TODAY IS WEDNESDAY JUNE 9TH 1993 THE TIME IS 3:15 P. M. WE ARE IN THE PATRIOTS MINI STORAGE OFFICES BELONGING TO A DON BRAY OF THE MARION POLICE DEPARTMENT. PRESENT IS MYSELF INSP. GARY GITCHELL ALSO AARON HUTCHESON, AND ALSO AARON'S MOTHER VICKI, AND THE REASON I'M HERE IS I UNDERSTAND AARON THAT YOU HAVE BEEN TALKING TO MR. BRAY.
AARON: UH-HUH (YES)
GITCHELL: AND YOU AND MR. BRAY ARE PRETTY GOOD BUDDIES AND YOU'VE BEEN TALKING TO HIM, AND TELLING HIM ABOUT SOME THINGS, AND UM, COURSE I TALKED WITH YOU A WHILE BACK AND YOU TOLD ME SOME THINGS THEN, AND I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE SOME MORE THINGS YOU WANT TO TELL US. IS THAT RIGHT?
AARON: UH-HUH (YES)
GITCHELL: OKAY, UM, YOU WANT TO START JUST START UP FROM THE BEGINNING AND TELL ME WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT OKAY? OKAY GO AHEAD JUST TELL ME FROM THE BEGINNING?
AARON: TUESDAY UM, JESSIE TOLD ME THAT UM, SOMETHING WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO MY FRIENDS
GITCHELL: OKAY, JESSIE TOLD YOU THAT?
AARON: UH-HUH (YES
GITCHELL: THAT'S UM, YOU KNOW JESSIE'S LAST NAME ?
AARON: MISSKELLEY
GITCHELL: OKAY, UM, DID HE TELL YOU WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN?
AARON: UH-UH (NO)
GITCHELL: DID YOU, DID YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OR DID YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN?
AARON: (inaudible)
GITCHELL: OKAY, UM, SO WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT HE TOLD YOU TUESDAY THAT SOMETHING WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, SO TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT, DID YOU GO ANYWHERE OR JUST GO AHEAD AND TELL ME ABOUT IT TELL ME THE STORY
AARON: I UM, HE TOLD ME THAT SOMETHING WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO MY FRIENDS / / / / / HE SAID WAS THAT, HE SAID ALRIGHT ABOUT AFTER THAT HE SAID UM, YOU GET YOUR FRIENDS AND I'LL GET MINE AND WE GO DOWN THERE AND DO SOMETHING
GITCHELL: OKAY, AND WHEN WAS YOU SUPPOSE TO MEET DOWN THERE?
AARON: ON WEDNESDAY
GITCHELL: WEDNESDAY, OKAY, NOW THE WEDNESDAY YOUR TALKING ABOUT IS THAT, IS THAT THE DAY BEFORE THAT THE POLICE FOUND YOUR FRIENDS
AARON: IT WAS THE DAY, THAT THEY GOT KILLED
GITCHELL: OKAY THE WEDNESDAY THE DAY THEY GOT KILLED OKAY, UM, SO DID YOU GO DOWN THERE? YOU DIDN'T GO TO ROBIN HOOD?
AARON: I DIDN'T GO BUT UM, MICHAEL, CHRIS, AND THEM THEY ASK MY MOM IF I COULD GO. AND MY MOM SAID NO, I GOT, I WENT HOME AND GOT ON MY BIKE AND WENT DOWN TO ROBIN HOOD
GITCHELL: OKAY, SO YOUR MOTHER PICKED YOU, YOUR MOTHER PICK YOU UP SCHOOL IS THAT RIGHT?
AARON: (inaudible)
GITCHELL: OKAY, AND SHE WOULDN'T LET YOU GO DOWN THERE, SO YOU WENT HOME WITH YOUR MOTHER, AND LIVE, AND WHERE DO YOU LIVE AT NOW?
AARON: HIGHLAND PARK
GITCHELL: SO, YOUR TELLING ME YOU GOT ON YOUR BICYCLE IS THAT RIGHT?
AARON: UH-HUH (YES)
GITCHELL: AND WHERE DID YOU GO TO?
AARON: ROBIN HOOD
GITCHELL: OKAY, UM, DID ANYONE GO WITH YOU TO ROBIN HOOD? OKAY, UM, DID YOU MEET ANYBODY WHEN YOU GOT TO ROBIN HOOD?
