It is 7:15 pm. on Thursday June the 21st 2007 I'm going to attempt to reach Mr. David Jacoby returning his phone call. His phone numher he’s given me is 901-***-**** and he's advised me he's in Little Rock AR., and I'm going to try to contact him and discuss information from the triple homicide case from 1993. Case number 93-05-00666
Hello...
Mitchell: Uh yes I'm trying to reach David Jacoby please.
Jacoby: Yeah this is him.
Mitchell: Mr. Jacoby this is Lt. Mitchell with the West Memphis AR. Police Department. I appreciate I got your message and I happen to be up and had to come back by the off so l thought I would just go ahead a call cause you indicated you work third shift. Which I take that to mean you work late night.
Jacoby: Well, from 5 till 2.
Mitchell: Ok 5 evening.
Jacoby: Evening till 2 in the morning.
Mitchell: Ok have you got a few minutes you can talk to me?
Jacoby: Yeah let me uh see if I can get over here somewhere it's quite. All right I can hear you pretty good now if you can hear me I'm inside a building.
Mitchell: You in Little Rock?
Jacoby: Yeah.
Mitchell: I can hear you find. Uh look if you got a few minutes I liked to just to do a statement with you over the phone uh what its about uh the uh triple homicide from l993 involving Steve Branch
Jacoby: Um huh
Mitchell: Terry and Pam Hobbs son. Uh let me just get a little bit of information from you. Ok and I wanna go over a form with you that we go with everybody we talk to ok. its basically it's called a Rule 2.3 Rights Form. And it says that you are advised that Law Enforcement Authorities desire to have you meet with em. Normally it would be at one specific location but we're gonna do this over the phone. And it says for the purpose to have you furnish information otherwise cooperate in the investigation of the prevention of a crime. You're not legally obligated to furnish information or to otherwise to otherwise cooperate in the investigation or the prevention of a crime and it‘s entirely your
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choice whether to appear and cooperate and furnish information. And do you understand that?
Jacoby: Yeah.
Mitchell: Ok is okay are you willing to talk to me for a few minutes?
Jacoby: Yeah no problem.
Mitchell: Ok well I'd like the record the interview. It's gonna be brief I know you got to work uh but I need to pick your brain for just a couple of minutes if it's all right.
Jacoby: Ok all right.
Mitchell: for starters what is your full name?
Jacoby: David Paul Jacoby
Mitchell: What's your date of birth Mr. Jacoby?
Jacoby: Uh XX.XX.63.
Mitchell: and what is your home address?
Jacoby: it is XXXXXXXXXXXXX Blytheville AR.
Mitchell: Blytheville AR. how long have you lived in Blytheville?
Jacoby: oh since 96.
Mitchell: Since 1996?
Jacoby: yeah
Mitchell: In uh may of 1993 were you living in West Memphis AR.?
Jacoby: Yes on north l7th Street.
Mitchell: North l7th you remember the address?
Jacoby: Uh 506 I believe it was.
Mitchell: Who was living with you at that time?
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Jacoby: Pardon?
Mitchell: who all was living in the house with you?
Jacoby: Uh me, my wife uh two of my oldest daughter md my son.
Mitchell: Ok are you still married to the same woman.
Jacoby: Yes.
Mitchell: You're still married to the woman you were married in l993?
Jacoby: Right
Mitchell: what is her name?
Jacoby: Bobby.
Mitchell: Ok you were married to Bobby in 1993?
Jacoby: Yes
Mitchell: She lives with you in West Memphis?
Jacoby: Right.
Mitchell: Ok uh you said your oldest daughter?
Jacoby: Right Victoria.
Mitchell: Victoria Jacoby?
Jacoby: Un huh.
Mitchell: How was she at the time?
Jacoby: uh 5
Mitchell: and you had another child?
Jacoby: yes ah Victor and he may have been about a year old.
Mitchell: ok all right so you had a 5 year old little girl and about l year old little boy.
Jacoby: Yeah right.
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Mitchell: and you and your wife and during that time did you kmow Terry Hobbs and Pam Hobbs?
Jacoby: yes
Mitchell: How did you meet them?
Jacoby: I met Terry threw his wife Pam. Which my wife had knew from back home they were from the same area.
Mitchell: Is your wife from Blytheville?
Jacoby: yes.
Mitchell: Is that where you were from originally?
Jacoby: Naw yeah outside of Blytheville, Goznell yeah that's where I grew up.
Mitchell: I got you I know the area. Back in May of l993 well actually May the 5th what I'm looking to do is kinda pick your brain and tell me what you remember from that day and any contact that you might have had with Terry and Pam Hobbs during that day, that night into the next day.
Jacoby: Ok uh I wanna say on that day Terry had came by my house maybe like 5:30/6 o'clock, and uh we been over several time we play the guitar together and uh he'd come
over and I believe he had his little daughter with him. Uh and we played the guitar for a while and he got up and said that uh he had to go see if Steve was home or somehow the conversation came up I believe I ask where Steve was ask. And he said he was out riding his bike that his grand paw had bought him. Its been so long ago you know it may not be in the right order but I know he did come over around 5:30/6 o'clock and we played the guitar for a while and then he said he had to go. And uh Steve was suppose to come by (not audible) before dark I thank it was bout yeah it was bout this time a year it git dark around 8 o'clock or so, and he said he told em to be back before dark.
