(From initial statement to final accusation that led to the arrests of Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley)
May 27, 1993: Statement (Transcribed below)
June 4, 1993: Statement PDF [West Memphis Three Document Archive]
June 8, 1993: Statement Images - PDF - Audio [West Memphis Three Document Archive]
June 9, 1993: Statement (Transcribed below)
Statement of Vicki Hutcheson, Aaron's Mother ["The Esbat Allegation"]
STATEMENT FROM AARON HUTCHESON (May 27, 1993)
THIS IS DET. BRYN RIDGE CURRENTLY IN THE WEST, IN THE MARION DEPARTMENT TODAY'S DATE 05-27-93 THE TIME IS 5:17 P. M. CURRENTLY IN THE MARION POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH INSPECTOR GARY GITCHELL, DET. SGT MIKE ALLEN, AND CHIEF DON BRAY. AND WE ARE HERE INTERVIEWING AARON WHAT IS YOUR LAST NAME?
AARON: KYLE HUTCHESON
RIDGE: AARON KYLE HUTCHESON, DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR BIRTH DATE IS KYLE OR AARON?
AARON: MAY 4TH
RIDGE: MAY THE 4TH WHAT YEAR?
AARON: 85
RIDGE: MAY THE 4TH OF 85. ALRIGHT AARON I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE SOME CLOSE FRIENDS
AARON: YES SIR
RIDGE: AND THAT THOSE WERE SOME OF YOUR BEST FRIENDS IN THE WORLD? AND THAT SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THEM ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO NOW AND THEY GOT KILLED IS THAT RIGHT?
AARON: YES SIR
RIDGE: OKAY, DID YOU SEE THEM THE DAY BEFORE THEY GOT KILLED ?
AARON: YES SIR
RIDGE: OKAY. WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY WHEN YOU GOT OUT OF SCHOOL WHAT WAS IT THEY WERE GOING TO DO THAT DAY?
AARON: BEFORE THEY DID ANYTHING THEY WENT UP TO MY MAMA'S TRUCK AND THEY ASKED HER IF I COULD GO OVER TO MICHAEL'S HOUSE TO GO UH, GO, GO WITH, GO WITH THEM TO PLAY SOME WHERE THAT WAS WHERE OUR CLUB WAS
RIDGE: ALRIGHT, YOU’VE BEEN TO YOUR CLUB BEFORE WITH THEM?
AARON: (inaudible)
RIDGE: ALRIGHT. CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHERE THE CLUB IS?
AARON: ITS, ITS IN UH, ITS IN THOSE WOODS WHERE UH, WHERE THAT STOP SIGN IS AND ITS
(Page 1)
RIDGE: IS THE WOODS HAVE THEY GOT A NAME THEY CALL THEM ROBIN HOOD IS THAT RIGHT?
AARON: UH-HUH (YES)
RIDGE: IT IS OKAY, YOU'VE BEEN DOWN THERE BEFORE?
AARON: YES SIR
RIDGE: DO YOU GO DOWN THERE A LOT?
AARON: (inaudible)
RIDGE: OKAY, WHEN YOU WENT DOWN THERE WHO ALL WENT WITH YOU MOST THE TIME?
AARON: MICHAEL AND CHRIS
RIDGE: OKAY, AND WHAT DID YOU DO WHEN YOU WENT DOWN THERE?
AARON: WE PLAYED
RIDGE: OKAY, DID YOU EVER
AARON: AND THEN SOMETIMES WE WATCHED THESE MEN
RIDGE: THESE MEN. OKAY WHAT WERE THESE MAN DOING?
AARON: THEY WERE UH, DOING NASTY STUFF
RIDGE: DOING NASTY STUFF, WHERE DID YOU SEE THEM DOING THIS STUFF?
RQRON: IN ROBIN HOOD UH, THE PLACE WHERE THE BOARDS ARE
RIDGE: WAS IT THERE WHERE YOUR CLUB IS OR WAS IT SOME WHERE ELSE IN THOSE WOODS?
AARON: IT WAS RIGHT BESIDE OUR UM, TREE HOUSE
RIDGE: RIGHT BESIDE IT, OKAY, NOW YOU SAY THEY ARE DOING NASTY STUFF, WERE THEY SAYING ANYTHING?
AARON: YES SIR
RIDGE: OKAY, WHAT WERE THEY DOING?
AARON: THEY, THEY DO WHAT MEN AND WOMAN DO
RIDGE: OKAY, HOW WHERE THEY DRESSED?
AARON: THEY HAD, ALL OF THEM HAD ON UM BLACK T-SHIRTS AND EXCEPT ONE
RIDGE: OKAY, THE ONE WHAT DID HE HAVE ON?
AARON: HE HAD ON A WHITE T-SHIRT
RIDGE: OKAY, HOW OLD WOULD YOU THINK THEY ARE?
AARON: SOME WHERE AROUND TWENTY
RIDGE: AROUND TWENTY, WERE THEY LIKE TEENAGERS OR DO YOU THINK THEY WERE STILL IN SCHOOL OR DO YOU THINK THEY HAD IUST GOT OUT OF SCHOOL ABOUT THAT AGE GROUP?
AARON: UM, LIKE THEY ALL LOOKED UM, LIKE MY MOM
RIDGE: LOOK LIKE YOUR MOM, SORTA OF YOUNG
AARON: YEAH (YES)
RIDGE: OKAY
AARON: EXCEPT MY MOM IS THIRTY
RIDGE: OKAY, BUT YOUR MOM LOOKS YOUNG, DOESN'T SHE YOU LIKE THAT UH?