AARON: UH-UH (NO)
GITCHELL: WERE YOU THE FIRST ONE THERE?
AARON: NO, UM, IS JUST SEEN MICHAEL AND CHRIS THERE
GITCHELL: ALRIGHT, WHERE WERE THEY AT WHEN YOU FIRST SAW THEM? THE VERY FIRST TIME YOU SAW THEM THAT DAY WHERE WERE THEY AT?
AARON: THEY WERE, THEY WERE BEHIND A TREE
GITCHELL: OKAY, WHAT WERE THEY DOING BEHIND THE TREE?
AARON: WATCHING, UM, JESSIE AND SOME OTHER MEN
GITCHELL: OKAY, AND WHAT WERE THESE OTHER MEN DOING?
AARON: THEY WERE TALKING
GITCHELL: OKAY, UM, THEN WHEN, WHEN YOUR TWO FRIENDS, WELL YOU THREE FRIENDS, DID YOU KNOW THE BRANCH BOY? DID YOU KNOW STEVIE? OF COURSE DID YOU KNOW CHRIS? OKAY, AND KNEW YOU UM,
AARON: MICHAEL
GITCHELL: YOU KNEW UM, MICHAEL OKAY, AND ALL THREE OF THEM WERE YOUR FRIENDS? WERE ALL THREE OF THEM THERE? WHEN YOU CAME UP ON YOUR BICYCLE?
AARON: I ONLY SEEN MICHAEL AND CHRIS, I DIDN'T SEE STEVE
GITCHELL: OKAY, WHERE DO... WAS HE THERE AT ALL?
AARON: UH-HUH (YES)
GITCHELL: WELL WHERE WAS HE AT?
AARON: WITH JESSIE
GITCHELL: UM, WHERE WAS JESSIE AND STEVE AT?
AARON: CLOSE TO UM, BLUE BEACON TRUCK STOP
GITCHELL: WHAT... TELL ME WHAT THEY WERE DOING?
AARON: STEVE CAME IN LATE, THEN JESSIE, HE SEEN UM, JESSIE AND STARTED RUNNING AND THEN HE CAUGHT JESSIE, I MEAN HE CAUGHT STEVE
GITCHELL: JESSIE CAUGHT STEVE? OKAY, AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED?
AARON: AND THEY... THEY TOOK HIM BACK TOWARDS UM, BACK TO OUR PLACE / / /
GITCHELL: WHERE THE OTHER GUYS ARE AT, OKAY, DID THE... THE OTHER GUYS SEE YOUR OTHER TWO FRIENDS THEN?
AARON: UH-HUH (YES)
GITCHELL: OKAY, WHAT HAPPENED THEN?
AARON: THEY... THEY TOOK THEM AND THEN THEY KILLED THEM
GITCHELL: OKAY, WHAT... WHAT DID THEY DO TO THE BOYS YOUR FRIENDS?
AARON: THEY... THEY SLAPPED THEM
GITCHELL: OKAY, DID HOW MANY OF THE GUYS HAD A KNIFE?
AARON: I SEEN ALL OF THEM WITH ONE
GITCHELL: OKAY, UM, DID THEY SEE YOU?
AARON: JES... I RAN AND JESSIE CAUGHT ME THEN, I GOT AWAY, AND THEN HE CAUGHT ME AGAIN, AND I UM, HE TIED ME UP I UM, I STAYED THERE FOR ABOUT 40 SECONDS AND GOT UNTIED
GITCHELL: HOW DID HE TIE YOU UP?
AARON: WITH A ROPE
GITCHELL: WITH A ROPE, HOW, SHOW ME HOW HE TIED YOU?
AARON: HE TIED MY HANDS LIKE THIS AND MY FEET DOWN LIKE THIS
GITCHELL: OKAY, UM, DID HE HAVE THIS ROPE WITH HIM? WHERE DID HE GET THE ROPE FROM?
AARON: THEY FOUND IT... THEY FOUND IT
GITCHELL: DO YOU KNOW WHERE THEY FOUND IT AT?
AARON: (inaudible)
GITCHELL: UM, SO THEY TIED YOU UP AND
AARON: THEN THEY LEFT AND THEN I GOT UNTIED, AND THAT WAS THE WHOLE THING
GITCHELL: OKAY, DID THEY DO ANYTHING TO YOU?
