Sunday, January 16, 2000 - 1:30 p.m.

The witness, Carl Dixon, notified the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department via a 911 emergency call that he had discovered the body of Devlin Beauchamp at Mr. Beauchamp's residence,702 Lamar, Oxford, MS. Sheriff's Detectives Sam Murphy and Ted Armstrong interviewed Mr. Dixon at the scene.

M = Det. Sam Murphy
A = Det. Ted Armstrong
D = Carl Dixon

M: For the record sir, could you please state your name and address.

D: My name is Carl Dean Dixon, I live at 818 Country Club Circle, Oxford, MS.

M: You know the victim, sir?

D: Yes, he is... was... Devlin Beauchamp, my business partner.

M: Mr. Beauchamp was your business partner? What is the name and address of your business?

D: Yes ma'am. We own a restaurant called Home Plate. Maybe you know it? We're on University Avenue, in Oxford, right near the campus. The kids love our barbeque. Can't even get in the place on a Saturday night.

M: The street number on University Avenue is...?

D: 1404...1404 University Avenue.

M: Thank you. Now, I realize you have been through some of the details with the first officer about finding Mr. Beauchamp's body, Mr. Dixon, but I'm afraid I do need you to go through it again. I hope you're up to it?

D: I understand, Detective.

M: You don't feel too upset talking to us here, in Mr. Beauchamp's home, do you?

D: No ma'am, long as we stay out here in the living room, I expect I'll be fine.

M: All right then. Can you tell us how you came to discover Mr. Beauchamp?

D: I found him in the tub... his head all... you know, there was so much blood and all... looked like his head was caved in... crushed. Gives me the chills to think of it.

A: Why did you come to Mr. Beauchamp's home, sir?

D: Oh, I see. Well, he was due in this morning. He comes in every morning about eight to start the sauce. Trade secret, won't let anyone know the recipe, so he is the only one who can make it. So, every morning he comes in at eight and starts.

A: Mr. Beauchamp wouldn't allow anyone else to make the sauce? Is the recipe written down anywhere? For safe keeping?

D: Yes sir, and kept in a safety deposit box. Of course, I also have a key to the box since We're partners - for all the good it would do me - Can't cook a lick. I guess it sounds ridiculous, having a barbeque recipe locked up in a bank vault, but it is the whole key to our success of the restaurant. Without it, we are just another barbeque joint.

M: We understand, Mr. Dixon. So, Mr. Beauchamp didn't arrive at the restaurant at eight and what did you do?

D: I didn't do anything. I was not at the store yet. I normally don't arrive until ten or eleven in the morning. The prep cook starting calling him about eight o'clock I guess.

M: The prep cook?

D: Yeah, Joe Hampton, the day cook. He opens up with Dev. Joe gets the ribs and chicken going and Dev makes the sauce.

A: Mr. Hampton would have been able to let himself in without Mr. Beauchamp?

D: Yeah, the opening cook and the closing cook each have a key to the place and know the combination for the alarm - otherwise Dev and me would have to be there twenty four hours a day.

A: I get it. So, Mr. Hampton called Mr. Beauchamp how many times, how often?

D: Several from what Joe said. By the time I arrived, he was frantic because the brunch crowd was going to start coming in and we had not nearly enough sauce made up and ready to go. And I guess he had been calling me too, but my ringer musta been turned off. I swear I didn't hear the phone.

M: And what time was that sir?

D: What time was what?

M: What time did you actually arrive at the restaurant?

D: I expect it was ten-thirty or ten-forty. I ended up sleeping in this morning. Just wasn't feeling myself for some reason.

M: What happened once you arrived at the restaurant?

D: Soon as I got Joe settled down, I called Dev myself. Just like Joe said, no answer, just the answering machine. So I got in my car and came over.

A: How did you get in to Mr. Beauchamp's house, sir?

D: I have a key. Just like he has a key to my house, in case of emergencies.

A: Does anyone else have a key to Mr. Beauchamp's house, that you know of?

D: I suppose somebody might, nobody I know of. He had a lot of friends and such... hard to say.

M: Okay, so you let yourself in with the key? And then what did you do?