AARON: YEAH (YES)
RIDGE: OKAY, UH, YOUR SAYING THEIR DOING THINGS LIKE MAN AND WOMEN WOULD BE DOING
AARON: YEAH (YES)
RIDGE: WHEN I SAY HAVING SEX IS THAT WHAT YOUR DESCRIBING?
AARON: YES SIR
RIDGE: OKAY, HOW WOULD THEY HAVE SEX?
AARON: THEY WOULD UM, THEY WOULD WIPE EACH OTHER LIKE UM, LIKE UM, LIKE THEY DID UM TO MICHAEL, CHRIS AND STEVE THEY SAID
GITCHELL: WERE THEY IN FRONT OF EACH OTHER OR BEHIND EACH OTHER?
AARON: IN FRONT OF EACH OTHER
RIDGE: OKAY, WHEN THEY WERE HAVING SEX WAS IT HAVING SEX IN THE FRONT OR HAVING SEX IN THE BACK?
AARON: IN THE FRONT
RIDGE: WITH THEIR MOUTH, WHERE THEY HAVING SEX WITH THEIR MOUTH?
AARON: YES SIR
RIDGE: THEY WERE OKAY, ALRIGHT, WHEN'S THE LAST TIME YOU SAW THAT HAPPEN?
AARON: THE DAY BEFORE WE MOVED. WHICH IS UH, WHICH WAS ABOUT A MONTH AGO
RIDGE: OKAY, AND YOU SAW IT HAPPEN THEN?
AARON: (inaudible)
RIDGE: DID THIS HAPPEN REAL OFTEN ?
AARON: YES SIR
RIDGE: HOW OFTEN ?
AARON: IT HAPPENED FIVE TIMES
RIDGE: FIVE TIMES YOU SAW IT HAPPEN FIVE TIMES? WAS IT LIKE EVERY DAY OR ONCE WEEK OR JUST FIVE DIFFERENT TIMES YOU SAW IT HAPPEN?
AARON: IT WAS EVERY DAY BUT, IT WAS EVERY TIME, BUT IT EVERY TIME BUT UM, THE FRIDAY
RIDGE: EVERY TIME BUT FRIDAY? THEY DIDN'T DO IT ON THAT FRIDAY? OKAY, DID YOU KNOW ANY OF THE BOYS?
AARON: YES SIR, I DON'T KNOW NONE OF THE MEN
RIDGE: THE MEN, THE MEN, YOU DIDN'T KNOW ANY OF THEM? HAD NEVER SEEN THEM BEFORE?
AARON: UN UH (NO) WE HAVE ONLY SEEN ONE IN FLASH MARKET
RIDGE: YOU SAW ONE OF THOSE FIVE IN THE FLASH MARKET? WAS THERE ALWAYS FIVE PEOPLE THERE?
AARON: UH-HUH (YES)
GITCHELL: DID THIS GUY DID HE JUST WALK IN FLASH MARKET AND BUY SOMETHING OR DID HE WORK THERE?
AARON: HE WALKED IN TO FLASH MARKET BOUGHT, BUY SOMETHING, WE DIDN'T BUY NOTHING WE JUST WENT IN THE STORE AND RAN RIGHT OUT
GITCHELL: WERE YOU AND ALL THE BOYS TOGETHER ?
AARON: JUST ME MICHAEL AND CHRIS
GITCHELL: HOW LONG AGO WAS THAT?
AARON: UM, A MONTH AND HALF
GITCHELL: BEFORE THEY GOT HURT? HOW LONG BEFORE THEY GOT HURT?
AARON: ABOUT REAL REAL LONG
GITCHELL: OKAY, BUT THE GUY DIDN'T WORK THERE THEY WERE THE GUY WAS JUST BUYING SOMETHING IN THERE?
AARON: HE JUST BUYED SOMETHING IN THERE
GITCHELL: OKAY.
AARON: AND THIS LADY HE SAID, SHE SAID HIS NAME, SO WE THOUGHT SHE KNEW HIM
GITCHELL: DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT THE NAME WAS?
AARON: UN UH (NO)
GITCHELL: OH, OKAY
RIDGE: ALRIGHT, WHEN YOU SAW THESE FIVE OUT THERE IN THE WOODS AND THEY WERE DOING THESE THINGS THAT WERE BAD OKAY WAS THIS AT DAYTIME OR WAS IT NIGHTTIME?
AARON: IT WAS BOTH
RIDGE: IT WAS EARLY IN THE MORNING OR LATE AT NIGHT OR LATE IN THE EVENING?
AARON: IT WAS, WHEN EVER WE GOT OUT OF SCHOOL WE WENT THERE ABOUT FOUR
RIDGE: OKAY
AARON: AND THEY NEVER GOT THERE BEFORE WE DID
RIDGE: YOU WERE ALWAYS THERE FIRST. WHAT DID YOU ALL HIDE AND WAIT FOR THEM?
AARON: YEAH (YES) WILL WE ALWAYS. WE ALWAYS GOT A PLACE TO HIDE BEFORE THEY CAN GET THERE
RIDGE: WHERE DID YOU HIDE?
AARON: WE HIDE ONE TIME WE HIDE BEHIND UM A TREE. SIDEWAYS AND WE GOT IN OUR CLUB HOUSE
RIDGE: OKAY
AARON: OUR CLUB HOUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO IT
RIDGE: WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE DOWN AT YOUR CLUB HOUSE AND IT WAS THERE?
AARON: IT WAS THE DAY BEFORE WE WERE GOING TO MOVE
RIDGE: OKAY, AND IT WAS THERE THE DAY BEFORE YOU WERE GOING TO MOVE.
