DETECTIVE RIDGE: This is Detective Bryn Ridge of the West Memphis Police Department, currently in the West Memphis Police Department conducting an investigation in, into the Triple Homicide, Case File Number 93-05-0666. Currently in the office we have Jessie Lloyd Misskelley, Jr., birthdate: 7-10 of 75, education at the 9th grade, the place, we’re in the Detectives Division, today’s date is 6-3 of 93, the time now is 2:44 pm. Present in the interview will be Inspector Gary Gitchell and Jessie Misskelley. Jessie, in front of me I have a rights form, and it’s got your signature at the bottom of it, is that your correct (clear?) your signature?
*A01 MISSKELLEY: Yes sir
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, we are informing you that we are Detective Seargent Mike Allen, and Detective Bryn Ridge, and Detective Seargent Mike Allen is the one that read this form to you earlier, is that correct?
*A02 MISSKELLEY: Yes sir
DETECTIVE RIDGE: And I was here when he read it to you.
*A03 MISSKELLEY: Yes sir
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright, police officers of the West Memphis Police Department, we are conducting an investigation for the offense of Capitol Felony Murder, which was committed on or about 5-5 of 93, before we ask you any questions, you must know and understand your legal rights, therefore, we warn and advise you, that you have the right to remain silent, do you understand that?
*A04 MISSKELLEY: Yes sir
DETECTIVE RIDGE: And those are your initials on the line in front of that statement?
*A05 MISSKELLEY: Yes, it is
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, anything you say can be used against you in court, do you understand that?
*A06 MISSKELLEY: I do
DETECTIVE RIDGE: And those are your initials?
*A07 MISSKELLEY: Yes, it is
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright, you have the right to talk to a lawyer for advice before we ask you any questions, and to have him with you during questioning, do you understand that?
*A08 MISSKELLEY: Yes, I do
DETECTIVE RIDGE: And those are your initals?
*A09 MISSKELLEY: Yes, it is
DETECTIVE RIDGE: If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be appointed for you before any questions, if you wish, at no cost to you, do you understand that?
*A10 MISSKELLEY: Yes, I do
DETECTIVE RIDGE: And those are your initials?
*A11 MISSKELLEY: Yes, it is
DETECTIVE RIDGE: If you decide to answer questions now without a lawyer present you will still have the right to stop answering at any time, do you understand that?
*A12 MISSKELLEY: Yes, I do.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: And those are your initials?
*A13 MISSKELLEY: Yes, it is.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: You’re up here on your own free will (sounds like
Misskelley was affirming this), you came up here to answer some questions, and basically we found out some information during those questionings, is that correct?
*A14 MISSKELLEY: Yes sir, I did
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, at the bottom of the form is a Waiver of Rights, it says that I’ve read this statement of my rights, and I understand what my rights are, I am willing to make a statement, and answer questions, I do not want a lawyer at this time, I understand and know what I am doing. No promises or threats have been made to me, and no pressure or force has been used against me, is all of that correct?
*A15 MISSKELLEY: Yes
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, and you signed the bottom of the form?
*A16 MISSKELLEY: Yes, I did
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Witnessed by Michael Wayne Allen and myself, Detective Bryn Ridge. Okay, Jessie, let’s, let’s go straight to that date, 5-5 of 93, a Wednesday, early in the morning. You received a phone call, is that correct?
*A17 MISSKELLEY: Yes, I did
DETECTIVE RIDGE: And who made that phone call?
*A18 MISSKELLEY: Jason Baldwin
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright, what occurred, what did he talk about?
*A19 MISSKELLEY: He called me and asked me could I go, uh, go to West Memphis with him and I told him, no, I had to work and stuff. And then he told me that he had to go to West Memphis so, him and Damien went and then I went with them.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright, when?
*A20 MISSKELLEY: Wednesday
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright, when did you go with them?
*A21 MISSKELLEY: That morning
DETECTIVE RIDGE: At 9 o’clock in the morning?
*A22 MISSKELLEY: Yes, I did.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay.
*A23 MISSKELLEY: I went with them and then I
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Now, were you in a car? Whose car were you all in?
*A24 MISSKELLEY: We walked
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: You all walked?
*A25 MISSKELLEY: Right, we walked and then uh,
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Where did you go?
*A26 MISSKELLEY: We went up to the Robin Hood
DETECTIVE RIDGE: You went to the Robin Hood, explain to me where those woods are.
