There are several points of interest in the story he told :
- Anastasia's letter to Justin
- Was there a suicide pact?
- Rumors about Justin's suicide
- Trip to the Nelson Mausoleum
- 24 Highway to Truman
- Anastasia exits Justin's car
- They played Nintendo
- Justin drops Case off at his mom's, where he does NOT talk to her
- Gets word about Anastasia
- Car was seen that night
- "I haven't attended a rave in years"
- Did he hear that from anyone else?
- Was he present when Anastasia was killed?
- What does he think happened?
The following is an interview with Byron Case.
OFFICER: Your date of birth, Mr. Case?
OFFICER: Your current residence?
OFFICER: And the telephone number there?
OFFICER: You are aware that our conversation is being tape recorded, is this correct?
OFFICER: What I need to do is go back to October 1997. I'm going to talk about the murder of Anastasia WitbolsFeugen. Alright? If you would, go back to that time, October 22, when I believe that you did come into contact with Anastasia for the last time?
OFFICER: What did you do that morning? Kinda start out, where were you at, who were you with?
OFFICER: Justin Bruton.
OFFICER: How long had you known Justin?
OFFICER: Were you pretty good friends?
OFFICER: Did you live with him?
OFFICER: With Anastasia also?
OFFICER: Now didn't you at one point in time date Anastasia?
OFFICER: But you never dated her?
OFFICER: Then you've never known her intimately or anything?
OFFICER: But you knew her quite well?
OFFICER: And you and Justin?
OFFICER: And I'm sure he did.
OFFICER: Well tell me something that you've discovered that you didn't know about?
OFFICER: Something about his life that you found out now. I'm going to assume that he shared just about everything with you.
OFFICER: No, what I'm asking is how much of a personal relationship did you have with him?
OFFICER: Was he your confidant and vice-versa?
OFFICER: I've heard and been told that you and Justin had a little bit more than just a platonic relationship.
OFFICER: Would you, for the record . . .
OFFICER: Are you bi-sexual?
OFFICER: Heterosexual?
OFFICER: Did Justin own any firearms?
OFFICER: How long after he purchased it did he sell it?
OFFICER: And the reason why he purchased it?
OFFICER: You were with him when he purchased it weren't you?
OFFICER: Did he just own the one firearm?
OFFICER: Do you remember what it looked like?
OFFICER: Was it short, long?
OFFICER: Regular size rifle? Shotgun?
OFFICER: You know the stock portion that you usually would put to your shoulder there to shoot it? Was it full size?
OFFICER: Do you know if it was a pump, an automatic or had a bolt action that would eject the shell, or anything at all?
OFFICER: Bolt action would be like a little lever back
here that would have to come up and pull the back and the shell would eject?
OFFICER: Did you ever hold it?
OFFICER: Did you like do the action?
OFFICER: Where did he keep it?
OFFICER: Did he keep it loaded?
OFFICER: Did you ever own a firearm?
OFFICER: Never?
OFFICER: Did Justin ever take the shotgun with him anywhere in his car?
OFFICER: Could you be specific?
OFFICER: Did he ever talk about committing suicide?
OFFICER: How about Anastasia? Did you ever hear her talk about suicide?
OFFICER: She actually made that comment before?
OFFICER: Did you always remain friends with her?
OFFICER: Did you guys ever go to cemeteries?
OFFICER: You never did?
OFFICER: Sure.
OFFICER: With anybody else?
OFFICER: Abraham Kneisley?
OFFICER: Do you still have those photos?
OFFICER: Is there anyone place that you thought to be more interesting than the others?
OFFICER: Did you ever go there with Justin?
OFFICER: With Anastasia?
OFFICER: So you only went there a couple of times and were both times with Brahm?
OFFICER: So you weren't in to the cemetery thing?
OFFICER: Was Justin?
OFFICER: How about Anastasia?
OFFICER: That would be Tara McDowell?
OFFICER: I have a printout of a document that was found in
Justin's computer. Would you read that and see if that looks familiar to you at all?
OFFICER: Anything in there that, . . .?
OFFICER: Sounds like she's pretty angry doesn't it?
OFFICER: Sounds like she's pretty angry at you, too.
OFFICER: According to the statistics in the computer on that, the letter was created, or
this document was created on October 20, 1997. Keep in mind the last time you saw her was October 22. This says
it was last saved on October 21, 1997. This was taken off of Justin's computer.
OFFICER: I'm going to assume that his computer had the correct date.
OFFICER: Why would she be still angry at you? Were you having problems with Anastasia?
OFFICER: Did this sound like her talking?