Mitchell: How long did y'all play guitar together? How long you thank he was over there before look for him.
Jacoby: Man I'd say at least an hour.
Mitchell: Ok and y'all both play?
Jacoby: Yeah
Mitchell: now when he came over to your house did he have his little girl?
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Jacoby: Uh yeah I'm pretty sure he did uh you know normally when they come over it was all of em. You know unless his wife was working and he'd have the kids with him.
Mitchell: Do you know where his wife Pam was that day?
Jacoby: I believe working yeah I believed she worked that night because later that night or that evening she came by and told us that they still hadn't found Steve.
Mitchell: now uh when Terry left said he had to go check see if Steve was home, did he take his little girl with him or did she stay there or...
Jacoby: I honestly can't remember. My wife watch that kid so many times while they you know went places and I really, I'm thanking she went with him I you know I just couldn't swear to it man it's just been so long.
Mitchell: Certainly we're talking fourteen years ago. Did you and when Terry left did you see him anymore that night?
Jacoby: yeah a couple more times uh at one point that night when he came back uh I thank I went with him to look for the kid uh we road down the road towards I thank that's Barton street? Going out towards those apartment where what's that place there's Robin Hood apartment what every they call it.
Mitchell: Yeah Robin hood hills.
Jacoby: them apartments name Robin Hill or something like that over there.
Mitchell: Uh well their some apartments that are called Mayfair.
Jacoby: all right that may have been it, but it's right off Barton st. thought right?
Mitchell: Yes sir.
Jacoby: and it will be Barton St. though right?
Mitchell: Yeah yes sir.
Jacoby: it'll be off Barton uh the sequence I just I can't I'm just not really sure I mean if was uh I know at one time me and him did go look and then his wife had come by and she was hysterical and uh I'm thanking he pulled off ahead of her so I got in her car with her and we drove to ah school were the cub scouts meet up or something thought maybe he was over there. And uh I don't remember before or after if this was before or after but we wound up walking threw those woods with her dad and some people was from out that neighborhood. Uh I was out I mean I was out until like 3 o'clock that morning with em. Uh not all together everybody was kinda of branched off.
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Mitchell: when you first started looking help them look for Steve was it day light or was it dark.
Jacoby: no sir I thank it was getting it was sanking it was real you know really close to dark.
Mitchell: Ok uh
Jacoby: well yeah it was because when I first went out there uh we what'n there long and I told em I had some flash lights and we went I was thanking Terry brought me back
home to git some flash lights and we went back looking. Man it's just so hard to remember how it went down.
Mitchell: Did you actually go into that wooded area that Robin Hood area?
Jacoby: Yes sir.
Mitchell: What'll you remember seeing?
Jacoby: at one point we got to ah ditch I rememberseeing some foot prints going down I know it was bicycle tire prints going down in the ditch/ and then we got up to ah there was a pipe that crossed the ditch got up to walk across that pipe and there was some muddy footprints on the pipe. And uh that I can remember that I just don't remember I thank we went on across the pipe and walked on threw you know down along the ditch bank and threw more woods.
Mitchell: You remember who, who can you remember that went into that wooded area that night?
Jacoby: uh myself, Terry, Mark Byers, shoot Mr. Hicks, Jackie Hicks, that's bout all I can remember name wise I thank there was some other people behind us or maybe a little further ahead of us or something there, cause you know I could here em calling for the kids calling em by name.
Mitchell: Are those the only one you knew thought.
Jacoby: Yeah that's the only I really knew you know that I could say for sure was there.
Mitchell: who is Jackie Hicks?
Jacoby: pardon.
Mitchell: Who is Jackie Hicks?
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Jacoby: That was Pams dad he passed away last year I believe. That was Steve grand paw he's the one that bought him the new bike that where I was told he was at you know riding that new bike.
Mitchell: now uh do you uh let me thank here what I'm asking. Uh was there anything unusual at all that night about anybody the way anybody was acting anybody demeanor or anything? Uh you know Pam, Terry I mean there're looking for their child.
Jacoby: Yeah I really not that I can just thank of Terry is normal low keyed you know every time I seen him. And best I can remember that night you know uh that he came over he was fine you know I mean I didn't notice anything unusual he just like normal he come in sit down you know and we pick up a guitar play a little bit before he picked his wife up uh like I said he got up and left said he had to go check see if Steve had made it in or man I really can't remember. Sometimes you know he came over and Steve came by the house before dark you know. And he throw his bicycle in the back of the truck they only lived you know a couple blocks away from me where I lived on north l7th. But I really I couldn't you know I didn't as far as I can remember man there was no difference in his demeanor or anything.
Mitchell: Have you and Terry kept in touce over the years or since then?