AARON: THEY... THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO ME BUT JUST TIE ME UP
GITCHELL: OKAY, DID THEY... DID THEY TOUCH YOU ANY WHERE?
AARON: (inaudible)
GITCHELL: THEY DIDN'T HURT YOU AT ALL?
AARON: THEY COULDN'T HURT ME, CAUSE I KICKED EVERYONE THEM WITH FOOT, JUST LIKE THIS, TIED UP
GITCHELL: UM, SO YOU WERE THERE, WHEN THEY WERE HURTING YOUR FRIENDS, TELL ME ABOUT THAT OKAY?
AARON: THEY UM, THEY GOT STABBED
GITCHELL: DO YOU KNOW WHERE THEY GOT STABBED AT? WHERE DID THEY GET STABBED AT?
AARON: MICHAEL AND CHIRS GOT STABBED IN THE NECK, THEN STEVE... STEVE HE UM, HE RAN AND ONE OF THE MEN HAD A KNIFE HOLDING IT LIKE THIS, AND STEVE RAN AND TRIPPED AND HE FELL ON HIS KNEES AND THEN UM, AND ONE OF THE MEN MOVED HIS UM, HIS KNIFE THE KNIFE DOWN AND STABBED HIM IN THE STOMACH
GITCHELL: OKAY, UM, DID THEY HAVE ALL THEIR CLOTHES ON?
AARON: THEY GOT TOOK OFF
GITCHELL: HOW DID THEIR CLOTHES GET TOOK OFF?
AARON: THEY GOT... THEY PULLED THEIR CLOTHES OFF
GITCHELL: NOW... NOW WHO, SOMEBODY PULLED THE CLOTHES OFF YOUR FRIENDS? WHO PULLED THE CLOTHES OFF?
AARON: JESSIES PULLED OFF STEVE'S, UM, JASON HE PULLED OFF MICHAEL'S, AND ONE OF THEM OTHER MEN, I DON'T KNOW PULLED OFF STE… CHRIS'S
GITCHELL: OKAY, UM, DID YOU SEE THESE BOYS, THESE GUYS TIE YOUR FRIENDS UP? HOW DID THEY TIE YOUR FRIENDS UP?
AARON: THEIR FEET AND HANDS TOGETHER
GITCHELL: OKAY, HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY USED, TO TIE THEM UP WITH?
AARON: ROPE
GITCHELL: OKAY, DO YOU KNOW WHERE THE ROPE CAME FROM?
AARON: THEY JUST FOUND IT
GITCHELL: OKAY, THEY DIDN'T DO WHAT WHEN THEY TOOK THEIR CLOTHES OFF OF THEM UM, WHAT DID THEY DO WITH THEIR CLOTHES?
AARON: THEY... THEY THREW THEM
GITCHELL: DO YOU KNOW WHERE THEY THREW THEM AT?
AARON: I THINK THEY HID THEM
GITCHELL: OKAY, UM, WHEN YOU GOT AWAY WHAT WAS YOUR FRIENDS DOING?
AARON: THEY WERE ALREADY UM, THEY WERE ALREADY IN THE WATER
GITCHELL: HOW DID THEY GET IN THE WATER?
AARON: THOSE MEN PUSHED THEM IN THE WATER
GITCHELL: OKAY, WHY DIDN'T THEY, WHY, DO YOU KNOW WHY THEY DIDN'T HURT YOU? DID THEY SAY ANYTHING TO YOU?
AARON: THEY SAID THAT IF I TOLD THAT THEY... THEY... THEY WOULD KILL ME
GITCHELL: WHY DO YOU THINK THEY LET YOU GO?
AARON: THEY DIDN'T I GOT, I GOT AWAY
GITCHELL: DID YOU TELL YOU MAMA ABOUT IT?
AARON: (inaudible)
GITCHELL: WELL WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL YOUR MAMA?
AARON: I DON'T KNOW
GITCHELL: YOU KNOW WHEN WE TALKED TO YOU THE OTHER DAY YOU DIDN'T TELL US ABOUT THIS DID YOU?
AARON: (inaudible)
GITCHELL: WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US ABOUT IT?