OFFICER: Well you knew her much better than I did.
OFFICER: And a lot of people write the same as they talk. And she obviously is angry and ...
OFFICER: About?
OFFICER: What advice did you give her?
OFFICER: I have an insignia here. Does that mean anything to you?
OFFICER: Have you ever seen something like that before?
OFFICER: There was one of those in Anastasia's possession on a piece of paper and one in Justin's?
OFFICER: Remember it was from what?
OFFICER: Anything to do with death?
OFFICER: Do you remember what the origin of that might be?
OFFICER: Well, if I had to go to the library and find a book and try to find the meaning of that symbol.
OFFICER: See I'm in an area now that you obviously know more about it than I do, Well, like I said, I mean I just picked up the book and kind of breezed through it and it was just a bunch of crap.
OFFICER: Do you have any tattoos?
OFFICER: But they were talking about tattoos?
OFFICER: Did they go to, I guess you refer to them as a tattoo parlor?
OFFICER: Another thing that came up in the course of this investigation was the talk of a suicide pact.
OFFICER: Is there any substance to that at all?
OFFICER: But you guys never talked about it?
OFFICER: Justin and Anastasia, did they talk about it?
OFFICER: Did you and Justin talk about Anastasia being so angry, like she references here in this letter?
OFFICER: What I'm getting at it sounds like she's angry at you. I mean, she makes comments like, so you and Justin can be together.
OFFICER: Sounds like maybe jealousy, if we had to put a label on it?
OFFICER: Why would Justin kill himself?
OFFICER: I'm sure you have.
OFFICER: Why do you think Justin would kill himself?
OFFICER: Is there any doubt in your own mind that he did commit suicide?
OFFICER: Have you heard any rumors that would contradict that?
OFFICER: You don't have any problem with the conclusion that he committed suicide?
OFFICER: Don't think he had any reason to die then? Am I understanding you correct?
OFFICER: He was not so upset about anyone or anything that he would actually kill himself over it?
OFFICER: Now I'm asking for your opinion.
OFFICER: You heard one side of the conversation though when they were on the phone?
OFFICER: What did you get from Justin?
OFFICER: Do you think Anastasia had any reason to kill herself?
OFFICER: Tell me about that day?
OFFICER: The last day that you were with Justin and Anastasia.
OFFICER: Do you remember about what time of day? Morning, afternoon?
OFFICER: Let's go back to the Dairy Queen just a moment, okay?
OFFICER: When you arrived at the Dairy Queen, did you get out of the car?
OFFICER: You were in Justin's car, correct?
OFFICER: Did all of you get out of the car at the Dairy Queen?
OFFICER: And tell me what your movement was.
OFFICER: Do you remember what she was wearing?
OFFICER: Coat? Jacket?
OFFICER: Okay. You probably don't remember what you were wearing?
OFFICER: What about Justin?
OFFICER: Khaki pants. You say the color khaki?
OFFICER: What kind of shoes did he wear?
OFFICER: A what?
OFFICER: Did he have very many pair of those?
OFFICER: After you got out of the car you met Anastasia and then what? Do you remember any words that were said? Any conversation at that point?
OFFICER: So you got in the car. What was the seating arrangement?
OFFICER: Anastasia was in the right front, you were in the right rear, Kelly Moffett left rear, Justin driving.
OFFICER: Where did you go and be as detailed as you can possibly be.
OFFICER: Pull out of the parking lot and go where?
OFFICER: Back on tape approximately 1101 hours. And Byron we were getting ready, you all had gotten back in the car and were having some conversation about where to go?
OFFICER: Did you see anybody in Mt. Washington Cemetery?
OFFICER: I have a little map of the cemetery and if I'm reading the map correctly, Dairy Queen
would be right here, I believe. This being 24 Highway, are you with me?
OFFICER: North would be back up this way.
OFFICER: Yeah.
OFFICER: Truman Road.
OFFICER: This would be a little better. This would be the Dairy Queen over here.
OFFICER: There's a large house when you first enter off of. . .
OFFICER: Correct.
OFFICER: I think it's called Brookside. And Truman Rd. down here.
OFFICER: That would be the building that you're referring to. Nelson.
OFFICER: Where did you stop at?
OFFICER: Right in front of it?
OFFICER: Who got out?
OFFICER: Who got out?
OFFICER: Where did Justin go, where did Anastasia go, what did you do when you got out of the car?
OFFICER: Did you get back in the car in the same seating arrangement as before?
OFFICER: What do you remember?
OFFICER: And looking at that map, can you tell about the way you went?
OFFICER: Yes, I believe it is.
