RIDGE: This is Det. Bryn Ridge of the West Memphis Police Department, currently in the drug task force office, here in West Memphis. Todays date is 05/26/93, the time is 12:36PM. Currently in the office with William Winfred Jones, M/W, DOB: 11/20/74. William, you were contacted this morning by a couple of our officers and you had some information about Damian Echols, is that correct?

WILLIAM: Yes

RIDGE: Okay, do you understand that this conversation is being taped?

WILLIAM: Yes

RIDGE: And your mother was here just a few minutes ago and we informed her that it was going to be taped, do you have any problems with it being taped?

WILLIAM: No

RIDGE: It's okay

WILLIAM: Yes

RIDGE: Uh, when you were talking about Damian, how do you know Damian?

WILLIAM: From school mostly.

RIDGE: When you went to Marion .

WILLIAM: I met him at Marion School.

RIDGE: And, how long have you known him actually?

WILLIAM: Since 7th grade

ALLEN: About 88

RIDGE: Five years

WILLIAM: Something like that.

RIDGE: Okay, what do you know about Damian?

WILLIAM: Well, first he wasn't weird or nothing, but now he's got into that satanic cult stuff.

RIDGE: Okay, so he's a devil worshipper?

WILLIAM: Yeah

RIDGE: Okay, a satan worshipper?

WILLIAM: Yes

RIDGE: Alright, who are some of his friends?

WILLIAM: The main people I see him with is Jason Baldwin and his girlfriend.

RIDGE: Do you know her name?

WILLIAM: She's got red hair, Dominic.

RIDGE: Dominic, okay. Uh, when you seen Jason Baldwin, do you know where he live?

WILLIAM: Yes

RIDGE: Where does he live?

WILLIAM: Uh, S. naw, Southwest Lake Drive, IN Lakeshore.

RIDGE: Southwest Lake Drive in Lakeshore Trailer Park?

WILLIAM: I believe that's it.

RIDGE: Okay, and do you know where Damian lives now?

WILLIAM: Well, here lately, the last couple of days, he's been at his girlfriend's house, in Lakeshore.

RIDGE: Dominic's house?

WILLIAM: Yeah

RIDGE: Okay, and about a week ago, you said that you got off into a conversation with Damian?

WILLIAM: Yes

RIDGE: Alright, just relay what happened. Where was it?

WILLIAM: On a Store street in Lakeshore, where we were talking in that little park up there, and it was like, everybody in Lakeshore heard it. Damian had did it and he got questioned and everything, so when I was his friend, or use to be his friend, so I asked him, everybody want me to ask him, so I asked him, and he said, that he cut them and that, you know, had sex with them, molested them And, he was real drunk, real drunk.

RIDGE: About what time was this, this conversation took place?

WILLIAM: Pass curfew

RIDGE: 11 o'clock, 12 o'clock

WILLIAM: It had to be after 12, probably about 12:30

RIDGE: Friday night, Saturday morning?

WILLIAM: Something like that.

RIDGE: He was real drunk. Who else was there?

WILLIAM: Him and his girlfriend

RIDGE: Dominic and you

WILLIAM: And me

RIDGE: Was anybody else around?

WILLIAM: No

RIDGE: Okay, was he in a car or anything?

WILLIAM: Naw, they were walking

RIDGE: They were walking. When he goes into this conversation you asked him the questions the people wanted you to ask, cause you use to be good friends with him, alright and he says, he had sex with them?

WILLIAM: Yeah

RIDGE: And he cut them? Alright, did he say how he had sex with them?

WILLIAM: He said that

RIDGE: We need to be specific, I understand that you may not be wanting to say the words, but you need to say exactly what he said.

WILLIAM: He said that he had sex with them, that he molested them and had sex in the rear with them.

RIDGE: Okay, you said that he said, that he cut them.

WILLIAM: Yeah, that's all he said, that he cut them, he didn't go into no details.

RIDGE: Do you know what he cut them with?

WILLIAM: No, he said, just with a knife, you know, a little knife

RIDGE: A little knife

WILLIAM: When he did his hands, he was drunk, he did like that right there.

RIDGE: Just a little knife, and you made a gesture that it's like ten to 12 inches long?

WILLIAM: Yeah

RIDGE: Okay, did he say where that knife is or anything like that?

WILLIAM: Naw, he didn't tell me nothing.

RIDGE: Okay, did he mention if anybody was with him when it happened?

WILLIAM: No, he didn't say nothing like that.

RIDGE: Okay, and he said that he had sex with them in the rear and he said that he cut them

WILLIAM: He cut them

RIDGE: Did he say how he cut them or anything, where they were cut?

WILLIAM: He didn't say nothing like that.

RIDGE: Alright, what was the rest of the conversation?

WILLIAM: He stopped there and after he told me that, I freaked out

RIDGE: He was or you were?

WILLIAM: I was

RIDGE: You were scared?

WILLIAM: I talked to him for a few more minutes and I left, and went back down to my aunt's house, and told her.

RIDGE: Alright, I understand that he's been making some threats

WILLIAM: Yeah

RIDGE: Alright, when did your hear about these threats?

WILLIAM: As a matter of fact, it's my cousin's girlfriend, they said that they went down there, you know, and harass people

RIDGE: Down where

WILLIAM: In Lakeshore, they went down to Dominic's house, rode there and they were saying something to them and Michael Hutchison, well Damian, said that, he was going to cut their vaginas off, or something like that. That's what they told me, I didn't hear nothing about that. That's what they told me.

RIDGE: Okay, you just mentioned that Damian Echols, his other name is Michael

WILLIAM: When we were in the 7th grade, his name was Michael Hutchison and he got it changed when we went to the 9th or 8th grade, I think it was the 9th.

