INTERVIEW

1.KAREN WEST
Friday, October 31, 2014 - 5:23 p.m.
Participants:
Detective T. Armstrong
Detective S. Murphy Karen West
Detective Murphy: Would you please state your name and address for the
record?
Karen West: Karen West.
Detective Murphy: And your address?
Karen West: Umm. 428 Turnberry Court.
Detective Armstrong: Are you all right, Mrs. West?
Karen West: I'm good.
Detective Murphy: We're sorry about your loss.
Karen West: Kelly. Both our names start with K.
Detective Armstrong: Are you medicated, Mrs. West?
Karen West: A wee bit. I took a cab here. He's waiting for me outside. But I'm fully capable of answering
your questions.
Detective Armstrong: That was a good idea, not to drive.
Detective Murphy: What kind of medication did you take?
Karen West: Something that helps me feel good. You can be sure I'll get the name the next time I talk to
my friend.
Detective Murphy: What friend is that?
Karen West: I'm certain he'd rather I not mention his name to you. It also starts with a K. Did either of
you ever notice how many things happen in threes?
Detective Armstrong: There's three of us here in this room, for example.
Detective Murphy: Would you say you and Kelly were close?
Karen West: Best friends. I still can't believe she's gone. The last time I saw her, she was so excited
about South Carolina. Researching restaurants. Making plans.
Detective Murphy: Plans for what?
Karen West: We're going to Charleston, all us girls. Or we were. I don't know what we're doing now.
Detective Murphy: And when did Kelly come over to talk about the plans with you?
Karen West: Yesterday morning. She came over to my house around 11:00 a.m. so we could discuss the
trip.
Detective Murphy: How long was she with you?
Karen West: Not long. We didn't even finish the pitcher of mimosas.
Detective Murphy: So she cut the visit short? Or did you?
Karen West: I don't know, honestly. But all of a sudden she was angry at me. Accused me of going
behind her back.
Detective Murphy: What did she mean by that?
Karen West: Your guess is as good as mine.
Detective Murphy: Did she think you and Russell had grown too close?
Karen West: That's laughable. Russell is so not my type.
Detective Armstrong: How would you describe their marriage?
Karen West: She wanted to have fun. He wanted to work. Connect the dots.
Detective Armstrong: Did she think he was having an affair?
Karen West: An affair sounds too much like fun to interest Russell.
Detective Murphy: How about Kelly? Was she seeing someone?
Karen West: If she was, she never told me.
Detective Armstrong: How has she seemed lately?
Karen West: Happy. Kelly never had any trouble feeling good.
Detective Armstrong: This friend who gave you the medication
Karen West: Kenny?
Detective Murphy: Do you know Kenny's last name? [PAUSE] Karen?
Karen West: I said Kelly, not Kenny. Kelly. Someone broke into her house and killed her, and you sit here
talking to me.
Detective Murphy: Where were you last night?
Karen West: My husband and I went out for dinner and a movie. We were celebrating the anniversary of
our first date.
Detective Armstrong: Congratulations.
Karen West: My best friend is dead, detective.
Detective Murphy: Did you talk to her after she left your house? Talk, text, whatever?
Karen West: I had nothing more to say. Just like right now. If you'll excuse me, I have a taxi waiting.
Detective Armstrong: We'll be in touch. Next time we talk, maybe you'll be a little more clear-headed.
Karen West: You never know. Anything could happen.

End interview - 5:44 p.m.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014 - 11:44 a.m.

Karen West came in for another conversation with the detectives since she wasn't herself in her first
interview.
Detectives Armstrong and Murphy spoke with 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