OFFICER: And after you got back out on the highway where did you go?
OFFICER: To where?
OFFICER: Don't go too far ahead now. Tell me where you went.
'Cause I know that, you know, when she told us, Anastasia that is, when she told us to meet her at the Dairy Queen on 24 Highway we were both like, where the hell's 24 Highway? You know, 'cause I don't know that area at all and Justin sure, I mean he had no idea either. I mean, he knew it just barely better than I did.
OFFICER: Do you know where Blue Ridge is at?
OFFICER: Yes. Well that area of Blue Ridge.
OFFICER: Well the route that you're describing if you went 24 Highway, the first place that you turn to get back to Truman would be Blue Ridge.
OFFICER: You'd turn up, go up a little hill, you could probably take a left. If you go up the hill,
you'd have to go under an overpass. Blue Ridge goes over 24 Highway.
OFFICER: Then you would go back south towards Blue Summit, do you know where Blue Summit is? Dog patch?
OFFICER: And it would just take you, well here's 24, here's Truman here and this is Blue Ridge. Blue Ridge connects to
both of them. And it also runs by another entrance to Lincoln Cemetery where Anastasia's body was found.
The "Entering Independence" sign is on that stretch, and then there's like an overpass like for trains or something and then right after the overpass there's like an adult store and then the road curves and then there's another adult store and then you go down a little bit more and there's some gas stations and then there's 435. So, see that's what I'm not remembering, if we passed, or if we went under that overpass or not. I think we had to. So I guess we must have taken this route, whatever you said this street was.
OFFICER: Brookside.
OFFICER: That runs into Truman.
OFFICER: You seem to recall some apartments down there.
OFFICER: Who was that?
OFFICER: Had you been there?
OFFICER: You didn't go there after Anastasia's body was found?
OFFICER: Did you though?
OFFICER: Have you ever been there?
OFFICER: A month ago? Or, I mean a month after she died?
So, you know, she was just telling me about it saying that it was really nice and everything. So I mean she had been there and she had told me how to get there. 'Cause I had no idea where it was and you know, people were saying Lincoln Cemetery. I was like where the hell was that?
OFFICER: So you get back on Truman Road. What's the conversation?
And you know I was just listening to the conversation and she you know kept prodding him for answers about you know well why don't you love me, and you know, what's wrong with the relationship. You know, how can we fix it, that sort of thing? And he was just; he was more or less being quiet. I don't really remember him saying anything in particular that was like well: there was nothing, nothing he said as really made an impact basically, so I don't really remember what he was talking about.
OFFICER: Did he talk to you or Kelly?
We came to a stop there and the light had just turned red and there was like right before we came to a stop, like as we were braking, I do remember that there was just like this pause, and nobody was saying anything and then just kind of like right out of the blue she, Anastasia just said, so why don't you love me? And Justin said well, I don't know.
And she you know, looked at him like she was, you know, it obviously hurt when he said that, 'cause I mean I could tell she was probably bordering on tears. And she just opened the door and got out, like stepped out of the car and Justin kind of leans over and reached he said you know, get back in the car and she goes no, and then she closed the door and she mumbled something, or well she said something but we couldn't hear her 'cause of the windows and everything, but you know, I assumed she was going to walk home. And you know, or go to the gas station to make a phone call to get a ride home or something. And Justin's like just kind of slumped back in the chair, or in the seat, and there was like another silence and the light turned green, he waited for a minute, and then he drove away.
OFFICER: And where did you see Anastasia go?
OFFICER: Did she go around the front of the car, around the back of the car?
OFFICER: Did you look back?
OFFICER: And what did Justin say?
OFFICER: Did it look like he looked in the rearview mirror to see where she was going?
OFFICER: Did Kelly look?
OFFICER: He did nothing but . . .
OFFICER: Did he say anything?
OFFICER: Okay, and then where did you go?
And so we left, we just basically just, Justin was still being quiet you know, we were like well we should go. And he just kind of said okay. And we went out to the car and drove Kelly home and Justin wanted to use the phone when we got to her house, so he called Anastasia's place to talk to their dad I guess and asked if you know she had made it home okay, or if you know, if he'd heard from her. And he said no. And I guess he was getting worried about her 'cause she hadn't been back in a while, or hadn't called or anything. And so we stayed over at Kelly's for a little bit and we, Justin's mood kind of improved, I mean at least he was talking. And. . ...
OFFICER: Did he talk about Anastasia? Was there any talk about Anastasia?
OFFICER: How much time had elapsed since she got out of the car?
OFFICER: So about an hour, hour and a half, two hours?