*A27 MISSKELLEY: By uh, Blue Beacon Truck Wash.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Just a little patch of woods
*A28 MISSKELLEY: A little patch of woods
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Behind Blue Beacon?
*A29 MISSKELLEY: Behind it, right back there behind it.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, what occurred while you were there?
*A30 MISSKELLEY: When I was there, I saw Damien hit this one, hit this one boy real bad, and then uh, and then he started screwing them and stuff and then uh,
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright, you got in front of you a picture, that was taken out of the newspaper I believe, it’s got three boys and these are the three boys that were killed on that date in Robin Hood Woods, okay. Which one of those three boys is it you say Damien hit? The third picture (Jessie seems to be affirming this in the background), which will be
*A31 MISSKELLEY: Michael Moore
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: This boy right here,
*A32 MISSKELLEY: Yeah,
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Alright, that’s uh the Byers boy,
*A33 MISSKELLEY: Christopher
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: That’s who you are pointing at?
*A34 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: If you read the captions, the grisly slain from left, 8 year old Michael Moore, Steven Branch and Christopher Byers. (Jessie seems to be echoing these names as Ridge speaks). Okay, so you saw Damien strike Chris Byers in the head?
*A35 MISSKELLEY: Right
DETECTIVE RIDGE: What did he hit him with?
*A36 MISSKELLEY: He hit him with his fist and bruised him all up real bad, and then um Jason turned around and hit Steve Branch
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay
*A37 MISSKELLEY: And started doing the same thing, then the other one took off, Michael uh Moore took off running, so I chased him and grabbed him and held him, til they got there and then I left.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay. Alright, when you get the boys back together, where you at from the creek?
*A38 MISSKELLEY: I was up there by the uh Service Road
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Up by the Service Road?
*A39 MISSKELLEY: (The transcript here says yes. I could not find a response.)
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, now when this, when he hits the first boy, where are they at when he, when he hits him, are you in the woods, you’re on the side of big bayou, you’re out in the field, where you at?
*A40 MISSKELLEY: I was in the woods.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: In the woods. Okay, you’ve been down there in those woods before.
*A41 MISSKELLEY: Yes, I have.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Can you describe to me what in those woods, what’s the location where you were?
*A42 MISSKELLEY: Uh,
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Is there a path that you go down?
*A43 MISSKELLEY: Uh, down a little path
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright, where does that path go to?
*A44 MISSKELLEY: It leads out there close to the uh field, close to the interstate.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay
*A45 MISSKELLEY: That’s where I was at.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright.
*A46 MISSKELLEY: I was close by the interstate.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: When he hits the first boy and then Jason hits another boy, and one takes off running,
*A47 MISSKELLEY: And the other takes. . .
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Where does he run to?
*A48 MISSKELLEY: That one, he runs out, going out the, out the park and I chased him and grabbed him and brought him back.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Which way does he go, I mean, does he go on back towards where the houses are
*A49 MISSKELLEY: He goes on back. . .
DETECTIVE RIDGE: He’s going to Blue Beacon, is he going out towards the fields,
*A50 MISSKELLEY: He’s going. . .
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Where’s he running to?
*A51 MISSKELLEY: Towards the houses.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Towards the houses?
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Where the pipe is that goes across the water?
*A52 MISSKELLEY: Yeah, he’s running out there and I caught him and brought him back, and then I took off.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, when you came back a little bit later, and all three boys are tied?
*A53 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Is that right?
*A54 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm, and then I took off and run home.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright, have they got their clothes on when you saw them tied?
*A54 MISSKELLEY: Un-uh, they had them off.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: They had already gotten them off. When he first hit the boy, when Damien first hit the first boy, did they have their clothes on then?
*A55 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright, when did they take their clothes off?
*A56 MISSKELLEY: Right after I, they beat up all three of them, beat them up real bad
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Beat them up real bad, and then they took their clothes off?
*A57 MISSKELLEY: Mm-mm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: And then they tied them
*A58 MISSKELLEY: Then they tied them up, tied their hands up, they started screwing them and stuff, cutting them and stuff, and I saw it and I turned around and looked, and then I took off running, I went home, then they called me and asked me, how come I didn’t stay, I told them, I just couldn’t.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Just couldn’t stay (stand?) for that.