Karen West

Detective Murphy: Would you please state your name and address for the record?
Karen West: My name is Karen West, and my address is 428 Turnberry Court, Oxford, Mississippi.
Detective Murphy: You seem to be having an easier time answering those questions than the last time
we talked.
Karen West: That was so embarrassing. I am so embarrassed. I apologize to both of you for the way I
must have appeared when I was here before. My blood sugar levels were off the chart.
Detective Armstrong: I understand that can happen.
Detective Murphy: What kind of car does Kenny drive?
Karen West: Kenny? Kenny who?
Detective Murphy: Last time you were here you mentioned a Kenny. Now that your blood sugar is all
better, might you remember his name?
Karen West: I'm not sure who you mean.
Detective Armstrong: Someone else we talked to mentioned a man hanging around the Moran
residence. Apparently he drives an older blue car. Does that sound familiar?
Karen West: I don't really notice what people drive. If you asked me what they wore, that would be a
different thing entirely, but a vehicle is too mechanical to engage my imagination.
Detective Armstrong: Do please keep a lookout for that car, just in case it belongs to the killer and he
decides to enlarge his vision to include Kelly's friends.
Karen West: Are you suggesting I might be in danger?
Detective Armstrong: We don't yet know why Kelly Moran was murdered, and so we can't rule out any
workable theory.
Detective Murphy: A funny thing about blood sugar. People going into insulin shock can exhibit
behaviors not unlike those of someone on drugs.
Karen West: I did apologize if I seemed out of sorts.
Detective Armstrong: We're still processing the plates and descriptions of vehicles seen in the Moran
neighborhood over the last few months. Do you think we might find Kenny that way?
Karen West: I wouldn't have the foggiest idea.
Detective Murphy: Here's what I don't understand. Your friend Kelly? She hurt her back. She's been
plagued by pain for I don't know how long, but guess what we didn't find in her house.
Karen West: I don't know. What?
Detective Murphy: Pain meds. It's as though the killer stole them. And then, if the killer took those
meds, it's not unreasonable to assume that person would act strangely.
Karen West: Are you accusing me of something?
Detective Armstrong: Of course not. We're just trying to get at the truth. Your husband, he didn't have
much good to say about Kelly.
Karen West: No, they weren't the best of friends.
Detective Armstrong: Unless he was trying to convince me he didn't like her so that I wouldn't suspect
the opposite. Do you think it's possible your husband was actually involved with Kelly Moran?
Karen West: The very idea is absurd.
Detective Murphy: I can understand why you might want to take the edge off before coming in here, the
types of questions that can raised. Your best friend. Your husband. Kenny. What part does he play in all
this?
Karen West: As I said before, you must have misunderstood what I said last time.
Detective Murphy: You did seem very addled. Are you under a doctor's care for this blood sugar thing?
Karen West: I keep forgetting to make an appointment.
Detective Murphy: You may want to make yourself a note.
Karen West: I will. Straight after I leave here. Are there any further questions?
Detective Armstrong: Just a few. Are you aware of your husband's movements the night Kelly Moran
was murdered?
Karen West: I don't like what you're implying.
Detective Armstrong: I'm just trying to confirm his story.
Karen West: He worked late and came straight home.

Detective Armstrong: Are you certain of that?

Karen West: I have no reason to doubt him.
Detective Armstrong: And what time did he get home?
Karen West: Probably a little after midnight. A movie I wanted to watch had just started.
Detective Armstrong: Which one was that?
Karen West: Gaslight.
Detective Armstrong: A classic. Isn't that the one where the husband sets out to mess with his wife's
mind?
Karen West: I fell asleep soon after it started.
Detective Armstrong: Hope I didn't ruin the movie for you.
Detective Murphy: I think Detective Armstrong is correct in warning you to keep an eye out for the older
blue vehicle, whether or not Kenny is the one driving it. We're following up on several different leads,
and I'm beginning to wonder if the killer isn't done yet.
Karen West: You're making me nervous. You think I should be scared of this Kenny person?
Detective Murphy: If you don't know him and he doesn't know you, what would you have to be scared
about?
Karen West: You just said he might try to kill me.
Detective Murphy: Why would he want to do that?
Detective Armstrong: Maybe he's worried about what she might tell us about him.
Detective Murphy: That's a good point.
Karen West: But I haven't told you anything about him.
Detective Armstrong: How would he know that?
Karen West: I told you, I don't know him.
Detective Armstrong: Then I guess you have nothing to worry about.
Karen West: I need to go. I don't appreciate you luring me here in the middle of the day. Anyone
could've seen me come in here!
Detective Armstrong: Who would care?
Karen West: Stop it. Stop trying to scare me. I don't want to talk to you anymore. I'm leaving.
Detective Murphy: OK. You have a nice day now.
Detective Armstrong: And if you decide there is something you want to tell us, you know where to find
us.
End interview - 12:08 p.m.