OFFICER: Do you have any idea how far away her house is from 435 and Truman?
OFFICER: Was it dark when you dropped her off or when she got out of the car?
OFFICER: Okay, so if I'm understanding it correctly, then she got out of the car at 435 and Truman, and an hour and a half or so has elapsed, Justin calls home, she's not there, she lives only a couple miles down the road.
OFFICER: And nobody said well, gee, I wonder where she went or where she's at, or what has happened to her?
OFFICER: Nobody said well, gee, maybe we ought to go look?
OFFICER: Nothing like that?
OFFICER: Like we ought to make a few calls to her friends and see where she's at, if she's called somebody, see if she's somewhere?
OFFICER: I wonder if she might be dead? "...
OFFICER: Well you must have been thinking something.
OFFICER: Did she know anybody over there that you know of?
OFFICER: Did you guys ever go in the adult bookstores?
OFFICER: Do you know if Justin did?
OFFICER: Do you know if Anastasia did?
OFFICER: So after then Justin talks to her father from Kelly's house.
OFFICER: Finds out she's not there. No conversation about her, then what did you guys do?
But so I guess I asked where we were going and like once we had kind of gotten into the mid-town area. And he was like, well, I'm just going to drop you off at home, if that's okay, 'cause I'm really tired. And it was well, it was weird, but I just assumed he probably wanted to be alone, you know. 'Cause I knew he wasn't tired. I know how his sleeping schedule was. But anyway, so I was just like, okay. You know.
So he dropped me off at my mom's apartment, which was where I was living at the time, and you know, we you know exchanged our good-byes and one of us asked the other one what we were planning on doing tomorrow or the next day, and just basically agreed that we were just going to call, you know. Just like play it by ear and make plans in the morning or afternoon or whenever we all got up and you know, kind of got moving. And so Justin just like you know, I closed the door and Justin just drove off. And I went upstairs and I just got on my computer, went online, checked like my mail. And you know stayed up for a little bit longer then went to bed.
OFFICER: Is that normal for you?
OFFICER: About what time was it?
CASE: I got home and I remember it was, I checked the clock because you know, I was paranoid, my mom wakes up like at the drop of a hat. And I'm always trying to be really quiet, so I always look at the clock when I get home just so I know that if I did wake her up, you know, what time I woke her up at, just you know, so I know if, I can kind of like say well, it's not too late, you know. So anyway, and it was, pretty sure it was a few minutes after 11:00 when I came home.
OFFICER: So you and Justin never did talk about Anastasia?
OFFICER: So you went to bed and when was the next time that you spoke to any other human being?
OFFICER: You didn't talk to Kelly later on?
OFFICER: Are you sure of that?
OFFICER: Wednesday.
OFFICER: At 9:00 the following morning?
OFFICER: And your conversation was?
OFFICER: Where did Aaron live?
OFFICER: What's Aaron's last name?
OFFICER: And how did you get there?
OFFICER: Drove what?
OFFICER: And what kind of car you got?
OFFICER: Do you remember the license plate you had on that car?
OFFICER: But you don't own that anymore?
OFFICER: So you leave Aaron's and where do you go? Before you tell me that, did you pretty much see Justin on a daily basis?
OFFICER: And did you not think it unusual that you had not had contact with Justin that day?
OFFICER: He was. He went and bought a shotgun.
CASE: And that was the 23rd? Or not?
CASE: When did they find him?
CASE: So it was the next day or day after?
OFFICER: After you left Aaron's where did you go?
OFFICER: Let me ask you this. The night before, did you go anywhere else other than take Kelly home?
OFFICER: Didn't make any stops?
OFFICER: Didn't stop by Tara McDowell's apartment?
OFFICER: Okay, and where did you go first?
OFFICER: Pick up the stuff. Did she know you were coming?
OFFICER: Did you have a conversation with her?
OFFICER: Did Justin talk to her?
OFFICER: Did you go inside her apartment?
OFFICER: Sit down? Smoke a cigarette?
OFFICER: Was anybody else there?
OFFICER: Did you have a conversation with Brahm?
OFFICER: Did you mention the fact that she got out of the car and walked home?
OFFICER: Had she ever done anything like that before?
OFFICER: So then we'll go back to you were leaving Aaron's house. Where did you go?
OFFICER: Did you not think about going to Justin's?
OFFICER: I mean you just got a call that Anastasia's dead, she's been murdered. . .
OFFICER: And you haven't had any contact with Justin all day, I mean, it's sounding a little unusual after all the history that you've given me so far.
OFFICER: I'd think that situation and that incident and that time of your life would just be burned into your memory forever.
