Investigation Project

Police Report Interviews

When investigating the case, use the following interviews and the accompanying photographs. The photographs are staged and do not represent a real crime scene. You will be writing from the perspective of the officer.

Notes at the Scene

Dispatched to 221 Wakefield Drive, Anytown, Virginia 12345 on September 19, 2015, at 07:15. It was currently sunny. It had not rained several days. The ground was quite dry. Upon arrival, the officer knocked on the door, but there was no answer. The officer went into the house through the unlocked back door. Upon entry, the officer found the victim, Courtney Fink (DOB 12/1/1995), dead on arrival (DOA) in her home. Home appeared to be in disarray.

Interview with Deceased’s Friend at the Scene

Officer: What is your name?

Jones: Nora Jones.

Officer: Where do you live?

Jones: 457 Bluebell Lane, Anytown, Virginia 12345

Officer: What is your birthdate?

Jones: August 27, 1995

Officer: Where are you employed?

Jones: Big Dipper Ice Cream. It is located in the next city over, Bay City, Virginia.

Officer: What do you do there?

Jones: I work part time as a waitress.

Officer: What’s your relationship to the victim?

Jones: We’ve been friends for 5 years…I just can’t believe this is happening.

Officer: Have you seen her recently?

Jones: Yes, just last night. We got together for coffee and to study for biology.

Officer: How was she?

Jones: She was happy. Her ex-boyfriend turned 20 yesterday. She was supposed to attend his birthday party last night. But she had this big test to study for, so she was relieved that she didn’t have to attend. She didn’t want to see him anymore. Their relationship had been long, emotionally abusive, and draining [staring off into the distance].

Officer: What do you… [Jones interrupts].

Jones: [Hysterical] That’s it; he did this. He said he would never let anyone else have her!

Officer: Now, now, calm down. Who is “he”?

Jones: No, I can’t believe this…it was Zack [begins to sob].

Officer: We can continue this later…

Interview with Neighbor

Officer: What is your name?

Smith: Norman Smith.

Officer: Now, Mr. Smith, you were the one who called in the incident, correct?

Smith: Yeah.

Officer: What is your address?

Smith: 223 Wakefield Drive, Anytown, Virginia 12345

Officer: What is your date of birth?

Smith: March 29, 1967

Officer: Where are you employed?

Smith: At Sunshine Bank, the branch on Cypress Circle just down the street in Anytown. I’m a bank teller.

Officer: Tell me why you called in the incident.

Smith: Sure. Well, I normally see Courtney every day, but I haven’t seen her in a couple of days, and last night my wife went over to bring Courtney some freshly baked banana bread. Courtney had mentioned to us that she was having trouble in school; she looked a bit sad when she talked about it. So, my wife wanted to bring her something to cheer her up. My wife went over to Courtney’s house and knocked on the door. It was quite strange because, although Courtney’s car was in the driveway, she didn’t answer the door.

Officer: Uh-huh.

Smith: It’s such a shame; she was such a lovely, young girl.

Officer: Some of the others I have talked to have mentioned a boyfriend. Do you know anything about that relationship?

Smith: He always nodded and waved. He seemed like a nice enough fellow, being from Biloxi and all. But you never can tell with someone who has a goatee and always wears sunglasses.

Officer: Did he come to her home often?

Smith: Yes, he seemed to frequent the home. Typically they were together. But, I saw him go in a couple times without her. He must have his own key.

Officer: When is the last time you saw him at Courtney’s?

Smith: Come to think of it, I saw him a few nights ago; he sped out of the driveway. I noticed because his tires squealed a bit when he left. We have a quiet neighborhood here, so tires squealing is not normal, so I looked out my window and saw him leaving.

Officer: What kind of vehicle did the boyfriend drive?

Smith: Some kind of 2-door hatchback. A green Civic, maybe?

Officer: Ok, Mr. Smith, if I have any further questions, could I call you?

Smith: Oh, yes, anything for the law; like I said, this is a quiet neighborhood.

Interview with Sister: Gabrielle Fink at the Police Station

Officer: I am sorry about your loss; I just have a couple questions.

Fink: OK.

Officer: What is your address?

Fink: I used to live with my sister. I just moved out of the house a few weeks ago. I live on Main Street, 215 to be exact, in Anytown, Virginia 12345.

Officer: What is your birthdate?

Fink: June 27, 1993

Officer: What do you know about Courtney’s mental state?

Fink: She has been bipolar for years. She is good when she is on her medication.

Officer: Was she ever suicidal?

Fink: Not to my knowledge.

Officer: Were you close?

Fink: Very. We have been through a lot.

Officer: Do you know someone named Zack?

Fink: Zack Crandall?

Officer: How do you know Zack Crandall?

Fink: He and my sister were dating. Ironically, he and I live on the same street.

Officer: Tell me about your sister’s relationship with Zack.

Fink: They met each other on campus but started dating while working as store clerks at Best City. My sister dated him for awhile.

Officer: Where is Best City located?

Fink: It is in Anytown, of course. Anytown is a small city. We only have one street light and a tiny post office.

Officer: What happened next?

Fink: Zack started hanging out with a group of guys off campus who work with him in the reserves. Then, he started acting different, getting a tat on his chest and smokin’. Then, he broke up with Courtney.

Officer: Nora mentioned that Courtney just ended the relationship; do you know about that?

Fink: Nora said Courtney ended it??? Zack broke up with her…he couldn’t handle her wild spending habits. She loves Kate Spade! She bought all her purses there.

Officer: Was Zack abusive to Courtney?

Fink: No, of course not. I mean, he would raise his hand to scare her every now and then, but I don’t think he ever hit her. Well…at least I don’t think so.

Officer: Was Courtney upset about the break-up?

Fink: I am not sure; we haven’t talked about it much.

Officer: One more question for now; is Courtney’s house normally neat, or is it commonly in disarray?

Fink: She is a neat freak.

Additional Notes

While at the scene, the officer took a few pictures of the victim. These photographs are attached to the investigation file. The officer also discovered a note that was written on the laptop situated in front of Ms. Fink. The contents of the note are contained in an attachment to the investigation file.

Before leaving the home, the officer sealed and tagged the victim’s IBM Thinkpad (Serial Number 06A279) and the pills for evidence.

Next, the officer secured a valid search warrant and went to Mr. Crandall’s home. Mr. Crandall appeared a bit distraught when the officer arrived at the door. Mr. Crandall opened the door and let the police officer search the home. The officer searched Mr. Crandall’s residence. In an open front hall closet, the officer found the victim’s white and blue iPhone 6 and a purple handbag tossed on the floor in the corner. A pair of leather gloves were lying on top of the handbag. The officer took these items as evidence also.

When the officer returned to the station, the officer looked inside the handbag and found $2000 in large bills, the victim’s ID, and a business card for the college counseling center.