*A59 MISSKELLEY: I couldn’t stand to see what they were doing to them.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, now when it’s going on, when it’s taking place, you under. . . you saw somebody with a knife. Who had a knife?
*A60 MISSKELLEY: Jason
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Jason had a knife. What did he cut with the knife? What did you see him cut or who did you see him cut?
*A61 MISSKELLEY: I saw him cut one of the little boys
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright, where did he cut him at?
*A62 MISSKELLEY: He was cutting him in the face.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Cutting in the face. Alright, another boy was cut I understand, where was he cut at?
*A63 MISSKELLEY: At the bottom
DETECTIVE RIDGE: On his bottom? Was he face down when he was cutting on him, or
*A64 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Now you’re talking about bottom, do you mean right here?
*A65 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: In his groin area?
*A66 MISSKELLEY: (No audio register)
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Okay
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Do you know what his penis is?
*A67 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm, that’s where he was cut at.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: That’s where he was cut.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Which boy was that?
*A68 MISSKELLEY: That right there.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: You’re talking about the Byers boy again?
*A69 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Okay
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Are you sure that he was the one that was cut?
*A70 MISSKELLEY: That’s the one that I seen them cutting on.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright, you know what penis is?
*A71 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright, is that where he was cutting?
*A72 MISSKELLEY: That’s where I seen them going down at, and he was on his back. I seen them going down right there real close to his penis and stuff and I saw some blood and that’s when I took off.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Was uh, were you all close to the creek at that point?
*A73 MISSKELLEY: Yes sir
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Where, where was the little boy actually at?
*A74 MISSKELLEY: He was close by
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright, now you know where the bayou is?
*A75 MISSKELLEY: Right
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright, and you know where the little creek is that goes out to the expressway, and it doesn’t have a lot of water in it, but it’s got some water in it, and it’s flowing through there, which side of that creek were you on, were you on the Memphis side of the creek or were you on the Blue Beacon side of that creek?
*A76 MISSKELLEY: The Blue Beacon.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: On the Blue Beacon
*A77 MISSKELLEY: Yes
DETECTIVE RIDGE: So, there is like a tall bank, were you, where were you at on that bank?
*A78 MISSKELLEY: I was up there, I was standing up there on the top.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright, where were they at?
*A79 MISSKELLEY: They was at the bottom.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: On which side?
*A80 MISSKELLEY: The Memphis side
DETECTIVE RIDGE: They were on the Memphis side.
*A81 MISSKELLEY: I was on the (overlapping) Blue Beacon
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright, we’re going to correct that even further, that’s the east side, Memphis side is the east side and you were standing at the top of the bank on the west side, were you looking down at what was going on?
*A82 MISSKELLEY: I was looking down. After I seen all of that, I took off
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, and when you left, did you hear any more hollering or anything?
*A83 MISSKELLEY: No.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright, you went home and about what time was it that all of this was taking place?
*A84 MISSKELLEY: They call me up about
DETECTIVE RIDGE: I’m not saying when they called you. I’m saying what time was it that you were actually there in the park?
*A85 MISSKELLEY: I was there about twelve
DETECTIVE RIDGE: About noon?
*A86 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm. (There is an audible “ffff” at this point.)
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, was it after school. . . had let out?
*A87 MISSKELLEY: I didn’t go to school
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Well, these little boys
*A88 MISSKELLEY: They skipped school
DETECTIVE RIDGE: They skipped school?
*A89 MISSKELLEY: They’s going to catch their bus and stuff, and they’s on their bikes and so,
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright, they were on their bikes, where were the bikes at?
*A90 MISSKELLEY: They, they laid their bikes down when they come out to the, I mean, when they hollered for them to come, come out there, they
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Where did they lay their bikes down at, that’s what I’m asking?
*A91 MISSKELLEY: I don’t know where they laid their bikes down at, cause I was, I was behind Damien and nem, way, way behind them.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay
*A92 MISSKELLEY: When they hollered, when they seen them boys
DETECTIVE RIDGE: The little boys came on over?
*A93 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Had Damien seen these boys before?
*A94 MISSKELLEY: yes sir (faint)
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Has he done things with them before? Or has he just been watching them?
*A95 MISSKELLEY: He’s been watching them.
RIDGE: Has he had sex with them before?
*A96: MISSKELLEY: He’s been, he’s been watching them.
RIDGE: Has he ever had sex with them before?
