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Tuesday, November 25, 1997 Guest: Sheriff Taylor Sheldon, from Memphis, TN   Opening Remarks:   Good evening. Well, I just got here and haven't been outside, hard to get a phone, etc. So far I met with the FBI. I think I�m ready to answer questions.   Question and Answer Session:   Q: Have you gotten any leads in Memphis? A: Well, the FBI tends not to share too much with us locals, you know, but they are investigating the sighting of Macy. They say they don't have much to divulge yet, but I am pressing them as hard as I can. There is something odd about the rental of the apartment but they won't tell me what it is. It is been treated as very important, though. They have interviewed the Cousins woman extensively, I believe. It is difficult to come into a city in another state and do my own investigation. But I am attempting to connect with the local PD as well as the FBI.   Q: Who owns the apartment complex and who invited you to Memphis if they were not going to share information? A: They have not informed me as to the owner. I invited myself as Sheriff Lamar was a friend and I am as concerned as almost anyone about Macy. She is a fine girl. The FBI has promised a more detailed report by early next week, I am hoping for Monday. A lot of the labs and stuff are closed for the holiday.   Q: Do you know if fingerprints were taken in the apartment complex or a search warrant obtained? A: I know the place was dusted, but I don't have the results. There are more warrants pending. We have to be so specific these days, you know about what we are searching for.   Q: Does the woman who "saw" Macy wear glasses? Was she wearing them at the time if so? A: In the picture I saw, she was wearing glasses. I haven't interviewed her, so I don't know if she was wearing them, but usually if a woman wears them in a photograph, they wear them all the time.   Q: When will we be given the names of the others arrested in the gambling raid and who owns the gambling dens? A: I believe we are releasing more information on that little raid. It doesn't seem too important in view of the other things we have going on, though. I know Chuck always said the rumors of gambling were overblown.   Q: Who's the lead Memphis investigator on this case? Have you met him or her yet? A: Actually, I have talked to Hillman mostly.   Q: Did the witness get a look at the two men with Macy? If so, give us a description. A: Well, as I said, I haven't talked directly with her so I don't know a lot more than was in the original report, but I believe she isn't real clear on them as she was concentrating on the girl and trying to make sure it is her. The FBI has taken her descriptions out on the wire, though. But it is my understanding that they are not real comprehensive. Sorry I don't have new information on that for you.   Q: Did she say they were old, young, fat skinny, anything? A: All I know about is what she said in the original report which was the shirt thing and, oh, yeah, they were mid 30's and body guard or body builder types. The woman said that one of them might have been a weight lifter, I think.   Q: Perhaps one thing to add to your agenda while there is a stop by the courthouse to see who owns the apartment building? A: Yes, ma�am, probably tomorrow. FBI meetings all afternoon.   Q: Does anyone keep a record somewhere of outstanding gambling debts? A: Well, since gambling is illegal, it wouldn�t be a police agency. Maybe the bookie or parlor owner. We didn't find any in the raid, I know that.   Q: Did Pierce and Phelps have any accomplices or allies? Living or dead? A: The only one I know of would be Vickie. There were some acquaintances, but no one that we could link to any of the crimes.   Q: Did the witness seem to think Macy went with them willingly? A: Well, there was no obvious struggle and she was not tied up or restrained. And the men went to the car before her and waited for her rather than using obvious force. The woman did say she seemed to be glad to be outside, though.   Q: From the description of incident it would seem she was staging her fall hoping to attract attention. A: I think we won't know that until we catch up to them. For one thing, even after she fell, she did not try to run even though the men were not that near to her. It is possible however that she was trying to attract the notice of people in the complex   Q: Is it possible that the woman was not wearing her glasses at the time and mistook some other girl for Macy? A: Yes, as I said, I am only assuming from the photo that I saw that the woman wears her glasses all the time. I have no other corroborating evidence either way.   Q: The kidnappers have had time to brainwash Macy like the Patty Hearst case or maybe drugged her. A: Yes, we have considered that very carefully and it is very possible among other theories that she is with them willingly although I myself don't think Macy is that kind of girl. I don't think that she would worry her mother like this (and her father if she doesn't know of his death).   Q: Can we be sure this is a credible witness? A: Well, of course, that is always a concern. There are many people who would like that reward and there are people who want the publicity and the woman may prove to be unreliable, but, at this point, he FBI is taking her very seriously. This woman has positively identified Macy from a photograph that the FBI showed her. To my knowledge, she has never made a false report in the past.   Q: You said you have had some false confessions on the case. Can you name some? A: No, it would violate their rights to make their names public and it would only serve to encourage them to do it more often. It is the attention that they crave. Usually, they are well known in their areas and we have a file of names that we check automatically when someone comes forward with information.   Q: Do you happen to know if Cousins is near-sighted or far- sighted? A: From her age and the appearance of her glasses, they looked like bifocals to me.   Q: Has any more evidence turned up at home on Sheriff Lamar's murder? A: No new evidence, but the crime scene reconstruction has lead us to some conclusions. We believe that there may have been another car, but we are not sure if it was someone totally uninvolved with the Sheriff and may have been an innocent passer by. Well, I did not mean innocent. The passerby may have been a drunk driver who didn't stop for fear of discovery or someone not wanting to be found in the area at the time for totally unrelated reasons to Chuck's death.   Q: Have y�all gotten a search warrant to search the Dickerson project? A: No, as yet, we do not have probable cause to search it.   Q: What do you have planned for tomorrow? A: Well, I am meeting with the chief of the local PD and I am having lunch with Agent Hillman if possible. And, as someone here suggested, I may pay a visit to the courthouse if I don't get the information on the complex owner from Hillman. However, I am a guest in this city and I have to watch that I don't step on any toes. We have maintained good relations with Memphis in other cases. They have been very helpful.   Q: Who else is on this case besides you? How many others from your Department? A: Well, depends on if you mean formally or on their own time. Now that Chuck is dead, many of the Deputies feel a responsibility to handle this last case for him. We are all trying as hard as we can to find Macy Lamar and return her to Caroline as soon as possible. Officially we have eight people full time on the case right now, but many unofficial hours are being worked.   Q: Any conclusions on coroner�s autopsy? A: Not yet.   Q: How was your fishing trip the weekend Pierce and Phelps escaped? A: Cut short. I was called back to help with the investigation and I had thrown back the ones I had already caught.   Q: What's Aimee up to? A: Aimee Harberson? don't know. Her interviews are complete as far as I know. We still have reservations about her and her friend is coming in on Friday because her story may have some inaccurate details now that we have viewed the tape. Aimee would like to leave the area, but we have "requested" that she remain until we are sure we have no more questions. My personal opinion is that she doesn't mind as they are still requesting interviews from her (the media, that is).   Finally, I would urge all of you to let us know what you think. Terry reads all the messages and several of your ideas have proved to be very accurate. Good night, everyone.