GITCHELL: WAS, ... WAS, WAS THE CLUB HOUSE THERE, YOU KNOW THE DAY YOU WERE TELLING US ABOUT THE UM, YOUR FRIENDS WANTING YOU TO GO SOME WHERE, UM WAS THE CLUB HOUSE THERE THE DAY BEFORE?
AARON: NO SIR
GITCHELL: IT WAS GONE BEFORE THEN?
AARON: WHENEVER WE WENT THERE AFTER WE DIDN'T GO UNTIL AFTER SCHOOL, I DIDN'T
RIDGE: ALRIGHT. AFTER YOU MOVED DID YOU GO DOWN THERE ANYMORE?
AARON: NO SIR
RIDGE: YOU DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO GO BACK?
AARON: I HAVEN'T EVER GOT TO SEEN IT, SEEN IT. I DIDN'T EVER SEE IT EXCEPT THE DAY I WENT THERE WHEN EVER THEY SAID THEY FOUND THEM
RIDGE: OKAY. ALRIGHT DID CHRIS AND MICHAEL DID THEY TELL YOU THAT THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD GOT CAUGHT. THAT THE FIVE MAN MAY HAVE CAUGHT THEM? THEY WEREN'T SCARED THAT MAYBE SOMEBODY HAD SEEN THEM IN THERE ONE DAY?
AARON: UH-UH (NO), BECAUSE THEY NEVER SEEN US
RIDGE: THEY NEVER SAW YOU? OKAY, DID THEY HAVE ANY KIND OF JEWELRY ON NECKLACES, WATCHES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT JUST?
AARON: THERE WAS A SKULL COMMANDER HE HAD ON A NECKLACE OF SKULL AND THERE IS A SNAKE IN IT'S EYE
RIDGE: THE COMMANDER, THE SKULL COMMANDER IS THAT WHAT YOU CALLED HIM, HE HAD ON A NECKLACE. IS THAT RIGHT?
AARON: YEAH (YES) HE HAD ON A NECKLACE
RIDGE: OKAY, AND IT HAD SOME KIND OF A PENDANT ON IT? OR UM, SOME KIND OF AN ANIMAL
AARON: A LITTLE SNAKE ON IT EYE, RIGHT HERE
RIDGE: A SNAKE INSIDE THE EYE?
AARON: AND THE TONGUE WAS STICKING OUT OF THE SNAKES EYE, THE SNAKES TONGUE
RIDGE: OKAY. AND YOU SAW THAT ON THE ONE. WAS THIS THE ONE WEARING THE WHITE SHIRT OR IS THIS JUST ANOTHER ONE? DESCRIBE THAT GUY FOR ME YOU SAW?
AARON: IT WAS THE ONE, IT WAS THE ONE THAT... THAT WASN'T WEARING THE WHITE SHIRT
RIDGE: OH, HE WASN'T WEARING A WHITE SHIRT
AARON: HE WAS THE ONE WEARING THE BLACK ONE
RIDGE: OKAY, WHAT KIND OF HAIR DID THEY HAVE. DID ANY OF THEM HAVE HAIR THAT JUST STUCK OUT, THAT JUST, THEY DIDN'T LOOK FUNNY?
AARON: SOME OF THEM HAD LONG HAIR. AND I THINK MOST OF THEM HAD LONG HAIR
RIDGE: OKAY, YOU SAY LONG HAIR YOU MEAN DOWN ON THEIR SHOULDERS OR JUST
AARON: ON THEIR NECK
RIDGE: RATTY LOOKING LONG HAIR
AARON: ON THE NECK
RIDGE: DOWN ON THEIR NECK, OKAY.
GITCHELL: DID YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS EVER UM, WADE AROUND IN THE WATER AND PLAY AROUND THERE, OR MAYBE GO SWIMMING OR SOMETHING?
AARON: UH-UH (NO)
GITCHELL: YOU ALL NEVER DID THAT? OKAY... OKAY
AARON: WE NEVER GOT CLOSE TO WATER
GITCHELL: OKAY, DID YOU EVER WALK ACROSS THE PIPE?
AARON: YES SIR
GITCHELL: ALL OF YOU WOULD WALK ACROSS THE PIPE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH YOUR BICYCLES?
AARON: WE WOULD LAY THEM, WE... WE WOULD LAY BY THE UM, BY THE... BY THE UM, IT WAS IN THE UM, PART WHERE WE WHERE WE UM, ON THE END OF THE PIPE
GITCHELL: OKAY,
AARON: NOT ON THE END WHERE THEY DO IT, PUT WHERE YOU WOULD WALK ACROSS IT
GITCHELL: OKAY. SO IT WOULD BE BEHIND WHERE THE STOP SIGN IS AT? WHERE YOU WOULD LAY YOUR BIKES?
RIDGE: YOU WOULDN'T... YOU WOULDN'T TAKE THE BICYCLES ACROSS WITH YOU?
AARON: NO, WE DIDN'T, WE KIND OF LEFT THEM RIGHT BESIDE THE PIPE
RIDGE: SO NOBODY WOULD GET THEM? OKAY, DID YOU EVER GO ACROSS PIPE EVER THERE AND SEE ANYBODY OVER THERE?
AARON: UH-UH (NO)
RIDGE: NEVER DID, DID YOU LIKE TO GO OVER THERE AND WALK AROUND TO? WHERE WOULD YOU GO WHEN YOU WOULD GO OVER THERE?