*A97 MISSKELLEY: No, he’s been watching them
DETECTIVE RIDGE: He’s been watching them. You mentioned earlier that, at one of the meetings you went to with this cult thing, they had some pictures. Describe those pictures for me.
*A98 MISSKELLEY: They had. . . had some houses, and trees and stuff
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, had somebody taken pictures of these boys?
*A99 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Were they in the houses or were they in these trees when they took those pictures?
*A100 MISSKELLEY: They’s, they’s in the houses
DETECTIVE RIDGE: At the houses? Did they take like one picture of one boy
*A101 MISSKELLEY: They was in a group.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: All these three?
*A102 MISSKELLEY: There was a group of pictures of all three of them.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: All three of them would generally be together?
*A103 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: How many pictures did you see, altogether?
*A104 MISSKELLEY: I just saw one.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Okay, and it has these same three boys in it?
*A105 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: You’re certain of that?
*A106 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Now, did you say that the boys skipped school that day? These little boys did?
*A107 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm,
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Are you sure?
*A108 MISSKELLEY: They was going to catch the, going somewheres and like I said, Damien, Damien and nem left before I did, I told them I’d meet them there and stuff, I had to get ready, and I meet them there and it was early in the morning and so, they went ahead and met, met me, they went ahead went up there and then I come up, you know, later on behind them.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: What time did you get there?
*A109 MISSKELLEY: I got there about 9.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: In the morning?
*A110 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Of Wednesday morning?
*A111 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm. (Heavy throat clearing–seems to be Gitchell)
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: And when. . .
DETECTIVE RIDGE: What time is it right now?
*A112 MISSKELLEY: Right now?
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Yeah, you don’t know what time it is?
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Do you not wear a watch?
*A113 MISSKELLEY: It’s at home, my dad. . .
DETECTIVE RIDGE: So
*A114 MISSKELLEY: My dad woke me up this morning.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: So, your time period might not be exactly right, what you’re saying?
*A115 MISSKELLEY: Right
DETECTIVE RIDGE: That is, it was like early in the day, but you don’t know exactly what time. Okay, cause we got, I’ve got some real confusion with the times you’re telling me, but now, this 9 o’clock in the evening call that you’ve got, explain that to me.
*A116 MISSKELLEY: Well after, all of this stuff happened that night, that they done it
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay.
*A117 MISSKELLEY: I went home about noon, then they called me at 9 o’clock at night, they called me.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay. And what did they tell you on the telephone?
*A118 MISSKELLEY: They asked me how come I left so early and stuff. Then I told them that I couldn’t stand there watching it no more so, I had to do something to get out of there.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, who called you?
*A119 MISSKELLEY: Jason
DETECTIVE RIDGE: And you mentioned that you heard some voice in the background?
*A120 MISSKELLEY: I heard some of Damien.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: And what else, I think you said that he made the call from his house?
*A121 MISSKELLEY: He made the call from his house and Damien was hollering in the background saying, we done it, we done it, what are going to do if somebody saw us, what are we going to do?
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, now the knives, was there one knife, two knives, was your knife there?
*A122 MISSKELLEY: Un-uh.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Did somebody take it and use your knife? Do you have a knife?
*A123 MISSKELLEY: I have one knife
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Where is it at?
*A124 MISSKELLEY: At home.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, the knife that you said Jason was using?
*A125 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Where is it?
*A126 MISSKELLEY: Uh, I don’t know what he done with it, cause after I left then that’s when, I don’t know what they done with, after I left I don’t know what they done with.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: He didn’t tell you he hid it somewhere?
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: I’ve got a feeling here, you’re not quite telling me everything, now we’re, you know we’re recording everything, so this is very, very important to tell us the entire truth. If you were there the whole time, then tell us that you were there the whole time, don’t leave anything out. This is very, very important, now just tell us the truth.
*A127 MISSKELLEY: I was there until they tied them up and then that’s when I left, after they tied them up, I left.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: But, you saw them cutting on the boys,
*A128 MISSKELLEY: I saw them cutting on them, and then they, they
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: So, what else, what else left is there, after that?
*A129 MISSKELLEY: Then they laid the knife down beside them and I saw them tying them up and then that’s when I left.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Were the boys conscience (sic) or were they
*A130 MISSKELLEY: They were unconscious then
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Unconscious
*A131 MISSKELLEY: And after I left they done more.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: They done more.