AARON: BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID OF JESSIE SEEN ME AND UM, THAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR HIM THAT HE WOULD KILL ME
GITCHELL: UM, DID... DID YOU ACTUALLY SEE THE BOYS PUT YOUR FRIENDS IN THE WATER?
AARON: (inaudible)
GITCHELL: YOU DID SEE THEM DO THAT?
AARON: UH-HUH (YES)
GITCHELL: AND YOU WERE STILL TIED UP RIGHT THEN?
AARON: I GOT UNTIED ABOUT 40... 40 SECONDS
GITCHELL: HAVE YOU TOLD ANYBODY ELSE ABOUT THIS? NOW YOU TOLD MR. BRAY ABOUT IT RIGHT? YOU TOLD MR. BRAY FIRST? IS THAT RIGHT?
AARON: YES SIR
GITCHELL: DID YOU TELL YOUR MAMA BEFORE YOU TOLD MR. BRAY?
AARON: (inaudible)
GITCHELL: UM, WHAT DID YOU TELL YOUR MOTHER THAT YOU JUST WANTED TO TALK TO MR. BRAY? I MEAN HOW... HOW DID YOU WIND COMING DOWN AND TALKING TO MR. BRAY ABOUT THIS THE OTHER DAY?
AARON: I DON'T KNOW, HE ASK ME AND I TOLD HIM
GITCHELL: OKAY, HAVE YOU SEEN THE STUFF ON THE TV ABOUT ALL OF THIS? HAVE YOU BEEN WATCHING TV ABOUT IT?
AARON: (inaudible)
GITCHELL: OKAY, UM, THESE GUYS YOU, THE GUYS THAT YOU JUST SAID, YOU CALLED THEM BY NAME, DO YOU KNOW THEIR NAMES?
AARON: I KNOW JESSIE, DAMIEN AND JASON
GITCHELL: HOW DO YOU KNOW THEM?
AARON: THEY ALWAYS UM, JESSIE WAS JESSIE LIVED CLOSE TO US, WHICH WAS BUBBA COUSIN, AND BUBBA ALWAYS TALK TO DAMIEN AND JASON
GITCHELL: OKAY, SO YOU KNEW THEM BEFORE ALL THIS STUFF HAPPENED? AND JESSIE WANTED YOU TO COME DOWN THERE? BUT HE DIDN'T TELL YOU WHY TO COME DOWN THERE?
AARON: UH-UH (NO)
GITCHELL: HAS JESSIE SAID ANYTHING TO YOU? AFTER THIS ALL HAS HAPPENED?
AARON: I DON'T THINK SO / / / / /
GITCHELL: HE'S NOT SAID ANYTHING TO YOU? HAS HE BEEN OVER TO YOUR HOUSE?
AARON: HU-HUH (YES)
GITCHELL: OKAY, HOW MANY TIME HAS HE BEEN TO YOUR HOUSE?
AARON: I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES, BUT HE'S BEEN OVER THERE
GITCHELL: AND HE NEVER SAID ANYTHING TO YOU?
AARON: (inaudible)
GITCHELL: DO KNOW WHAT TIME IT WAS WHEN YOU GOT, WHEN YOU GOT OVER THERE AND MET YOU FRIENDS THERE?
AARON: NOT THE , NOT THE EXACT TIME / / / /
GITCHELL: OKAY, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN IT WAS AT ALL?
AARON: ABOUT AT 3
GITCHELL: NAW, I BELIEVE YOUR MOTHER WOULD HAVE BEEN PICKING YOU UP FROM SCHOOL ABOUT THAT TIME
AARON: ABOUT AT 3 AND THEN SHE PICKED ME UP AND I WENT HOME
GITCHELL: OKAY, SO IT WAS AFTER YOU GOT OUT OF SCHOOL AND YOUR MOTHER TOOK YOU HOME
AARON: UH-HUH (YES)
GITCHELL: OKAY, DID YOUR MOTHER GO SOME WHERE? HOW DID YOU, HOW DID YOU GET ON YOUR BICYCLE AND LEAVE? WITHOUT YOUR MAMA KNOWING IT?
AARON: I JUST GOT ON MY BIKE AND STARTED RIDING
GITCHELL: TELL ME HOW YOU GET THERE ON YOUR BICYCLES?