D: Like you said, I let myself in. I called out and he didn't answer. I guess I was pretty ticked because I figured he spent the night carousing and was just sleeping it off.

M: Mr. Beauchamp had a habit of carousing?

D: Dev liked the ladies and that's a fact. A might too much, if you ask me. But he was young and handsome, I guess I didn't blame him.

A: When did you find the body?

D: I don't know exactly. I came in the front door and it was obvious he wasn't downstairs, so I headed up to his bedroom.

A: It was obvious, why?

D: Because it was dead quiet. Not a sound. When I got in there, I didn't see him but I heard water dripping and went for the bathroom.

A: Was the bedroom door shut? Did you open the door?

D: I think it was open... yeah cuz I just walked right in.

A: Okay, so you entered the bathroom from the master bedroom, not from the hallway?

D: That's right.

A: Was the bathroom door shut?

D: No it was kind of half closed. The door was ajar I guess you'd say. So I guess I pushed it open to go in and... it's funny, I was so ready to give him hell for scaring all of us and my god... I saw him. There's blood everywhere... made me sick to my stomach. Could hardly tell it was him...

A: But it is him, isn't it sir? It is Devlin Beauchamp?

D: Oh yes, it is. It absolutely is.

A: you're absolutely sure? It couldn't be anyone else?

D: Well...who else could it be? I mean who else would be in his tub - smelling like he smelled?

M: Excuse me? The victim smelled right?

D: He has some fancy place down to New Orleans make his special cologne - ain't nobody else has that cologne...

A: So, positive i.d. by smell? that's different.

D: All right maybe it's just his bathroom smelled like that I don't know. But he also has the tattoo of the naked girl on his lower back... it's him.

M: Okay Mr. Dixon, we understand why you are so sure. What did you do next, Mr. Dixon? Did you do anything to try to assist Mr. Beauchamp or determine if he was alive?

D: I guess I must have checked his pulse, in his neck... I didn't feel no pulse. I ran to the phone and called 911. After which I came out back and lost my lunch.

A: Where exactly did you lose your lunch, sir?

D: In the bushes, just outside the back door by the kitchen.

A: Outside?

D: Yes sir, outside at the kitchen door there is a bush, some sort of bush, out there just next to the kitchen door.

A: You had lunch before you came?

D: No sir, just an expression. I mean to say I vomited.

A: Got it.

M: And aside from taking Mr. Beauchamp's pulse, did you touch anything?

D: I probably did. I might've touched the doorknob to come in. I might have touched the tub when I leaned over him... you know to see?

A: Did you touch the walls, the sink, anything else?

D: I don't believe so. I was not interested in staying in that room, I don't mind telling you it scared the hell outta me, so I got out as soon as I could. I am pretty sure I didn't touch anything else.

M: And you didn't move anything, take anything out of the room? Anything at all?

D: No ma'am, what would I have moved? There was nothing to move.

M: All right.

A: When was the last time you saw Mr. Beauchamp alive?

D: Last night, before closing. About ten.

M: Anything unusual happen last night?

D: Unusual?

M: Yes, did Mr. Beauchamp do or say anything that seemed out of character for him? Was he nervous or upset about anything?

D: No, not really. Not that I could tell.

A: Was Mr. Beauchamp having any problems to your knowledge? Personal or business?

D: Not that I know of, but I think if he was he would have told me. So I guess, the answer is no.

M: You and Mr. Beauchamp were close? Friends?

D: Yes, I like to think so.

A: Mr. Beauchamp have any enemies or anyone have a grudge against him that you know of? Disgruntled employees, ex-girlfriends, jealous husbands or boyfriends? Anything like that?

D: I don't believe so. Dev was very well liked and had many friends.

M: So just prior to his death, Mr. Beauchamp didn't display any odd or unusual behavior? didn't start keeping secrets, disappear for periods of time, close the door when he took phone calls, not show up for work when expected, other than today of course?

D: No, not that I noticed. Dev was Dev. You know, sometimes he was moody, just like anybody...but nothing that struck me as curious.

M: And except for today, his routine was what it has always been? He hadn't varied it, changed anything in his schedule? Not at all?