*A132 MISSKELLEY: They started screwing them again.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, how were they screwing them when you saw them?
*A133 MISSKELLEY: They, Jason stuck his in one of them’s mouth and Damien was screwing one of them up the ass and stuff.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, and the one that they were cutting the penis off of, did any of them, or cutting the penis or whatever was being done, did they have sex with him at all?
*A134 MISSKELLEY: No
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Did any one of them?
*A135 MISSKELLEY: Jason did
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Jason did?
*A136 MISSKELLEY: Jason was screwing him while Damien stuck his in his mouth and got a blow job.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, how did he have sex with that one?
*A137 MISSKELLEY: Damien, he was holding him down like, and Jason had his legs up in the air and that little boy was kicking, saying, ‘don’t, no’ like that.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, he had his legs up in the air. Alright, what was to keep these little boys from running off? If just their hands are tied, what’s to keep them from running off?
*A138 MISSKELLEY: They beat them up so bad so they can’t hardly move. They hadn’t tied, had their hands tied down and he just sit on them.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: You said that they had their hands tied up, tied down, were their hands tied in a fashion to where they couldn’t have run? You tell me.
*A139 MISSKELLEY: They could, they could run, they just had them tied, when they knocked them down and stuff, they could hold their arms and stuff, and just hold them down like, where he couldn’t raise up and the other one picked his legs up.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, so they had them under control. You were there the whole time that was taking place?
*A140 MISSKELLEY: I was there.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, none of them was cut on the face real bad, is that what you said?
*A141 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: And one of them was being cut on his penis?
*A142 MISSKELLEY: Yes sir.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright,
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Did you ever use, did anyone use a stick and hit the boys with?
*A143 MISSKELLEY: Damien had kind of a big old stick when he hit that first one, after he hit him with his fist and knocked him down and then he got him a big old stick and hit him.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: What did the stick look like, I mean was it like a, a, a big log like that or is it, is it a stick?
*A144 MISSKELLEY: It, I would say it was about that, about that big around, I would say about that long.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Okay
DETECTIVE RIDGE: About the size of a baseball bat, maybe just a little bit bigger around?
*A145 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm. That’s about right.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: That’s what you’re describing with your hands, right?
*A146 MISSKELLEY: Right
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay. How long was the knife that Jason was using?
*A147 MISSKELLEY: About that long (faint).
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright, you’re describing a knife that would be about 6 inches long, is that right?
*A148 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: And, what kind of blade did it have on it?
*A149 MISSKELLEY: Mm, like a regular, just a regular knife blade
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Was it a knife that you fold up, or was it a, like a hunting knife?
*A150 MISSKELLEY: It was
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Just one piece
*A151 MISSKELLEY: Just a fold up knife
DETECTIVE RIDGE: It was a folding knife?
*A152 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, uh. Does Damien have a knife?
*A153 MISSKELLEY: No
DETECTIVE RIDGE: He doesn’t have one, he didn’t have one that night?
*A154 MISSKELLEY: He didn’t have one that night
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Did he borrow yours?
*A155 MISSKELLEY: No, he didn’t borrow mine.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Did they have a briefcase with them?
*A156 MISSKELLEY: Un-uh.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Didn’t, you didn’t see a briefcase?
*A157 MISSKELLEY: I didn’t see a briefcase, not unless they left it there at that day before it happened, not unless they left it there and knew about it, but I didn’t see it that day.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Have you ever seen them with a briefcase before?
*A158 MISSKELLEY: I’ve seen them once that one night, I seen them with it that night.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Okay, what is kept inside of that briefcase?
*A159 MISSKELLEY: They had some cocaine, and, and a little gun.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Is that when you first saw the pictures of the little boys?
*A160 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm, out there in Lakeshore.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: And you saw the pictures in the briefcase?
*A161 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm, I think when we had that cult.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Okay, now you have participated in this cult, right?
*A162 MISSKELLEY: Yes
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: And how long have you been involved in it?
*A163 MISSKELLEY: I’ve been in it for about three months.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Okay, what is, tell me some of the things you all do typically in the woods, in, as being in this cult.
*A164 MISSKELLEY: We go out kill dogs and stuff and then carry girls out there.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: What do you all do with the girls when you’re out there?
*A165 MISSKELLEY: We screw them and stuff
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Does just everybody take turns?