AARON: WE JUST WENT ALL... ALL KINDS OF PLACES, CAUSE WE WOULD ALWAYS PLAYED, AND SOMETIMES WE LOST EACH OTHER IN THERE
RIDGE: DID YOU GO TO THE BLUE BEACON. THE TRUCK WASH?
AARON: YES SIR
RIDGE: OKAY
AARON: WE SEEN THEM, WE THE TRUCKER COME IN, AND WASH HIS TRUCK
RIDGE: UM HUH (YES) DID YOU ALL LIKE TO PLAY OVER THERE?
AARON: YEAH (YES)
RIDGE: DID YOU ALL EVER SEE ANYBODY OVER THERE ON THAT SIDE THAT MAY HAVE SCARED YOU OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT?
AARON: NO
RIDGE: HOW ABOUT THOSE FIVE BOYS DID YOU EVER SEE THOSE FIVE BOYS ON THAT SIDE? OKAY, WHEN YOU WENT DOWN THERE DID YOU HAVE A BICYCLE? DO YOU HAVE YOUR OWN BICYCLE? SO HOW ABOUT DO YOU KNOW STEVE, DID HE EVER GO DOWN THERE WITH YOU?
AARON: UM, ONLY ONE TIME
RIDGE: ONE TIME, WERE THEY, WERE YOU ALL WATCHING THE FIVE MEN DOWN THERE THAT TIME WHEN HE WENT WITH YOU?
AARON: NO, HE'S NEVER... WE NEVER TOLD HIM ABOUT IT. HE'S NEVER SEEN THEM
RIDGE: OH, OKAY
AARON: CAUSE IT WAS ON A FRIDAY WHENEVER HE WENT DOWN THERE WITH US
RIDGE: DID YOU EVER TELL ANYDODY AUOUT IT?
AARON: HU-UH (NO)
RIDGE: WHY? YOU JUST THOUGHT IT WAS BAD? OKAY, THIS
AARON: MICHAEL AND CHRIS SAID NOT TO TELL NOBODY
RIDGE: OKAY, WHAT ABOUT THIS NECKLACE THAT YOU SAW AND THAT EMBLEM, HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THAT EMBLEM LIKE THAT BEFORE?
AARON: NO SIR
RIDGE: NEVER SAW IT BEFORE
AARON: MY MOM'S GOTS IT,
RIDGE: SHE'S GOT IT,
AARON: AT OUR HOUSE,
RIDGE: THE SAME ONE?
AARON: IT HAS EVERYTHING ON IT
RIDGE: IT HAS EVERYTHING ON IT. THAT'S WHAT SHE FOUND AT HER HOUSE IS THE ... THE SAME ONE YOU SAW OUT IN THE WOODS?
AARON: THAT'S THE SAME ONE I SEEN THE PICTURE, SEEN IT... SEEN IN THE PICTURE AND IN OUT IN THE WOODS
RIDGE: SEEN IN, I'M CONFUSED A LITTLE BIT, OKAY, BUT YOU SAW THIS NECKLACE ON THIS GUY OUT IN THE WOODS AND HE WAS LIKE THE LEADER IS THAT RIGHT?
AARON: NO
RIDGE: HE WASN'T LIKE A LEADER?
AARON: I DONT THINK THERE WAS A LEADER IN THERE
RIDGE: OKAY, I'VE GOT A PICTURE IN FRONT OF ME, UM IS THIS THE PICTURE YOUR TALKING ABOUT?
AARON: YEA (YES) THAT ONE WITH THE SKULL WITH UM, THE SNAKE WRAPPED AROUND
RIDGE: OKAY, THAT'S THE SAME ONE YOU SAW ON THE GUY OUT IN THE WOODS? IT'S JUST LIKE IT? IS THAT THE NECKLACE?
AARON: YES SIR THAT'S IT
RIDGE: THAT'S IT
GITCHELL: IS THAT THE NECKLACE THAT WAS ATTACHED TO, HANGING FROM?
RIDGE: OKAY
GITCHELL: OKAY, ARE YOU SURE ITS NOT A DIFFERENT KIND OF NECKLACE?
AARON: NO, IT LOOKS, LIKE A DIFFERENT ONE TO ME
GITCHELL: OKAY A DIFFERENT NECKLACE BUT THE SAME KIND UM, UH, THAT'S CALLED A MEDALLION THAT'S THE SAME KIND OF LITTLE THING RIGHT THERE OR CLOSE TO IT
RIDGE: THAT THING WITH .... WITH THE SNAKE GOING THROUGH HIS EYE, YOU KNOW THAT'S WHAT YOU SAW OUT IN THE WOODS?
AARON: YEAH (YES) I WAS GOING TO TELL MY MOM, THAT'S WHAT I SAW OUT IN THE WOODS, THAT'S NOT THE NECKLACE
GITCHELL: OKAY
RIDGE: OKAY, NOW WHEN WE GO TO THE NEXT PICTURE, THAT NECKLACE IS NOT WHAT YOU SAW THAT PENDANT HANGING ON? IS THAT RIGHT?
AARON: (inaudible)
RIDGE: OKAY... OKAY I UNDERSTAND NOW, ALRIGHT SINCE THIS THING HAPPENED, AND CHRIS AND MICHAEL WERE KILLED, OKAY, HAVE YOU TALKED TO ANY OF YOUR LITTLE FRIENDS, THAT MIGHT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED?
AARON: NOBODY KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED BUT ME, OUT OF ALL MY FRIENDS
RIDGE: BUT YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED?
AARON: (inaudible)
RIDGE: TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK HAPPENED?
AARON: THEY UM, THEY WENT DOWN TO WATCH THOSE MEN AND
GITCHELL: NOW WHAT DAY DID THEY GO BACK TO WATCH THEM?
