Thursday, June 10, 2004 -- 4:10 PM

This witness, identified as the victim's roommate and cousin, was interviewed at the apartment the witness and victim shared. The interview was conducted by Det. Sam Murphy and Det. Ted Armstrong, and was recorded on a portable tape recorder with the witness's knowledge and consent.

SM: Thank you for speaking with us again this afternoon.

MP: Of course.

SM: Would you state your name and address once more for the record?

MP: Michelle Prescott, 588 Hathorn Road, Apartment 232, The Turn.

SM: Great.

MP: What can I tell you? I feel as though we discussed so much last time.

SM: Well, to start, we wanted to learn more about Ms. Waterson's relationships with men.

MP: I see. It's as I said before -- that's one area where she and I disagreed. I preferred to know as little as possible, to be honest. Whenever she started talking about it, and she wanted to talk a lot, I would ask her to consider therapy, and then the conversation would pretty much end.

SM: We get it. But you lived with her. You had to know who she was dating.

MP: I tried not to. We had an agreement, you see. I asked her not to bring her dates here. She would meet them elsewhere -- they would go out, or to his place -- but not here. I did the same. I preferred to keep my private life separate from hers. Of course, when I was away, she could do what she wanted.

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SM: Sounds like your relationship was pretty strained over this.

MP: No. I loved Kristi. I still do. I was just -- well, it's the same as with relatives of people with serious problems, drinking or drugs. After a certain point all you can do is keep offering to help, offering to get them help, and there's nothing more you can do. I certainly wasn't going to enable what I saw as a serious problem.

TA: A problem for you, or for her?

MP: What do you mean? I was concerned for her health.

SM: We checked out Rob LaRouche, and his family's pretty big in certain religious circles. I don't suppose your boyfriend's parents would be too pleased to know about Ms. Waterson's habits.

MP: I don't see what that has to do with anything. As I said, I distanced myself from Kristi's activities entirely. Rob's parents barely even met her, much less knew anything about her. It's really none of their concern.

TA: Still, weren't you worried that being Ms. Waterson's roommate and all might hurt you? You did say something about that last time. The quality of people you associate with is important, isn't it?

MP: You're taking my words out of context. It's true, I believe it's important to choose friends wisely. You can't get where you want in life without them. But Kristi was family, and that's the strongest bond. To imply somehow because I disapproved of her actions -- well, I can't imagine what it is you're thinking.

SM: Ms. Prescott, what was Ms. Waterson's relationship with Rob LaRouche?

MP: I already said there was no relationship. He says there was nothing between them -- he was her student for one semester, that's all. I believe him. By that I mean he's a man of morals, as you must know if you talked with him. Like me, he was concerned for Kristi -- he saw her behavior as a cry for help.

SM: What about Hunter Nelson? Is that what he saw too?

MP: I wouldn't know what he thought. I met him once or twice, that's all.

SM: When was that?

MP: He came to pick her up for dates here a couple of times. I couldn't tell exactly when, but the first time was in the fall. The last time must have been back in January. Whenever he came by, I would say hello and how are you, but nothing more. It wasn't my place to lecture him, but I certainly wasn't going to become anything more than an acquaintance. I mean that wouldn't have been right for Kristi -- I didn't want her to think I was interested in him. I understand he's a very nice young man. He's from a nice family. I can understand why Kristi might have scared him off.

SM: What makes you say she scared him off?

MP: Well, I didn't know the details of their relationship. But I inferred he was the one to break off relations with her -- by that I mean she told me he had moved on, that's all. I can only assume he didn't share her predilections.

SM: And what about after they broke up? You said you saw him here after that?

MP: Yes. He was acquainted with Dewey, the apartment manager. I saw him a couple of times, or rather saw his car. Kristi pointed it out to me once; he has a nice Lexus. Good taste. The last time I saw it must have been the weekend before Kristi died. I'm sorry, but I don't have anything new to contribute. I really didn't know Hunter at all.

SM: What about Weldon?

MP: Pardon?

TA: A person named Weldon. You ever hear of him?

MP: No. It's as I said before -- I think she was dating someone new, but she never told me who it was. And she didn't tell me anything about her work. I met her supervisor, John Brewer, once when we happened to cross campus, and he seemed perfectly nice, but that's really all I know of her professional life.

SM: Who were her other boyfriends, other students she was dating?

MP: I'm sorry, I don't know. Hunter was the only one I met. Well -- she once mentioned a Chris, and a Nate. But I don't know who they are and even whether they're still here, whether they were just friends or students. I'm sorry.

SM: What other names do you remember?

MP: I'm sorry -- I can't think of any.

SM: Let's talk some more about the evening Ms. Waterson died.

MP: I told you already, I wasn't there.

TA: That's what we're trying to get straight. We asked Mr. LaRouche and he thought you didn't come over until late.

MP: No. That's wrong.

TA: In fact, you said yourself you came back from your drive around 7:30, but you also said 8:30, and Mr. LaRouche said it was around 9:00. Now, as you point out, he's a man of morals, so that would mean you got to his place later than you said.

MP: Well, neither of us were exactly watching the time. By that I mean neither of us wears a watch. And it was Saturday night -- we didn't have any obligations to be anywhere. There's no reason to be exact. I resent the implication that somehow I would intentionally lie.

TA: All right then, set us straight.

MP: It's as I said before. I went over there around seven, and we went out for a drive. We got back around eight-thirty or so. We ordered pizza and watched a DVD. I got back just before nine the next morning. Surely you don't think I had something to do with what happened?

TA: Well Ms. Prescott, we're a little at a loss. No one except Mr. LaRouche saw you much, and you seem to have had your reasons to disagree with Ms. Waterson.

MP: Disagree, yes. But surely decent people can disagree, or be concerned, without violence? It's insulting to think I would do such a thing.

TA: It doesn't sound like Ms. Waterson was responding to your decency.

MP: No. I won't argue with you or pretend otherwise. But to imply that because of it I would try to hurt her -- it's outrageous. I'm sorry, but I have to ask you to leave. I'm not compelled to continue this conversation.

TA: Fine. But we'll be back.

MP: I plan to have an attorney present.

TA: See you soon.

Interview ends -- 4:39 PM