*A166 MISSKELLEY: Everybody, mm-hmm, and we all have an orgy and stuff like that.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Okay
DETECTIVE RIDGE: When you kill a dog, what do you do with it?
*A167 MISSKELLEY: We usually skin it, then a little bonfire and eat it and stuff
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, when you’re initiating somebody new to come into it, to come into a cult, what actually is done to initiate that person into a cult?
*A168 MISSKELLEY: We usually, we usually, you know, kill the animal, you know, to see if he knows, knows how to handle the meat and stuff, after we kill it to see if he knows, if he can’t handle it, then he don’t get in.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, so he kills an animal. You mentioned earlier that he may have to eat part of that animal, what part of the animal would he eat?
*A169 MISSKELLEY: Uh, part of the, uh, the meat off his leg.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: The meat off his leg.
*A170 MISSKELLEY: If he, if he can’t eat it, then he don’t, he don’t get in.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Doesn’t get into the club?
*A171 MISSKELLEY: Un-uh.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Now, on these, these meetings, have they ever been violent, anybody get mad and got into a fight?
*A172 MISSKELLEY: No
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, the night you were in these woods, uh had you all been in the water?
*A173 MISSKELLEY: Yeah, we’ve been in the water, we were in it that night, playing around in it.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: You were playing around in the water? Alright, what were you doing in the water?
*A174 MISSKELLEY: Just
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Besides just playing, the little boys, had they been in the water? Did they get into the water with you all?
*A175 MISSKELLEY: No, they didn’t get into the water with us
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, what were you doing in the water?
*A176 MISSKELLEY: We were just sitting there, throwing stuff at each other.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, were you all having sex?
*A177 MISSKELLEY: No. I wasn’t
DETECTIVE RIDGE: You weren’t?
*A178 MISSKELLEY: No.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Was Damien and Jason having sex?
*A179 MISSKELLEY: They, they take turns going up under the water.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Going under the water, what were they doing up under the water?
*A180 MISSKELLEY: I don’t know. They, they’s sitting so far away, they, they’s go for the water sitting, about, I would say about five to ten seconds, then come up and then the other one would go down
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, so they were just messing around in the water. They called for these boys to come over there?
*A181 MISSKELLEY: Yeah, they, they seen them boys and then they hollered, Damien hollered, said, hey, and the little boys come up there.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Did they call them by name?
*A182 MISSKELLEY: Un-uh, they just hollered at them, and they, they slowed up.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Where did the boys put their bikes?
*A183 MISSKELLEY: Close to right where there before you come in and they laid them down right there, and I don’t know, after I left I don’t know what they done with the bikes.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: You didn’t do anything to the bikes at all?
*A184 MISSKELLEY: No.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Are you sure?
*A185 MISSKELLEY: Positive.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: You didn’t touch the bikes?
*A186 MISSKELLEY: I didn’t touch them.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: You’ve been back to this place since that murder?
*A187 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Since it took (unintelligible) place. What did you do while you were there? And be truthful.
*A188 MISSKELLEY: I went down there, I just sit there, and after what they did to the boys, I just sit there
DETECTIVE RIDGE: And did what?
*A189 MISSKELLEY: Just thought, what they, what happened to them real bad, I just thought.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay.
*A190 MISSKELLEY: And then I left and stuff.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: And stuff?
*A191 MISSKELLEY: Left and walked home.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: When did you go back there? Out.
*A192 MISSKELLEY: Two or three days after it happened, and I left.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: You were there by yourself?
*A193 MISSKELLEY: I was there by myself.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Did you go there with some more boys once?
*A194 MISSKELLEY: Me, David and (hard to hear, sounds like Bill).
DETECTIVE RIDGE: To that particular place?
*A195 MISSKELLEY: No, not to that place.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Are you willing to go down there with us and us have a camcorder and you show us where these things took place? Would you do that? (3 seconds of silence) Wouldn’t have any problem with that?
*A196 MISSKELLEY: Not that I know of, I wouldn’t.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Huh?
*A197 MISSKELLEY: Not that I know of, I wouldn’t have a problem with that.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: But you would be able to point out where these things took place?
*A198 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Which way the boys came from
*A199 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: And where you all were when he hollered for the boys and stuff like that, you wouldn’t have any problem with that?