Jacoby: I've spoken to him maybe four or five time you know I seen him at the funeral, Steve funeral ah I work out of town a lot but my wife said he's drop by on occasion you know. But uh other than a telephone conversation you know I probably hadn't seen him in three four year.
Mitchell: You mention a minute ago Mark Byers?
Jacoby: Um huh.
Mitchell: Did you know Mr. Byers?
Jacoby: Not personally I didn't I...I knew him when I saw him from another guy there in West Memphis he told me he'd got in trouble with a lot of pot and was fixin to go jail or something I...I don't remember exactly how it went down but you know he lives uh I thank he lives out there off of Barton Street in a corner house.
Mitchell: Had he had Mark Byers ever been to your home before on before?
Jacoby: no no never like I say I mean I knew him when I see him but as far as as as knowing him personally or anything naw I didn't.
Mitchell: ok uh did you the area where the boys were found are you familiar with that right there? The water area where they were found?
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Jacoby: If it was anywhere close to that drainage ditch where the pipe is that's uh after that night I never been back out in there so I really don't know exactly where they were found. I just knew they you know I heard they were found in the water.
Mitchell: did anybody with your party that went out there that night do you know if any of them ever went near the water?
Jacoby: I thank uh we all kinda of walked down toward the edge of the water it was a little grassy then all of a sudden it was just muddy uh I don't thank none of us really got in the mud. I remember myself when I seen it I walked down towards it I didn't step in the mud and I seen I thank it was tire tracks I'm pretty sure it was and I told the rest of em it look like they took their bikes threw the ditch right here but you could look to the other side and didn't see nothing coming out and I thought maybe they backed up so we Walked to where we could git to that I was wonting to say it was a black pipe going across there and there was you know foot prints from the mud on there so you know I assumed they had crossed it there and it really never dawn on me how they got their bikes across unless they carried it and they were all little kids so, I mean there was a West Memphis Police Officer there when we got in the woods and you know I told him this. I mean I don't where it went to but it was kind of frantic that night but...
Mitchell: Did uh and I'm just about threw I want keep you. Uh did you uh git with Terry or Pam at all the next morning?
Jacoby: The next morning? Uh no the next moming I'd went to work.
Mitchell: Ok uh where were you working at the time?
Jacoby: At uh in Memphis at Memphis Ice Cream Company that's where Terry had worked. Yeah I took me a little break from iron working and took a job running ice cream
truck to grocery stores.
Mitchell: I see, uh so you weren't with em on the 6th?
Jacoby: that following day no sir I'd been at work.
Mitchell: Ok did Terry ever mention about ever seeing anybody unusual the next day to ya? you ever remember him talk about any like that?
Jacoby: Naw I never remember any nothing about anybody unusual.
Mitchell: Ok, is there anything else you can remember from that time period that anybody might had done or said that kind of maybe struck you as little odd or unusual?
Jacoby: naw if they did I would have called somebody quick man cause that man that terrified the you know the whole city I mean God. Yeah if I'd thought I knew anything
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man I'd ah called. Butl can't thank of anything you know raised any flags like I say if it did I would have called and told somebody.
Mitchell: How uh often did your family or you and Terry and his family get together?
Jacoby: Pretty often uh you know I know I'd seen um at least two times a week.
Mitchell: and uh
Jacoby: we've been to their house and our kids and him and his kids been to our house.
Mitchell: What kind of relationship that you saw did Pam have with her kids?
Jacoby: well huh she well I guess she as bout like any other momma uh she did have her time where she'd go ballistic and you know maybe spank um a little to hard you know I thought, but other than that nothing just real you know terrible not that I can you know not that I can recall.
Mitchell: What about Terry with his kids.
Jacoby: Like I say he was always low key I I you know other than chastise em I'd never seen him I really never seen him strike any of em.
Mitchell: Ok uh if there's not anything else you can think of right now I'll go head and let you go and be done with this for right now. Now if I needed to get a whole of you again would this number be the best way to reach you?
Jacoby: Yes sir that's my cell number it's where ever I go.
Mitchell: Mr. Jacoby I wanna tell you how much I appreciate your time uh and I know it's difficult to go back fourteen years and try to remember who said and did what. But uh I do appreciate it and I thank you. Like I say if I need to reach you I'll call you at this one and if you need anything from me you've got my number to get a holt of me.
Jacoby: All right that's not a problem at anytime, anytime I'm of on Friday thru Sunday so you know if you need something I come threw West Memphis on my way down to Little Rock.
Mitchell: OK I appreciate that I mean if we do need to we'll call on you and see what we can do. But right now I don't anticipate it unless anything were to change and I don't see that happening but again Mr. Jacoby thank you so much helping me this evening and I appreciate your time and I'll let you get back to work.
Jacoby: All right not a problem man.
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Mitchell: Thank you sir bye, bye. It's uh 7:37 pm. again on June 21, 2007 and that was an interview between myself Lt. Ken Mitchell and Mr. David Jacoby again his phone number 901-***-****, 901-***-**** this will end the interview.
Detective Lt. K. Mitchell/216/eac/355\
Case file #------------------
