Officer Regan then approaches Cooper again, “Can you tell me what happened here?”
Cooper is crying, “I don’t know, I woke up and she was dead on the floor. That’s all I know.”
“Were you home all night?”
“Yes, as far as I know.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Well, I can’t remember much of last night.”
“Where were you sleeping?”
“I woke up in my recliner”
“Which one is that?”
Cooper points to his recliner, “that one.”
“Is the gun on the floor yours?”
“Huh? What gun?”
“Alright, I think we better wait for homicide detectives to get here,” Officer Regan says in frustration. “They will want to take you to the station to get a full interview from you. You willing to do that?”
“Of course officer, anything I can do to help.”
Cooper is placed in the back of a police cruiser to keep him secure and out of the crime scene. Paramedics check his vitals and provide him an orange-flavored beverage containing electrolytes. Fifteen minutes later, two detectives arrive followed by two crime scene technicians. By now, neighbors have started to gather in their yards to see what is going on.
Detectives Bill Masters and Jane Tippen arrive and get a quick briefing from officers. Masters and Tippen are seasoned detectives who have worked a number of homicides. Masters and Tippen make a good pair, as Masters takes more of a hard-line approach, while Tippen likes to take more time to build a rapport with witnesses and suspects alike. Masters is 42 years old, about six foot two, with broad shoulders. He has brown straight hair he parts on the left side and wears a neatly trimmed mustache. He typically wears dress pants, a sports jacket, and tie. Today he is wearing a blue tweed sport coat with a matching blue striped tie. Tippen is 37 years old, about five foot six, husky build with short blond curly hair. She typically dresses in cotton-blend pants, a blouse, and a jacket. Today she is wearing beige pants, an emerald green blouse, and matching beige jacket.
Detective Masters immediately asks patrol to cover Cooper’s hands with paper bags to protect any possible forensic evidence, then transport Cooper to the station and sit with him until detectives return to get his statement. Both detectives then examine the crime scene, taking notes and initial photos of what they observe. Without touching the weapon, Masters examines the gun lying on the floor. From the look of the victim, it does not appear as though she had any chance of survival. The victim, identified as Naomi Cooper, is wearing a light cream-colored blouse, and dark-colored pants. The blouse is soaked in blood and there appear to be two entrance wounds on the victim’s chest. A set of car keys are lying on the floor next to her body. A small hand-held black purse is on the kitchen table.
“Maybe she came home from somewhere and surprised an intruder,” suggests Tippen.
“Maybe,” responds Masters, “but I’m putting my money on the husband killing her. I don’t think an intruder would have left his gun behind.”
“No, probably not,” agrees Tippen.
“Regan said the husband was sleeping in this recliner,” advises Masters. “Looks like he may have been drinking and had the gun with him. If he drank that much rum, it’s no wonder he doesn’t remember much”
“Any sign of forced entry?” asks Tippen.
“Patrol said no, and I haven’t seen any. Regan told me he could hear Cooper unlock the door handle before opening it.”
“What about the deadbolt?”
“No, just the doorknob lock.”
“So, someone could have locked the doorknob and pulled the door shut as he or she was leaving,” suggests Tippen.
“Yeah, I suppose so,” agrees Masters.
Back at the station, Ryan Cooper’s hands are processed for gunshot residue and two samples of his blood are drawn for drug and blood alcohol testing. He is also fingerprinted. He is then placed in an interview room where he is watched by an officer through the one-way window. He is given a large cup of coffee to help him become more alert and coherent. After the electrolytes and now coffee, Cooper is starting to feel better. He continues to review in his head what happened to Naomi and tries to remember the series of events from the night before. He believes he remembers King being at the house, but is not sure.
It seems to Cooper like he has been in the room for hours, but it has only been forty-five minutes when Detectives Masters and Tippen enter the room, sitting down at the table across from him
“Hello Mr. Cooper,” says Masters. “We are very sorry about your wife.”
Cooper is unable to fight back the tears. Tippen hands him a small box of tissues.
“May we call you Ryan?” asks Masters.
“Yes.”
“Ryan, right now we don’t know what happened in your home last night, other than your wife has been shot. Right now, you are the only witness we have, and we would like to ask you a series of questions. You are not under arrest at this time, and you are free to go if you wish. However, your help would be appreciated,” explains Masters.
“Of course detective, I want to help find who killed my wife. Ask me anything.”
“Why don’t you just tell us what happened.”
“Well,” starts Cooper, “I am having trouble remembering last night. I remember coming home from work, and I believe Naomi had a book club meeting she went to, although everything is kind of hazy in my mind. She would have left a little before seven o’clock. I don’t remember her coming home though.”
Tippen speaks up, “What time would she normally have gotten home?”
“Usually sometime around nine o’clock.”
Tippen continues, “But you don’t remember her coming home? Were you home all night?”
“I believe so. I don’t remember leaving.”
“Okay, just continue with what happened throughout the evening,” says Tippen.
“I have a vague memory of my partner, Justin King coming over to talk business, but I’m just not