RIDGE: To Damian Echols?

WILLIAM: Yeah

RIDGE: Okay, uh then you said that there was another conversation, he was drunk during that conversation?

WILLIAM: Yeah, when he was sober he came back to me, as a matter of fact, it was the next day and said, that, what was we talking about last night, and I told him what he said and he said, none of that was true, that he was just real drunk.

RIDGE: He was just real drunk

WILLIAM: And he was real drunk

RIDGE: Alright, when he told you that, he cut these boys, and he had sex with them, you've known him for a long time, did you believe it when he told you that?

WILLIAM: Yeah, that's why I left

RIDGE: You believed it?

WILLIAM: Yes sir

RIDGE: Okay, and you're a pretty good judge of when he's lying or when he's telling the truth, he's lied to you before

WILLIAM: Yeah

RIDGE: And you've known he was lying?

WILLIAM: Yeah, he stole from me.

RIDGE: He stole from you, and you can tell when he's lying?

WILLIAM: Yeah

RIDGE: And when he told you of this incident about him, or when he told you about the incident that he killed the boys you feel like he's telling the truth?

WILLIAM: Yes sir

RIDGE: Okay, at any point during that conversation, did he show any remorse that he was sorry he killed the boys or anything like that, or was he bragging or

WILLIAM: No, he was all, he talked to us about it, you know, he

RIDGE: Hyped up about it?

WILLIAM: Yes, hyped up

RIDGE: Like he was excited, you know, I did this?

WILLIAM: Yeah, he was just, you know, shaking and like he was excited or something.

RIDGE: Do you know anything about his sex habits, who he sees, or, been into any weird stuff?

WILLIAM: He's been dealing with this one girl for a long time,

RIDGE: Who is that?

WILLIAM: Uh, Dominic

RIDGE: Dominic

WILLIAM: He's been going with her for a while.

RIDGE: Okay, you're saying for a long time

WILLIAM: A couple of years

RIDGE: Okay, alright that's what I was curious about. Uh, now we're going to the next conversation you had with him the next day. He says to you to the effect, he wants know what he told you the night before?

WILLIAM: Yes

RIDGE: Alright, and when you told him

WILLIAM: I told him that all he told me was that he did it and that's all. Naw, I told him that he told me that he cut them, and that he killed the boys, I didn't say nothing about the sex part.

RIDGE: And what did he tell you

WILLIAM: He said that it was lie, and that he was real drunk.

RIDGE: Okay, did you believe that?

WILLIAM: Not really

RIDGE: You don't believe that he was so drunk that he was making up a lie?

WILLIAM: No, I mean when you get drunk, that's how it does, make you spill your guts.

RIDGE: Okay

WILLIAM: I mean, it can make you lie too, but I don't think anybody would want to lie about something like that.

RIDGE: What did Dominic say, or did she do anything when he told you about that he killed the boys?

WILLIAM: But, if you know Dominic, you know how she is, she's real weird man, she just talks to herself, that's all she's in, is just talking to herself.

RIDGE: Well, about the fifth of the month, when these boys came up missing, the 5th and the 6th is when they were found, were you around Damian at that time?

WILLIAM: No

RIDGE: Or did you see him during that period of time.

WILLIAM: I didn't see him, he was gone for a while. Naw, he wasn't really gone for a while, he was just, he wasn't around Lakeshore for a while.

RIDGE: Okay, like he was hiding?

WILLIAM: He could have been hiding, cause he wasn't at his girlfriends house, unless he stayed inside all of the time.

RIDGE: Okay

WILLIAM: Cause I'm on the street everyday, you know, all my family is out there except for my mommy.

RIDGE: If there is one person that would have been with Damian, durng something like this going on, who do you think that one person would have been?

WILLIAM: Uh, I think that it would be Jason Baldwin, cause you know, they are always together.

RIDGE: They are always together?

WILLIAM: Yeah

WILLIAM: Yesk ever since this has happened, they kinda staying away from each other.

RIDGE: Do you know why?

WILLIAM: Uh, uh, see everybody goes to Jason too and ask him if he did it. I've even asked him, and he said, no. He said, no. I don't know that much about him.

RIDGE: Has he been in trouble before?

WILLIAM: Yeah

RIDGE: What kind of trouble?

WILLIAM: Mostly stealing, I believe. You know, like from Wal-Mart

RIDGE: What about Damian, has he ever been in any trouble?

WILLIAM: I think they put him in a mental home one time, or something like that, or some kind of a home, maybe in a boys home, though, Pine Bluff, maybe.

RIDGE: Okay, alright, I am going to get this tape transcribed and this is the truth and you are telling me.

WILLIAM: Yes, this is the God's honest truth.

RIDGE: Okay, when I get it transcribed, actually what I mean when I say, transcribed, when I get it down on paper, everything you said, can I meet you somewhere and get your signature on the bottom of it. I'll let you read it to make sure that everything is correct

WILLIAM: Yes sir

RIDGE: But, you don't want to go to the police department?

WILLIAM: No sir

RIDGE: Because you're scared of Damian?

WILLIAM: Naw, I am not scared of Damian.

RIDGE: What are you scared of?

WILLIAM: I've been in trouble before and I just try to stay away I guess, not really you all, you know, but Crittenden County, I try to stay away. They don't like me.

RIDGE: You were just rather not do it at the police department

WILLIAM: I mean all it be is just reading and signature.

RIDGE: That's it. You wouldn't have any problems with that?

WILLIAM: No

RIDGE: Okay, I am going to conclude this interview, the time is 12:47PM.