AARON: IT WAS ON... ON A WEDNESDAY
GITCHELL: ALRIGHT WERE YOU GOING TO GO WITH THEM, DID YOU WANT TO GO WITH THEM?
AARON: YEAH (YES), MY, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE REALLY GOING TO DO
GITCHELL: DID SOMEONE NOT LET YOU GO?
AARON: MY MOM
GITCHELL: OKAY
RIDGE: OKAY, WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED TO THEM?
AARON: I THINK THEY WAS WATCHING THEM MEN LIKE... LIKE WE ALWAYS DID, AND THEY... THEY GOT CAUGHT, AND THEN THEY NEVER TOLD THE MEN, AND THE MEN SORTA KILLED THEM
RIDGE: UM, DO YOU THINK THOSE MEN WERE CRAZY? DO YOU THINK THEY WERE CRAZY
AARON: THEY WERE SMOKING
RIDGE: FOR DOING WHAT THEY WERE DOING?
AARON: THEY WERE ROLLED UP UM, CIGARETTES THERE WAS ALL KIND OF WHITE
RIDGE: KINDA WHITE CIGARETTES?
AARON: ALL WHITE
RIDGE: OH, SO IT WASN'T A CIGARETTE LIKE YOU GET OUT OF A PACKAGE THAT'S GOT A FILTER ON IT. IT WAS
AARON: THEY IUST HAD UM, LITTLE WHITE... WHITE UM,
RIDGE: DID YOU SEE THEM ROLL THEM UP
AARON: THEY HAD, THEY PUT SOME... SOME OF THAT TOBACCO STUFF IN THERE AND THEN ROLLED IT UP,
RIDGE: UH-UM (YES)
AARON: THEY... THEY HAD FIRE. BUT THEN THEY MADE A FIRE ONE TIME AND THEY PUT IT ON THERE AND THEY SMOKED IT.///
RIDGE: DID YOU EVER SMELL THE SMOKE? WHAT DID IT SMELL LIKE DID IT STINK?
AARON: YEAH (YES) IT STUNK
RIDGE: WHAT IT SMELL LIKE?
AARON: IT SMELLED LIKE, IT SMELLED LIKE A CIGARETTE JUST GETTING LILT BUT IT WAS A DIFFERENT KIND
RIDGE: DIFFERENT FROM A REGULAR CIGARETTE? DIDN'T SMELL LIKE A REGULAR CIGARETTE?
AARON: UH-UH (NO)
RIDGE: OKAY
ALLEN: HOW CLOSE WHEN YOU, I GUESS YOU ALL WERE HIDING KEEPING REAL QUITE, HOW CLOSE WERE THEY TO YOU?
AARON: FIVE FEET AT LEAST FIVE FEET AWAY
ALLEN: OKAY, WHEN YOUR TALKING... TALKING CLOSENESS UM, WITHIN THE DISTANCE OF THIS ROOM OR FURTHER?
GITCHELL: I'LL TELL YOU WHAT IN... IN A LITTLE BIT WE'LL WE, WOULD YOU WANT TO TAKE US OUT THERE AND SHOW US WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
AARON: YES SIR
GITCHELL: OKAY, WE CAN GET A BETTER... BETTER JUDGE OF DISTANCE THEN
AARON: A BETTER LOOK AT IT
GITCHELL: OKAY... OKAY
RIDGE: WHAT ABOUT ANY ANIMALS THAT HAVE BEEN OUT THERE. DO YOU REMEMBER ANYTHING ABOUT?
AARON: ALL THERE WAS IS ONE DOG. IT LOOKED KINDA LIKE A CANINE DOG
RIDGE: OKAY
AARON: BECAUSE IT HAD A LONG MOUTH AND IT TAL... A LONG MOUTH STICKING OUT AND UH, KINDA LITTLE NOSE AND IT WAS UM, IT WAS KINDA BIG AND BROWN
RIDGE: OKAY, WHO HAD THAT DOG?
AARON: ALL, I THINK IT WAS ALL MEN, CAUSE THEY WAS MEAN TO HE, THEY JUST UM, PUSHED HIM AROUND ONE BY ONE
RIDGE: PUSHED HIM AROUND? HOW DID THEY PUSH IT?
AARON: THEY, ONE GUY HAD HIM, AND THEY PUSHED IT TO THE OTHER, AND
RIDGE: WHAT WOULD THEY PUSH HIM WITH?
AARON: THEY WOULD PUSH HIM WITH HIS HANDS
RIDGE: OKAY
GITCHELL: HOW WERE THEY PUSHING THE DOG LIKE?
AARON: LIKE THAT
RIDGE: WHAT DID THEY END UP DOING TO THE DOG?
AARON: NOTHING, THEY JUST BEING MEAN TO IT
RIDGE: OKAY
AARON: THEY TEASED IT LIKE THEY WERE GOING TO WHIP IT
RIDGE: OKAY, HOW ABOUT SOME CATS, WERE THERE SOME CATS OUT THERE?
AARON: YEAH (YES) THEY CAUGHT CAT THEY CUT HIS HEAD OFF AND ATE IT
RIDGE: THEY DID WHAT?
AARON: ATE A CAT
RIDGE: GOODNESS, DID THEY EAT HIS HEAD, OR DID THEY EAT THE WHOLE CAT?
AARON: THEY ATE THE WHOLE CAT BUT HIS HEAD
RIDGE: EVERYTHING BUT HIS HEAD
GITCHELL: DID THEY COOK HIM FIRST?