AARON: I WENT UNDERNEATH THE UM, THE BLACK... BLACK BRIDGE AND... AND I, BLACK BRIDGE THAT WENT UP WHERE THE TRAIN COMES AND I WENT UP THE SERVICE ROAD, I GOT TO LOVE'S AND WENT, I WENT I THINK I TURNED THAT AWAY AND I FOUND BLUE BEACON TRUCK STOP AND PARKED MY BIKE BEHIND THERE
GITCHELL: OKAY, WHAT KIND OF BIKE YOU GOT?
AARON: A MURRY, BUT IT GOT TORN UP AFTER THAT
GITCHELL: IT DID, AARON LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING OKAY? AND I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT ME, WHEN I ASK YOU THIS OKAY, ARE YOU TELLING ME THE TRUTH?
AARON: UH-HUH (YES)
GITCHELL: HOW CAN I BE SURE YOUR TELLING ME THE TRUTH?
AARON: I DON'T KNOW
GITCHELL: SEE I REALLY WISHED YOU HAD TOLD ME THIS A LONG TIME AGO, IT WOULD HAVE MADE THINGS A LOT EASIER REALLY YOU KNOW IT? HOW COME YOU DIDN'T TELL ME NOW? HUH?
AARON: I DON'T KNOW
GITCHELL: DID UM, JESSIE DO ANYTHING TO YOU?
AARON: HE... HE.. HE UM ABUSE ME
GITCHELL: TELL ME WHAT HE DID TO YOU OKAY? MAYBE WE CAN HELP STRAIGHTEN THINGS OUT, TELL ME WHAT HE DID? THAT'S OKAY?
AARON: HE
GITCHELL: THAT'S OKAY
AARON: HE CAUGHT ME DOWN AND THEN TIE ME AND UM, HE... HE UM, ABUSE OF KILLING ME
GITCHELL: HE WHAT?
AARON: HE ABUSE ME OF KILLING ME
GITCHELL: OKAY, WHAT EXACTLY DID HE DO TO YOU THOUGH YOU CAN TELL ME ABOUT IT? IT'S OKAY, NONE OF THIS IS YOUR FAULT, THIS, NONE OF THIS IS YOUR FAULT OKAY, YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG,
AARON: HE TRIED TO CUT ME
GITCHELL: WHERE... WHERE DID HE TRY TO CUT YOU?
AARON: UM, IT WAS ON MY SIDE, BUT HE DIDN'T GET... GET HE WAS ABOUT THAT MUCH CLOSER UM, TRIED TO CUT ME / / /
GITCHELL: DID HE DO ANYTHING ELSE TO YOU?
AARON: I KICKED HIM AND THEN HE STARTED, HE STARTED RUNNING AND HE DIDN'T COME BACK
GITCHELL: DID HE UM, MESS WITH YOU IN ANYWAY? I KNOW SOME OF THIS STUFF IS HARD TO TALK ABOUT, I KNOW IT BOTHERS YOU AND YOU'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT A LOT, BUT THE ONLY THAT WE CAN STRAIGHTEN ALL THIS OLD MESS OUT, IS... IS TO GET THE TRUTH FROM YOU, AARON WE NEED THE TRUTH FROM YOU?
AARON: I DID TELL YOU THE TRUTH
GITCHELL: CAUSE IT REAL... REAL, I KNOW BUT ITS REAL... REAL IMPORTANT, AND IF ANYBODY DID ANYTHING TO YOU, I WANT YOU TO TELL ME ABOUT IT OKAY, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT IT TO HAPPEN ANYMORE, OKAY, AND YOU DID NOT DO ANYTHING WRONG, YOUR ONLY EIGHT YEARS OLD, YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG, IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT, OKAY, BUT IT'S REALLY... REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU CAN TELL ME ABOUT IT. DID ANYTHING ELSE HAPPEN? OKAY? SO DID ANYTHING ELSE HAPPEN? DID ANYTHING ELSE HAPPEN THERE PARTNER?
AARON: HE, JESSIE HE CUT, THEY UM, CUT OFF UM, THEY CUT OFF THE PRIVATE SPOT
GITCHELL: WHO DID THEY DO THAT TO?
AARON: MICHAEL
GITCHELL: OKAY, UM, DID THEY TOUCH YOU?