D: Well ma'am I wasn't watching him every minute. I suppose he might have made changes, but none that I noticed.

A: Anyone have any arguments or fights with Mr. Beauchamp before his death?

D: Sure, we argued a good bit. Me and Dev. But just the usual stuff... I want to watch costs he doesn't. I'm the penny pincher; he's the temperamental chef.

A: Temperamental?

D: Sure, the way creative people are. You know, they see the world how they see it, not always how it really is. Makes it a little hard on us normal folk but you learn to accept people's quirks.

M: The police found a fountain pen in the bathroom near Mr. Beauchamp's body, but they didn't find any paper or notebooks or such. Any idea of what Mr. Beauchamp would have been doing with the pen?

D: I would guess that he was writing in his journal. It was a daily ritual of his. Apparently, a family tradition of sorts.

M: Excuse me?

D: Dev always preached about how important it was to keep journals, record one's life for posterity I suppose. It was a habit he learned from his mother. From what he said, each night he would record the noteworthy moments of his day, while relaxing in the tub.

A: The police found no journal.

D: Well, I find that odd. If he had a fountain pen with him he was writing something and if he was writing something it would have to be his journal. After all, you don't jot down the grocery list in the tub, do you?

A: And you didn't remove anything from the bathroom? You didn't find the journal and put it somewhere?

D: No. I did not. Like I said I didn't touch or move nothing. I just got out of there quick as I could.

A: And you didn't touch or move the victim in any way?

D: No sir, I did not, except for taking his pulse, like I told you. I could barely look at him, the condition he was in... scared the hell outta me I don't mind telling you.

A: Did your partner have a life insurance policy?

D: We had partner insurance, yes. Beyond that I don't know if he carried any personal insurance.

A: You are the beneficiary?

D: It is a standard policy that would enable me to continue to operate the business in the event of his demise or vice versa. This is very common in business. But I assure you, I don't stand to make a million dollars sir.

A: What do you stand to make?

D: Enough to keep my business from going under. No trips to Hawaii or even the WalMart.

M: Does Mr. Beauchamp have any family here in Oxford that we can contact? Or, if you know, elsewhere?

D: I think he has a brother, but I don't know how to reach him. I never met him. Now that I think of it, I don't even know his name. According to Dev they didn't get on very well. But I guess that ain't so unusual... brothers spatting...

M: Can you tell us where you were last night between eleven p.m. and two a.m.?

D: I was at the store... the restaurant until midnight. I closed out the register, put the money in the safe, locked up and went home.

A: Can anyone corroborate that?

D: Yeah, my night cook walked out with me. Tom Bridges is his name.

M: And you went directly home from the restaurant?

D: I stopped at the Chevron, the one on Lamar, and got a pack of smokes, then I went home.

A: What time did you get home?

D: I expect it was about 12:30.

A: You live just over on Country Club? Not far from here.

D: that's right, just a couple minutes by car.

M: Mr. Dixon did anyone see you come home, a neighbor perhaps?

D: I am pretty sure I woke my daughter when I got home.

M: What is your daughter's name and age?

D: Kat - Katherine Dixon, she's twenty-one. She lives with me at the Country Club address.

M: I see. So we can reach her at the address on Country Club?

D: Yes, she also works part time at the restaurant as a waitress.

M: Good, okay we'll make a note of that. You say you think you woke her last night? What makes you think so? Did she get up, say anything to you?

D: I saw her light go on in her room for a second. I called out and said it was just me and she should go back to sleep and then the light went out.

A: So, you didn't actually see your daughter when you came home?

D: No, Detective, I didn't see her, but she was there.

M: And what did you do once you had assured your daughter you were home?

D: I had a smoke and went to bed. Next thing I knew it was morning and I was running late for work.

M: Can you think of anyone who would have any reason to do this to Mr. Beauchamp?

D: No ma'am, I Can't. Like I said, everybody liked Dev. I Can't think of a soul who'd want to see him dead.

M: Thank you for staying and answering our questions. We may need to talk to you again, so please don't leave town without telling us.

D: I'm staying put ma'am. Got nowhere to go but work. Guess I better go break the news to everybody.

M: I guess you better. Good day, sir.

End interview 2:13 p.m.