Witness Interview: Roland Bland

Interviews were conducted with homeowners living near the Izard home on County Road 106 locally known as Sadler's Hill Road. The initial neighborhood interviews were conducted at the neighbors' homes on the afternoon and into the evening of the Izard murders, Friday, April 11, 1958.

M = Detective Jack McPhail
B = Roland Bland

M: Sorry to catch you right after work, Roland.
B: That's all right. Anything I can do. I wasn't home all day today, but go ahead, ask me anything. I sure hate to hear about the Izards being killed and those missing kids. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw all those cars and all the commotion over at their house when I got home. Wish I could do something for them.

M: First, for the record, please state your name, age, address and occupation.
B: Sure thing. It's Roland Matthew Bland, and I'm 29. My mailing address is Rural Route 2, Box 213, Oxford and I'm a painter. House painter, sign painter, that kind of stuff.

M: That's fine, just fine. Now can you tell me of your whereabouts after lunch today?
B: That's easy. I've been over to Abbeville getting that new supermarket all painted up. Me and my whole crew were there all day, didn't even leave to go eat lunch. Mr. Westover, he's the owner, was paying us extra to get it finished by Monday. We're almost done, too, just a little trimwork left, plus the big sign out front. Just got back a while ago, about five.

M: So you weren't home at all since this morning?
B: Nope. I'm sure sorry.

M: That's okay, I just have to make sure. You seen any folks or vehicles you aren't used to seeing around here since you got back home?
B: Just you guys.

M: How about in the last week or so, anything out of the ordinary?
B: Nothing I've noticed.

M: Seen any of your neighbors acting strangely?
B: No stranger than usual. Just kidding. No, I haven't seen anything.

M: Strange cars hanging around, any door to door salespeople, anything along those lines?
B: Nope.

M: What can you tell me about the Izards as neighbors?
B: They're good people. Never had any trouble with them.

M: Can you think of anybody who might?
B: Well, I heard about those factory layoffs while I was working this afternoon. Word travels fast 'bout something like that. People sure get mighty sore when they don't have a way to support their families no more. But I know all those guys and the ladies, too, down there at the factory. Some of the men are blowhards, but I can't imagine a one of 'em harming a fly. 'Sides, who would hurt Richard? And pretty little Miss Izard. Just makes me sick.

M: I understand.
B: Well ... and there's that bus driver. He might be mad, too, but not that mad.

M: Bus driver? Who are you talking about?
B: Elroy Murphy. Drives school bus No. 48 out by here. I think little Ricky rides it, at least in the afternoons, but I'm not sure.

M: What was Murphy's beef with the Izards?
B: Weren't no real big deal, at least to anybody except Murphy. It was a week or two ago. See, Richard's wife had all those pretty flowers up at the house, and she'd just planted some new ones around by their mailbox out by the main road, too. Looked real nice. Well, Murphy ain't the best driver in the world, no offense, but he ain't, and he wasn't watching too much one day when he tried to do a turn-around at the end of Richard's driveway. Knocked that mailbox all hell to breakfast, purt near ruint it. It hasn't never looked the same since even though Richard tried to knock the dents out of it. And the flowers, well, you know. They got all smushed up. You know how women are. Mrs. Izard was real mad when she saw it, Richard said. She made Richard call the bus shop supervisor and complain about ol' Murphy. Got him in big trouble, too, to hear Elroy talk. I saw Elroy at the coffee shop the next day, and he said something about "one more bad mark in my file and I'm history! I could wring those Izards' necks!" But I don't think he meant it.

M: I'll have to check it out. Anything else you can tell me? Do you know your postman?
B: Tommy Joe? Sure. Everybody knows him. He's a good ol' boy.

M: Can you think of any reason he might have to resent the Izards?
B: Him? Naw. You got that all wrong. One of your guys told me Hinkley found the bodies, is that right? But he's an innocent man. They were friends. You know how Tommy Joe likes to go on about how he was in the service? Well, you know Richard couldn't serve on accounta his bad back, so he was always asking Tommy Joe about this and that part of Army life. Tommy Joe just ate it up. He sure loves to talk about those days. They were fishing buddies, too. Naw, you're wrong. Ol' Hinkley didn't have nothing to do with it.

M: Glad to hear you say that. Do you know what time Tommy Joe usually comes by?
B: It varies, I think. I'm home sometimes in the afternoon, depending on if I got a current paint job or not. I've seen him doing his route, oh, as early as 2:00 and as late as 3:30. Depends on how much yapping Tommy Joe feels like doing that day with the folks he sees and whether he's delivering catalogs. Stuff like that. I know he's always nice to old Miss Catlett next door, stopping to talk to her 'cause she's a shut-in.

M: Okay. What else do you know about the Izards' enemies or their friends?
B: Didn't have no real enemies, not that I know of. As for friends, why, everybody seemed to like them. They were church-going folks, nice to get along with. Good neighbors. Kinda quiet, but we like that out here.

M: Did they owe anybody money?
B: Not that I know of, but Richard wasn't one to talk about such as that. You mean like one of them loan sharks?

M: I don't know. I've just got to cover all the bases.
B: No, I don't think so.

M: When was the last time you saw them?
B: Let's see now, I saw Richard yesterday evening. I think it was the day before that I saw the Missus and the kids out.

M: All right, that's it, Roland. Thanks for your time, and good to see you. Hate it had to be about something like this.
B: Me, too. Wish I could be of help.

M: Roland, keep your eyes open for anything unusual and let me know if you see or hear anything.
B: I'll do that.