AARON: UH-HUH (YES)
GITCHELL: OKAY, TELL ME HOW THEY DID OKAY? IT'S OKAY NOBODY IS GOING TO BOTHER YOU ANY MORE OKAY, NOBODY GOING TO HURT YOU, NOBODY GOING TO BOTHER YOU ANYMORE, YOU'VE GOT YOUR LITTLE GUARDIAN ANGEL RIGHT THERE, WHAT DID THEY DO TO AARON?
AARON: THEY WOULD TOUCH ME ON... ON MY PRIVATE SPOT
GITCHELL: OKAY, ON YOUR PRIVATE SPOTS, THEY TOUCHED YOU? DID THEY TOUCH YOU ON THE FRONT OF YOUR PRIVATES, RIGHT IN HERE
AARON: UH-HUH (YES)
GITCHELL: OKAY, HOW DID THEY DO, TELL ME HOW THEY DID THAT? SO I CAN UNDESTAND HOW THEY DO THAT
AARON: THEY JUST, THEY JUST TOUCHED IT
GITCHELL: OKAY, WITH THEIR HANDS, DID THEY DO ANYTHING ELSE? DID THEY MESS WITH YOUR BOTTOM? THEY DIDN'T MESS WITH YOU BOTTOM? DID THEY HURT YOU ON YOUR PRIVATE SPOT? TELL ME HOW THEY HURT YOU? LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING? COULD YOU TALK BETTER ABOUT THIS IF YOUR MOTHER WASN'T SITTING RIGHT HERE?
AARON: UH-HUH (YES)
GITCHELL: UH-HUH (YES) OKAY, I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT MIGHT BE, IF IT MIGHT BOTHER... BOTHER YOU, TELLING ME THIS WITH YOUR MOTHER SITTING HERE, I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO TALK ABOUT? BUT IT'S OKAY WITH MAMA SITTING HERE YOU CAN TALK ABOUT IT WITH MAMA HERE? OKAY, THAT'S GOOD YOU OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO TELL YOUR MAMA ANYTHING YOU KNOW IT? TELL ME WHAT THEY DID TO HURT YOU OKAY?
AARON: THEY THEY PUT, THEY UM, THEY HURT MY LEG WITH A ROCK
GITCHELL: WITH A ROCK, OKAY, DID THEY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE IN THEIR HANDS? DID THEY HAVE THEIR PRIVATE PARTS OUT?
AARON: UH-UH (NO)
GITCHELL: THEY DIDN'T?
AARON: UH-HU (NO)
GITCHELL: DID THEY HAVE THEIR CLOTHES ON? OKAY, THEY NEVER DID TAKE THEIR CLOTHES OFF THE OTHER GUYS?
AARON: WHEN THEY RAPED... WHEN THEY RAPED MICHAEL CHRIS AND STEVE
GITCHELL: THEY TAKE ALL THEIR CLOTHES OFF? WHERE THEY GOING TO DO THE SAME THING TO YOU?
AARON: UH-HUH (YES) BUT THEY DIDN'T
GITCHELL: OKAY, THEY DIDN'T DO THAT TO YOU? UM, AARON, HOW DO I KNOW EVERYTHING YOU TELL ME IS THE TRUE?
AARON: I DON'T KNOW
GITCHELL: YOUR NOT, ARE YOU MAKING THIS UP? YOUR NOT MAKING IT UP?
AARON: UH-UH (NO)
GITCHELL: UM, DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS KNIFE THAT JESSIE HAD? TELL ME ABOUT THAT KNIFE?
AARON: HE GAVE IT TO ME
GITCHELL: HE DID YOU STILL HAVE IT? WHAT DID YOU DO WITH IT?
AARON: CHRISTY UM, GAVE IT UM TO DON BRAY
GITCHELL: OKAY, WHO GAVE IT TO DON BRAY
AARON: CHRISTY
GITCHELL: CHRISTY OKAY... OKAY CHRISTY IS A FRIEND OF YOURS?
AARON: MY COUSIN
GITCHELL: OKAY, AND WHERE, HOW DID CHRISTY GET IT?
AARON: I HAD IT THE NIGHT SHE TOOK IT FROM ME
GITCHELL: HOW DID YOU WIND UP WITH THAT KNIFE?
AARON: JESSIE GAVE IT TO ME
GITCHELL: WELL NOW, HOW DID JESSIE GIVE YOU THAT KNIFE?