*A200 MISSKELLEY: After, after, after the murder and stuff, I would say about two or three days later after it happened, I went down there and thought about it and I haven’t been there ever since.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, let me ask you something, now this is real serious and I want you to be real truthful, and I want you to think about it before you answer it, don’t just say yes or no, real quick. I want you to think about it. Did you actually hit any of these boys?
*A201 MISSKELLEY: No.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Now, tell us the truth.
*A202 MISSKELLEY: No.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Did you actually rape any of these boys?
*A203 MISSKELLEY: No.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Did you actually kill any of these boys?
*A204 MISSKELLEY: No.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Did you see any of the boys actually killed?
*A205 MISSKELLEY: Yes.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, which one did you see killed?
*A206 MISSKELLEY: That one right there.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Now, you’re pointing to the Byers boy again?
*A207 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: How was he actually killed?
*A208 MISSKELLEY: He did, he choked him real bad like.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Choked him? Okay, what was he choking him with?
*A209 MISSKELLEY: His hands, like a, like a stick, he had a big old stick, and he’s kind of holding it over his neck.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, so he was choking him to the point where he actually went unconscious, so at that point, you felt like he was dead?
*A210 MISSKELLEY: Yeah
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, did any of the other two boys, were you there when they were actually killed?
*A211 MISSKELLEY: I don’t know.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: You say that you got sick, from what you were seeing, did you throw up or anything?
*A212 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Where did you throw up at?
*A213 MISSKELLEY: I got a little bit ways out there. I took Seven up and then about a half a mile up the road, is when I threw up, and I had to quit running and (unintelligible) I threw up.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: When you left from there, did you leave running?
*A214 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Were you hiding?
*A215 MISSKELLEY: Un-uh. (difficult to hear.)
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Did you have some blood on your clothes?
*A216 MISSKELLEY: I didn’t have no blood on them, I wasn’t, I didn’t get close to them.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Were your clothes wet still?
*A217 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm, they were damp.
DETECTIVE GITCHELL: Muddy?
*A218 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright, Inspector Gitchell touched on a point, real, real close, now what clothes were Jason wearing that day? That night?
*A219 MISSKELLEY: He was wearing some blue jeans and boots, like army boots like,
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Army boots? And what kind of a shirt, you know everybody wears a special shirt for different things.
*A220 MISSKELLEY: He was wearing a, a Megadeth shirt.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: A Megadeth.
*A221 MISSKELLEY: Or maybe it was a Metallica
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Metallica shirt, alright, was he wearing a cap, anything like that?
*A222 MISSKELLEY: No, he wasn’t wearing anything like that
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright, Damien, what was Damien wearing?
*A223 MISSKELLEY: Damien had some black pants on, some boots and a black t-shirt.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Was anything on his shirt?
*A224 MISSKELLEY: No.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: No kind of design or anything?
*A225 MISSKELLEY: No, just black.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: These blue jeans that Jason was wearing, were they designer jeans, or were they old jeans, wore out, holes?
*A226 MISSKELLEY: They were wore out.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: What did they look like?
*A227 MISSKELLEY: They had holes in them and the knees and stuff.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Holes in the knees. What color is Jason’s hair?
*A228 MISSKELLEY: Blonde.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Bright blonde, or like a sandy reddish type blonde, you know the difference?
*A229 MISSKELLEY: It’s like a sandy colored blonde.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Sandy colored blonde. Okay, he’s wearing blue jeans, he had on a Metallica shirt, now this is a shirt that’s got Metallica across the front of it spelled out, and a man’s name, or something under it, or a picture, is that right? You tell me.
*A230 MISSKELLEY: They have pictures.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: A picture of somebody.
*A231 MISSKELLEY: Different shirts, uh, you know, different Metallica shirts have different pictures.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Well, which one did he have?
*A232 MISSKELLEY: He had that uh, like a, uh that scratched skull on it something like.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: A skull?
*A233 MISSKELLEY: Yeah
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, what were you wearing that day?
*A234 MISSKELLEY: I was just wearing regular blue jeans, my shoes and. . .
DETECTIVE RIDGE: What kind of shoes were you wearing?
*A235 MISSKELLEY: My uh, Adidas.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Adidas tennis shoes?
*A236 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, what kind of shirt were you wearing?
*A237 MISSKELLEY: I was just wearing a regular one of my old greasy up t-shirt.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, was it a designed shirt, like this bull-run type shirt, or was it just a plain white. . .
