Monday, April 3, 2000 - 3:50 p.m.

This interview was conducted at the offices of Cupid's Couples, following Ms. Pomeroy's discovery of the body of Trudi Rose.

M = Det. S. Murphy
A = Det. T. Armstrong
P = Dana Pomeroy

M: Ms. Pomeroy, I know this has been a very upsetting afternoon for you, but we do need you to answer a few questions. Okay?

P: Okay. I'll do the best I can, but I really don't know if I can help you much.

M: Could you describe what you saw and heard when you arrived here earlier this afternoon? In as much detail as you can remember.

P: Well, I came in late today. I had a doctor's appointment this morning and Trudi told me to just take the whole morning off and come in after lunch. So I wouldn't be rushed, you know? She knows how it can be at the doctor sometimes, hurry up and wait and wait and wait.

M: So what time did you finally get here?

P: Um, I don't know exactly. Around 2:30, I think. I tried to get here earlier, but it was just one of those days, you know. Everything seemed to be going wrong. I didn't even know then how much worse it was going to get.

A: Ms. Pomeroy, try to stay with us here. I know you're very upset. Just take a deep breath.

P: I'm sorry. I'm just running on and on about nothing, aren't I? I'm sorry about that. I don't usually do that. I don't know what's wrong with me.

A: It's okay. Did you notice anything unusual when you came in to the office? When you first walked in the front door?

P: Um... yes. Usually when I get to work there's music going and Trudi calls my name out. And there was neither, and it made me kind of nervous. So, I decided to look around.

M: Is that what you did first? Look around? Or did you maybe put your things down first? Maybe put your purse at your desk or something like that?

P: Oh yeah, I guess I did. I just dropped my purse on my desk and set my drink down. Then I walked back to Trudi's office to see if she was in there.

M: What did you see when you walked to her office?

P: I immediately saw that she was slumped over on her desk. And so I called out her name because I thought maybe she was taking a nap or something. But she didn't answer or move or anything. So I walked over to her and shook her a little, but she still didn't move or answer me.

A: You told Officer Winters that you checked for a pulse or a heartbeat, right?

P: Yes, I did. Just like they do on TV, on that show "ER" or "Chicago Hope" or those cop shows, you know?. I couldn't feel a pulse or a heartbeat or whatever, so I called the 911 number right away.

A: And then what did you do?

P: I don't know. I talked to that 911 lady for a while. She kept asking me questions and stuff and then those other cops came and I got off the phone to talk to them.

M: Did you notice anything out of place or missing, either here in the reception area or in Ms. Rose's office?

P: I don't know. I didn't even think to look. Do you think someone stole something? I guess I should have looked. I don't know why I didn't.

A: It's okay, Ms. Pomeroy. You can take a look around later, maybe tomorrow or the next day, after we finish here. If you notice anything missing, you can let us know then.

P: Okay, I'll do that. I'm sorry.

M: We noticed a napkin on Ms. Rose's desk with some white powder on it. Do you have any idea what that might have been?

P: Probably powdered sugar, knowing Trudi. She has... had... a huge sweet tooth. And she really loves things with powdered sugar on them - brownies, lemon bars, cookies, donuts, all that kind of stuff. Sometimes she baked stuff at home and brought it in. Sometimes she bought stuff over at Trigo Bakery. We even keep a thing of powdered sugar here in the office, so she can put it on whatever she brings in, if she wants to. I tried to tell her that eating all that junk wasn't good for her, but she never listened to me. I guess it doesn't really matter now...

A: Do you know if Ms. Rose had any appointments or meetings scheduled for this morning?

P: I don't know. She usually schedules her own appointments. You could look at her appointment book. She keeps that in her office. Do you want me to get it for you? It's usually right on her desk.

A: No, that's okay, Ms. Pomeroy. We'll get it later. No need for you to go back in there.

P: Oh yeah. I guess you wouldn't want me to bother all those people you've got working in there. And I don't really want to go back in there and see... I don't know what I was thinking...

M: Had Ms. Rose been acting unusual in any way recently?

P: Not that I noticed, really. She's been sick some, like Kelly. I don't know why I haven't caught whatever bug they have, but I sure don't want it. Anyway, other than being sick, Trudi's always pretty much the same. But then, we aren't really friends, you know? I mean, we like each other and everything, but we don't confide in each other or ask each other's advice or anything like that. Kelly would probably be able to tell you better whether Trudi had been acting strange. Kelly or Bobby Joe.

A: That's Kelly Clinton, your other boss? And Bobby Joe Rose, Ms. Rose's husband?

P: Oh yeah, I guess I should have said that. I just assume y'all know who I'm talking about, but how could you? It's not like you're here every day or anything.

A: Don't worry about it. Speaking of Ms. Clinton, where is she? Why isn't she here?

P: I haven't talked to her today. She's been out sick off and on lately. Some kind of stomach virus or something. I guess she's probably at home sick again, since she's not here. Ohmigod! She doesn't know about Trudi! I don't have to, you don't need me to, I'm not gonna have to tell her, am I? And what about Bobby Joe? Somebody's got to tell him. Do I have to do that?

A: No, no. The department will take care of those notifications. You don't need to bother with that. We're used to handling that sort of thing.

P: Oh good. I really don't want to be the one to tell them. They're just going to be devastated, both of them.

M: Had Ms. Rose been having trouble with anyone that you know of? Any disagreements?

P: I can't think of any. I'm sure there must have been someone. I mean, who doesn't argue with someone every now and then? But I just can't think who Trudi would have been upset with recently. Or who would have been upset with her either. Everyone loves Trudi. She's helped a lot of people in this town find real happiness.

M: Thank you for staying to talk with us. You're free to go now. We'll be in touch if we need anything else. You told Officer Winters how we can get in touch with you, right?

P: Yes, I did. I gave him my address and all my phone numbers. What should I do now? Should I go home? What about the phones and the office and all that?

M: Do you have an answering service or an answering machine here?

P: Yes...

M: You might want to go ahead and turn that on to answer the calls. We'll take care of locking up the office for you when we leave. We're probably going to be here a while longer.

P: Okay, I guess I'll do that. Do you think y'all will still be here tomorrow?

M: We don't know yet.

P: Okay, well... after you talk to Kelly, would you ask her to call me and let me know whether I should come to work tomorrow? I'm not going to call her because I don't want to talk to her before y'all do.

A: Okay, Ms. Pomeroy. We'll make a note to do that.

P: Thank you.

End interview: 4:25 p.m.