AARON: THEY COOKED HIM FIRST, CUT OFF HIS HEAD AND THEN COOKED HIM AND THEN ATE HIM
RIDGE: WHAT DID THEY DO WITH HIS HEAD? DID THEY KEEP IT?
AARON: I THINK THEY KEEPED IT
RIDGE: OH
AARON: OR THREW IT AWAY, CAUSE ONE OF THE MEN THREW IT
RIDGE: DO YOU KNOW WHICH ONE ACTUALLY KILLED THE CAT? WAS IT THE ONE THAT HAD THE NECKLACE ON?
AARON: YES, THE ONE THAT HAD THE NECKLACE ON
RIDGE: HE'S THE ONE THAT KILLED THE CAT?
AARON: AND THEY ALL HAD KNIFES
RIDGE: WHAT KIND OF KNIFE?
AARON: BIG KNIFES LIKE THAT
RIDGE: BIG KNIFES, AND YOU DESCRIBE WITH YOUR HAND A BIG KNIFE YOU MEAN ABOUT LIKE 10 INCHES LONG ?
AARON: YEAH (YES)
RIDGE: OKAY
AARON: AND IT, AND THEY UM, HAD A BELT AND THEY HAD A LITTLE CASE THEY STUCK IT IN THERE
RIDGE: ALL OF THEM HAD ONE JUST LIKE THAT?
AARON: (inaudible)
RIDGE: OKAY, DID WAS THERE ANYTHING SPECIAL ABOUT THOSE KNIVES WERE THEY REAL SHINY, OR WERE THEY DARK?
AARON: NO THEY KINDA HAD SOME LITTLE BLOOD ON IT
RIDGE: SOME BLOOD ON THE KNIVES
AARON: YEAH (YES) EVEN BEFORE THEY TOOK IT OUT AND KILLED THE CAT
RIDGE: OH, SO YOU WERE CLOSE IF YOU SAW THE BLOOD ON THE KNIFE, YOU WERE REAL CLOSE
AARON: YEAH (YES) SCOTT IS ABOUT, MY BROTHER SCOTT IS ABOUT FIVE FEET, AN HE'S NOT TALL
RIDGE: OKAY, WAS IT A CLOSE AS FROM US TO THAT DOOR? RIGHT THERE BEHIND YOU, WHERE YOU THAT CLOSE TO WATCHING WHAT THEY WERE DOING? ARE WAS IT LIKE FROM HERE TO THOSE CABINETS BACK THERE THAT FAR AWAY?
AARON: IT WAS ABOUT TO MR. BRAY TO THE DOOR THAT'S HOW CLOSE WE WERE KINDA
RIDGE: FROM MR. DON BRAY TO THAT DOOR, SO IT'S, YOUR ABOUT FIFTEEN FEET AWAY FROM THEM? YOUR REAL CLOSE IS THAT RIGHT?
AARON: IT WAS FIVE FEET, I COULD, I CAN REALLY TELL HOW BIG FIVE FOOT IS.
RIDGE: OKAY, AND YOU SAW EVERYONE OF THEM HAD KNIVES? AND THEY ALL HAD
AARON: //////
RIDGE: LIKE BELTS AND PLACE THEY KEPT THE KNIVES
AARON: AND THEY HAD A PART TO BUCKLE IT UP
RIDGE: BUCKLE THE KNIFE UP? OKAY, DID YOU EVER SEE ANY GIRLS OUT THERE?
AARON: UH-UH (NO)
RIDGE: YOU NEVER SAW ANY?
AARON: ONE OF THEM LOOKED LIKE ONE?
RIDGE: ONE OF THEM LOOKED LIKE A GIRL?
AARON: HE HAD LONG LONG HAIR
RIDGE: WHAT COLOR WAS HIS HAIR?
AARON: IT WAS BLACK
RIDGE: REAL BLACK
AARON: NO IT HAD A LITTLE BLONDE IN IT
RIDGE: OH, OKAY, I'VE GOT SOME PICTURES RIGHT HERE AND WANT YOU TO LOOK AT THESE PICTURES AND SEE IF YOU RECOGNIZE ANY OF THOSE BOYS MAY HAVE BEEN OUT THERE? THERE IS NUMBERS UNDERNEATH EACH PICTURE AND THEY GO ALL THE WAY TO NUMBER TEN. DO ANY OF THEM LOOK LIKE THEY MAY HAVE BEEN OUT THERE, IN THAT BUNCH YOU SAW?
AARON: NO I SHOWED MR. UM, DONALD BRAY WHICH... WHICH ONE I SEEN OUT THERE YESTERDAY
RIDGE: YOU SAW ONE?
GITCHELL: DID... DID THEY PAINT THEIR FACES UP?
AARON: YEA, ONE OF THEN HAD UM, A SCAR RIGHT HERE IT WAS KINDA OF, IT LOOKED LIKE A UM, A SCRAPE TO ME, YOU KNOW IT WAS WHITE, WHEN EVER THEY ITCH THEMSELVES THEY HAVE WHITE SPOTS
GITCHELL: OKAY, SO... SO THEY,.. THEY PUT SOMETHING ON THEIR FACE TO MAKE THEM LOOK BLACK
AARON: LIKE BLACK PAINT
GITCHELL: UH-HUH (YES) AND WHEN THEY WOULD SCRATCH YOU COULD SEE THE WHITE UNDERNEATH?
AARON: UH-HUH (YES)
GITCHELL: OKAY
AARON: PLUS THEY WOULD HAVE BLACK PAINT ON THEIR FINGERS
GITCHELL: OKAY, DID YOU SEE WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY HAD TO PUT THIS STUFF ON?