AARON: IT WAS HIS
GITCHELL: BUT YOU GOT AWAY FROM THEM DIDN'T YOU? SO WHEN DID HE GIVE YOU THE KNIFE?
AARON: HE GAVE IT, HE DIDN'T GIVE IT TO ME I UM, I GOT UP, I GOT OUT, I GOT OUT AND I AND I DIDN'T GET IT, I RODE OFF AND UM, GOT JESSIE'S KNIFE AND I UNCUT IT WITH THAT KNIFE, AND UM, AND WHEN I DID I TOOK IT WITH ME, RETURN IT TO JESSIE AND HE GAVE IT BACK TO ME.
GITCHELL: OKAY, WHICH... WHICH ONE OF YOUR FRIENDS WAS PUT IN THE WATER FIRST?
AARON: MICHAEL
GITCHELL: MICHAEL WAS, AND WHO'S PUT IN SECOND?
AARON: CHRIS
GITCHELL: AND WHO WAS THE LAST ONE?
AARON: STEVE
GITCHELL: OKAY, WERE THEY STILL TIED UP WHEN THEY PUT THEM IN THE WATER? WERE THEY?
AARON: HU-HUH (YES)
GITCHELL: AND TELL ME AGAIN HOW THEY WERE TIED UP?
AARON: THEIR FEET AND HANDS WERE TIED TOGETHER
GITCHELL: OKAY, SHOW... SHOW ME HOW... HOW THAT HAPPENED
AARON: UM, THEIR HANDS AND FEET WERE TIED UP TOGETHER LIKE THAT
GITCHELL: OKAY, UM, YOU GOT SOME STRING OR SOMETING THAT, I'LL LET YOU SHOW ME HOW THAT WAS DONE OKAY?
IT'S UH, 3:45 P. M. AND AARON IS NEEDING TO GO TO THE RESTROOM SO I'M PAUSING THE TAPE AT THIS TIME.
OKAY THE TIME IS UM, 4:21 P. M. WEDNESDAY JUNE THE 9TH, 1993, AND AARON'S GOT SOMETHING HERE HE'S GOING TO SHOW ME HOW THE TIEING WAS DONE, OKAY,
AARON: CROSS YOUR HANDS TO FEET TIED TOGETHER INSIDE NOT JUST LIKE THIS / / / / /
GITCHELL: OKAY, SO THE HANDS AND FEET WERE TIED TOGETHER IS THAT WHAT YOUR TELLING ME? OKAY, WAS IT UM, OH, WAS SHOW ME AGAIN NOW HE HAD, LETS PRETEND THIS... THIS HAND TIED OKAY AND WHERE, WHEN THIS HAND TIED WHERE DID THE ROPE GO TO?
AARON: TO HIS FEET
GITCHELL: TO HIS FEET, AND THEN IF THIS ONE WAS TIED WHERE DID IT GO TO? TO HIS FEET, SO DID HE GO FROM LIKE HERE TO HERE
AARON: IT WENT JUST LIKE THIS, THEY TIED IT AND LIKE THEY HAD THEIR FEET AND ARMS TOGETHER LIKE THIS
GITCHELL: DID THEY HAVE THEIR CLOTHES ON?
AARON: UH-UH (NO)
GITCHELL: THEY DIDN'T
AARON: UH-UH (NO)
GITCHELL: OKAY, LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING AARON, DID MAYBE JESSIE TELL YOU ALL ABOUT THIS, LATER ON AND YOU WERE REALLY... REALLY THERE?
AARON: UH-HUH (YES)
GITCHELL: I MEAN THAT'S A PROMISE, HE WERE REALLY... REALLY THERE RIGHT?
AARON: UH-HUH (YES)
GITCHELL: THAT'S A PROMISE TO ME YOUR NOT TELLING ME A STORY RIGHT?
AARON: RIGHT
GITCHELL: OKAY, BECAUSE ME AND YOU ARE BUDDIES AND YOUR NOT GOING TO TELL ME A STORY NOW ARE YOU?
AARON: UH-UH (NO)
GITCHELL: OKAY, I DON'T WANT YOU TO. OKAY, I'M GOING TO STOP THIS TAPE IT IS UH, 4:23 P. M., JUNE 9TH, 1993.
