Orrwood Drive. I love saying that. We just moved in.

Mitchell Hankins: Mitchell Hankins. I live out of boxes—ouch—at the same address.

Ginny Hankins: That didn't really hurt him.

Detective Murphy: Congratulations on the new home.

Ginny Hankins: It's a dream come true.

Detective Parker: You worked with Pearce Brokers on that deal, didn't you?

Ginny Hankins: Yes, we did. Is that why you asked us in to talk? Is there something wrong with the sale? Nobody is going to take away our home, are they?

Detective Murphy: Let me put your minds at rest. We aren't aware of anything like that.

Mitchell Hankins: So why are we here? I've never gotten a satisfying answer.

Detective Murphy: Do you know an Annette Wyatt?

Ginny Hankins: She was that real estate agent that was killed in her office. Right?

Detective Murphy: Did you have any dealings with her?

Mitchell Hankins: What are you trying to imply here?

Detective Murphy: We're not trying to imply anything. We're just asking questions.

Mitchell Hankins: Do we need a lawyer?

Detective Murphy: Not unless you think you need one. Do you?

Mitchell Hankins: I don't know. What are you accusing us of? Buying a house?

Detective Murphy: We're not accusing you of anything. We simply hoped you could help us with our investigation into the murder of Annette Wyatt.

Mitchell Hankins: We never dealt with her. Is that all?

Detective Murphy: She never contacted you in any capacity before or after you bought your house?

Mitchell Hankins: We never had any contact with her whatsoever. What are you trying to say?

Detective Parker: Who did you deal with at Harte?

Ginny Hankins: We talked with Jeff Harte, the owner. If Annette was in the office when we were, we were never even introduced to her.

Detective Parker: If you were talking to Jeff Harte, how did Pearce Brokers end up selling you your house?

Ginny Hankins: Rita called us up, heard we were looking, and said she had the perfect property for us. Which she did. It was the house we now call home.

Mitchell Hankins: Did we do anything wrong?

Detective Parker: I don't know that much about the real estate business, but apparently, agents aren't supposed to approach people who are already working with other agencies.

Mitchell Hankins: Nobody told me that.

Ginny Hankins: Is this going to affect the sale?

Detective Murphy: I don't think there's any danger of that. You bought the house. It's yours.

Mitchell Hankins: The bank bought the house if anybody's asking.

Detective Murphy: Did Rita Pearce tell you how she got your names?

Ginny Hankins: I just thought all the real estate agents worked together to make sure people got the homes they wanted.

Detective Murphy: From what I hear, that's not how it works.

Ginny Hankins: I wonder if Jeff Harte thinks we betrayed him. He was a nice man, wasn't he?

Mitchell Hankins: He was. I'm sure you could just refer some of your friends to him, even things out.

Ginny Hankins: Bess has been talking about looking.

Mitchell Hankins: There you go.

Detective Murphy: Had either of you ever dealt with Rita Pearce before?

Ginny Hankins: No.

Mitchell Hankins: This is our first home.

Detective Murphy: So how did she know enough about you to have the perfect house?

Ginny Hankins: That's a good question.

Detective Murphy: Thanks. So if you come up with an answer, please give us a call.

Mitchell Hankins: You bet.

Interview ended – 7:27 p.m.