AARON: RIGHT, UM, THAT PAINT THAT NEVER COMES OFF
GITCHELL: UM, DO YOU KNOW WHAT SHOE POLISH IS? DO YOU KNOW WHAT SHOE POLISH IS?
AARON: UH-HUH (YES)
GITCHELL: DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE?
AARON: UH-HUH (YES)
RIDGE: DO YOU THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY USED ?
AARON: YEAH (YES) COULD OF, A BIG OLD BOTTLE, BIG OLD THING?
RIDGE: A BIG BOTTLE OKAY.
AARON: CAUSE THEY DID HAVE A BAG WITH THEM
RIDGE: WHAT KIND OF BAG?
AARON: A BAG THAT UM, CARRIES STUFF
RIDGE: OKAY, WHAT COLOR WAS THE BAG? WAS IT CLOTH, OR WAS IT LIKE A BRIEF CASE OR WAS IT JUST
AARON: IT WAS A BRIEF CASE
RIDGE: IT WAS A BRIEF CASE, OKAY, DID IT
GITCHELL: NOW WHAT A MINUTE DO YOU KNOW WHAT A BRIEF CASE IS?
AARON: IT'S A LITTLE THING THAT UM, HAS A HANDLE THAT YOU HOLD
GITCHELL: OKAY
AARON: WITH THE UM, WITH THE UM, PEOPLE THAT HAS
GITCHELL: OKAY, YOUR PRETTY SHARP
RIDGE: IS IT ONE THEY HAD TO LAY DOWN AND THEN OPEN UP THE TOP OF IT,
AARON: YEAH (YES)
RIDGE: LIKE IT JUST OPEN IN HALF IS THAT RIGHT?
AARON: THEY
RIDGE: OR IS IT ONE THAT WOULD STAND UP AND THEY WOULD OPEN AND THEN THE TOP WOULD SORTA OPEN UP?
AARON: YEAH (YES) THE TOP WOULD KINDA OPEN UP, IT WAS LIKE A LITTLE LOCK ON THERE, THEY HAD UM, A LITTLE SOAP ON ///// THERE AND THEY TWISTED IT AROUND
RIDGE: OKAY
AARON: TWISTED IT AROUND, AND THEY NEVER OPENED IT UP BEFORE
RIDGE: BUT THEY OPEN IT, WHEN DID THEY OPEN IT?
AARON: WE'VE NEVER SEEN THEM OPEN IT
RIDGE: YOU NEVER SAW THEM OPEN IT, OKAY
AARON: THEY JUST CARRY IT AROUND WITH IT,
RIDGE: WHEN THEY CAME INTO THE WOODS, WHEN YOU WOULD SEE THEM COMING IN WHICH WAY WOULD THEY COME FROM?
AARON: THEY WOULD COME FROM THE PART WHERE UM, THE... THE POLICE WHERE GOING UP IN, WHERE THEY HAVE THAT YELLOW THING AT
RIDGE: WELL THERE'S TWO ROADS OVER THERE, ONE IS OVER THERE HY THE APARTMENTS YOU KNOW WHERE THE DEAD END ROAD WHERE THE STOP SIGN IS, THERE IS ANOTHER ROAD DOWN THERE LIKE BACK TOWARD WHERE YOU USED TO LIVE, WHICH ROAD WOULD THEY COME IN, THE ONE BY THE APARTMENTS OR BACK DOWN THERE CLOSE TO WHERE YOU USE TO LIVE?
AARON: IT LOOKED LIKE THEY CAME CLOSE TO WHERE I USE TO LIVE
RIDGE: OKAY, WOULD ALL FIVE OF THEM COME IN TOGETHER OR WOULD ONE OF THEM COME IN, AND THEN ANOTHER ONE WOULD COME IN OR WOULD THEY JUST MEET OUT THERE?
AARON: ALL FIVE, WE SEEN THEM MEET IN THERE BEFORE
RIDGE: JUST ALL COME AT ONCE? SO
AARON: WELL THEN, WE, ONE TIME SEEN THEM MEET WITH EACH OTHER, ONE GOT THERE AND THEN THE OTHER, AND THEN THE OTHER, AND THEN THE OTHER
RIDGE: OKAY
AARON: AND THEN THEY UM, ALL SIT OUT
RIDGE: OKAY, WHEN YOUR SAYING THEY DID BAD THINGS AND YOU SAW WHAT THEY WERE DOING
AARON: UH-HUH (YES)
RIDGE: OKAY, CAN YOU TELL ME HOW THEY WERE DOING WHAT THEY WERE DOING, WERE STANDING UP, WERE THEY LAYING DOWN
AARON: THEY WERE LAYING DOWN
RIDGE: LAYING DOWN, OKAY, AND WHERE THEY LAYING FACE DOWN AND ONE ON TOP OF THE OTHER ONE?
AARON: ONE... ONE OF THEM WAS FACED DOWN AND THEN THE OTHER UM, GOT FACED DOWN TO,
RIDGE: ON TOP OF THE OTHER
AARON: ON TOP OF THE OTHER
RIDGE: OKAY, WAS ONE UP ON HIS KNEES A LITTLE BIT OR WAS HE ALL THE WAY LAYING FLAT DOWN?
AARON: ONE WAS LIKE ON HIS KNEES A LITTLE BIT
RIDGE: AND COULD YOU SEE WHAT THEY WERE DOING, WERE YOU CLOSE ENOUGH TO REALLY SEE WHAT THEY WERE DOING?