*A238 MISSKELLEY: Plain white
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Old t-shirt. Where are these shoes at now?
*A239 MISSKELLEY: A friend of mine, he borrowed them
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Who is that?
*A240 MISSKELLEY: Buddy Lucas.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Buddy Lucas?
*A241 MISSKELLEY: He borrowed them from me.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: The boots that Damien had on, are they army type boots too, or what kind of boots were they?
*A242 MISSKELLEY: Close like army type, not quite.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, they are black, is that right, lace up?
*A243 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, and Jason’s black, lace up?
*A244 MISSKELLEY: Jason’s was black up to, about three quarters high.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Oh, they come way up on him?
*A245 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, Damien’s didn’t come up that far?
*A246 MISSKELLEY: Un-uh.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay. They killed the boys, you decided to go, you went home, how long after you got home before you received the phone call? 30 minutes, an hour?
*A247 MISSKELLEY: An hour.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: An hour after you got home. Okay, so they were there for a lot longer?
*A248 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: When he called you on the phone, did he say that he had just got in?
*A249 MISSKELLEY: He, he, he did, he called me, when he first got, called me, he said, how come I, how come I left, and said, I couldn’t stand it, I had to do something else.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay.
*A250 MISSKELLEY: And then Damien. . .
DETECTIVE RIDGE: You couldn’t stand it.
*A251 MISSKELLEY: And then Damien, I heard Damien in the background saying we done it, we done it, what we going to do now, what if somebody saw us?
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay. Did anybody see you leaving?
*A252 MISSKELLEY: No.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: That you know of.
*A253 MISSKELLEY: That I know of.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Did anybody see Damien and Jason?
*A254 MISSKELLEY: I don’t know, I left before them.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: But have you heard anybody say that they saw Damien and Jason?
*A255 MISSKELLEY: No.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: You haven’t heard anybody?
*A256 MISSKELLEY: Un-uh.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay. Now these initiations, you said that they eat part of the leg muscle?
*A257 MISSKELLEY: Muscle. Yes.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Leg meat.
*A258 MISSKELLEY: Yes.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Would that involve eating part of the penis of the animal?
*A259 MISSKELLEY: Un-uh.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Just the meat?
*A260 MISSKELLEY: Just the meat.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay. Has Jason and Damien talked to you since this happened?
*A261 MISSKELLEY: Un-uh.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: They haven’t talked to you about this?
*A262 MISSKELLEY: They, they, they hadn’t said nothing around me, cause I’m around some of my friends, they don’t say nothing.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: When you’ve been by yourself, and I’m sure in the last three weeks you’ve been by yourself with them sometime.
*A263 MISSKELLEY: You know Damien he just, he keeps on asking me how come I left and stuff and hadn’t anybody said anything to me about it.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay, what did he say to you about when you came to the police department, that boy, you seeing that boy in the woods? Up there behind the Goodyear place? What did he say about that?
*A264 MISSKELLEY: He doesn’t know about that.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: He doesn’t know that.
*A265 MISSKELLEY: Un-uh.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Okay. What about when you get with Jason by himself?
*A266 MISSKELLEY: He, he just, he keeps on asking me what are we going to do next, I told him, I can’t do nothing now cause I go to work with my daddy everyday. I made that excuse to him.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: So, they are scared, is that right?
*A267 MISSKELLEY: They are scared cause after what they did, I told them that I have that excuse (unclear) that I was going to work with my daddy, I got to do something, I got to do something.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: So, what do you think ought to be done to them for killing these boys?
*A268 MISSKELLEY: I think they need to be put away for awhile,
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Put away for a while. Do you think they are sick or just mean?
*A269 MISSKELLEY: I think they are sick.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: They are sick. Okay. Is there anything else that you want to add to this statement?
*A270 MISSKELLEY: No.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Why did you not come forward with this information?
*A271 MISSKELLEY: Cause I was scared
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Scared of Damien? or scared of the police?
*A272 MISSKELLEY: Scared of the police.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Are you scared of Damien now?
*A273 MISSKELLEY: No.
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Are you scared of the police now?
*A274 MISSKELLEY: Un-uh (faint)
DETECTIVE RIDGE: You are not, so we’ve treated you well?
*A275 MISSKELLEY: Mm-hmm (faint)
DETECTIVE RIDGE: Alright, I am going to conclude this interview, the time is 3:18.