AARON: THEY WERE...UM, DOING UM, THEY WE UM DOING, DOING MOUTH STUFF AND STUFF OR STUFF, ALL KINDS OF STUFF I MEANT
RIDGE: OKAY, YOU SAID A WHILE AGO THEY DID SOMETHING WITH THEIR MOUTH, WHAT DID THEY DO WITH THEIR MOUTH?
AARON: THEY UM, KISSED
RIDGE: KISSED EACH OTHER OR DID THEY KISS THEIR BODY SOME WHERE?
AARON: THEY KISSED THEIR BODY SOMEWHERE
RIDGE: KISS BETWEEN THEIR LEGS
AARON: (inaudible)
RIDGE: OKAY, AND WHEN THEY KISSED BETWEEN THE LEGS DID THEY DO IT FOR A LONG TIME?
AARON: UH-UH (NO)
RIDGE: JUST A FEW MINUTES, OKAY
AARON: ABOUT FIVE MINUTES
RIDGE: DID THEY HOLLER ?
AARON: UH-UH (NO)
RIDGE: WERE THEY ALL THE TIME TRYING TO BE QUITE OR WERE THEY, WERE THEY TRYING TO BE QUIET?
AARON: THEY WERE TRYING TO BE QUIET
RIDGE: OKAY, SO WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY WOULD HAVE DONE IF THEY THOUGHT THEY GOT CAUGHT,. DO YOU THINK THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN SCARED? THINK THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN? WHEN THEY TOOK THEIR CLOTHES OFF DID THEY TOOK ALL THEIR CLOTHES OFF?
AARON: YES SIR
RIDGE: OKAY. WHAT DID THEY DO WITH THEIR CLOTHES WHEN THEY TOOK THEM OFF?
AARON: THEY UM, THEY PUT THEM , THEY PUT THEM AROUND THE TREE
RIDGE: AROUND THE TREE, WOULD THEY FOLD THEM UP, OR DID THEY JUST HANG THEM ON THE SIDE OF THE TREE, OR WOULD THEY JUST THROW THEM AROUND WHAT WOULD THEY DO?
AARON: THEY WOULD JUST THROW THEM
RIDGE: THEY THROW THEM, OKAY, THEY ALWAYS JUST THROW THEM OVER THERE OUT OF THE WAY?
AARON:
RIDGE: OKAY
ALLEN: WHEN THEY. WHEN THEY TOOK THEIR CLOTHES UH, DID ANY OF THEM HAVE LIKE PICTURES DRAWN ON THEM OR DO YOU KNOW WHAT A TATTOO IS? DID ANY OF THEM HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THAT?
AARON: YES SIR
ALLEN: DO YOU REMEMBER
AARON: ONE OF THEM HAD A SPIDER WEB ABOUT RIGHT HERE
ALLEN: ON HIS WHERE?
RIDGE: ON HIS ARM AND SHOULDER
AARON: YEAH (YES) IT WAS ABOUT RIGHT HERE THERE
RIDGE: IS IT ON THIS ARM?
AARON: I THINK IT'S ON THIS ARM
RIDGE: SO IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ON HIS LEFT ARM? AND IT WAS A SPIDER WEB?
AARON: IT WAS ALL GOING ALL THE WAY ACROSS
RIDGE: ALL THE WAY ACROSS HIS SHOULDER DID IT
AARON: HIS SHOULDER WENT... WENT TO PROBABLY TO THE MIDDLE THEN KINDA CAME BACK AND THE IT WENT UP AND THEN CAME DOWN
RIDGE: OKAY, SO YOUR DESCRIBING IT WENT ACROSS THE SHOULDER DOWN ABOUT HALF WAY OF THE ARM AND CAME BACK ACROSS TO THE CHEST AND WENT BACK UP AND WENT BACK DOWN AGAIN IS THAT THE WAY IT LOOKED?
AARON: NO, IT CAME, IT WENT UP HERE FROM THE CHEST UP THERE AND THEN UP AROUND IT
RIDGE: OKAY, I SEE WHAT YOUR SAYING, IT'S ON THE SHOULDER IT WENT DOWN THE ARM, COME ACROSS ALMOST TO THE CHEST AND THEN CAME HACK UP THE ARM AND THEN WENT DOWN ON HIS CHEST AND MADE A CIRCLE
AARON: YEAH (YES)
RIDGE: LIKE A BIG CIRCLE SPIDER WEB? DID YOU SEE ANY OTHER TATTOO'S ?
AARON: NO SIR
GITCHELL: DID THAT GUY HAVE ANY MORE, THE ONE THAT HAD THE SPIDER WEB YOUR TALKING ABOUT, DID HE HAVE ANY MORE TATTOO'S ON HIM?
AARON: I COULDN'T SEE ANY MORE
ALLEN: WHAT COLOR HAIR DID HE HAVE?
AARON: HE HAD BLACK
ALLEN: HE HAD BLACK HAIR
RIDGE: IS THAT THE ONE THAT THE ONE THAT HAD THE NECKLACE?
AARON: YEAH (YES)
RIDGE: THAT'S THE ONE THAT HAD THE NECKLACE, OKAY,
GITCHELL: LET'S RUN OUT THERE AND SHOW US WHERE HE'S TALKING ABOUT.
RIDGE: YOU WANT TO GO WITH US NOW AND SHOW US WHERE THE CLUB IS AND WHERE YOU SAW THE BOYS AT AND THE MEN AT? SHOW US WHERE YOU HID AND WATCHED?
AARON: YEAH (YES)
RIDGE: OKAY, WE'VE GOING TO CONCLUDE THIS TAPE THE TIME IS 5:48 P M.
STATEMENT OF AARON HUTCHESON (JUNE 9, 1993)
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.