OFFICER: Okay, where did you go, as you remember?
OFFICER: Do you still have the key to his apartment?
OFFICER: Not even while you lived there?
OFFICER: Wasn't that a little unusual?
OFFICER: You were inseparable. Okay.
OFFICER: Remember what else you did then?
OFFICER: Now this was in the white Pontiac with the license plates MORBID.
OFFICER: So you went to your mom's apartment, and then you borrowed her car?
OFFICER: What kind of problems?
OFFICER: You see, what I find difficult to believe at this point is that you've
said that you and Justin were inseparable, that you were the best of friends.
OFFICER: And here his girlfriend bailed out of the car and then the next day you hear, everybody hears
that she's been murdered, Lincoln Cemetery, just probably 150 yards or so away from where she exited
the car at 435 and Truman. Justin calls you about 9:00, 9:30 in the morning and probably 30 minutes
to an hour later he's over in Kansas buying a shotgun. Two days he's found with his head blown off.
All of this is pretty important stuff in a person's life, I would say. You were one of the last one's
to see Anastasia, he was the last to one to talk to you of the friends group, naturally had to talk to
somebody else about a shotgun, this type of stuff. I find it hard to believe that he didn't share some of this with you.
OFFICER: At 9:00 in the morning maybe Justin already knew she was dead.
OFFICER: Justin, do you think maybe he went out and looked for her?
OFFICER: Nobody knows where Anastasia's at. Justin knows that she's not home. Is Justin that insensitive and uncaring an
individual that he wouldn't go look for a girl that he's known for how long?
OFFICER: That he's been intimate with, that he's obviously had feelings for? See, this is where I get a little bit to
the point where I have problems. That Justin wouldn't share something with you. At 9:00 he had to be knowing that
he was going to go buy a shotgun and that subsequently he was going to commit suicide. He had to know that when he
talked to you and as close and as inseparable as you guys are, I find it hard to believe that he didn't say something.
OFFICER: Did Justin tell you anything about Anastasia being dead?
OFFICER: ....., Were you present when Anastasia was killed?
OFFICER: Do you know if Justin was present when Anastasia was killed?
OFFICER: You have nothing to fear, okay? You have no reason to not tell me the truth, right?
OFFICER: I'm not going to jump up and arrest you. Are you being honest and truthful with me, Byron?
OFFICER: And Justin didn't give you any indication that he was going to go buy a shotgun and go blow his head off?
The interview was conducted on 7/29/99 starting at approximately 1005 hours.
OFFICER: Would you state your name, please?
I know we didn't sit down, you know, 'cause I know we weren't there for long at all. The next day though, when they found her, when they found Anastasia's body, I know that Kelly and I went by there to tell her because we didn't think she'd heard about it, 'cause she doesn't get the paper and didn't watch TV ever. And we were right, she hadn't heard about it. That was, you know, the only time that I can really remember that we actually sat down over at her place, you know, after like everything happened.
CASE: Byron Case.
CASE: November 23, 1978.
CASE: [redacted], Kansas City, Missouri.
CASE: [redacted]
CASE: Yes.
CASE: Right.
CASE: Oh, God. Umm, I honestly don't even remember what I was doing that morning. That afternoon I remember, I think it was fairly early in the afternoon I was with Justin.
CASE: Over at his condominium, right.
CASE: A year. Maybe a little bit more.
CASE: Oh, yeah. Absolutely.
CASE: Yeah, for a while. We, well
after he and Anastasia had met, I moved in and I lived with them for about three months I guess.
CASE: Yeah. Yeah, all three of us.
CASE: Uh, no. She was a friend of mine from; I think we met in the 8th
grade. Yeah. We met in the 8th grade and we didn't get along initially, but when we went to high school together we got pretty close. So.
CASE: No, it was always strictly platonic.
CASE: Hmm-mmm, no.
CASE: Oh, yeah. I mean, you know, we were really close friends. I mean, you
know, we cried on each others' shoulders quite a bit and you know, I mean, it was just you know, we could pretty much share anything.
CASE: Pretty much the same way. I
mean, I felt like I could tell Justin anything and you know, he could probably tell me anything.
CASE: Uh, well, pretty much.
CASE: Well, there wasn't anything that I like found out.
CASE: Uhm, yeah, but I mean it was
all, well I mean you're asking for like something that I've found out you know recently, or after. . .
CASE: Oh, uh.
CASE: Yeah, I mean, pretty much. I mean Justin was, Justin
had a tendency to be kind of closed off. So I mean, you know, when I did get something out of him, it was usually after it
had been bothering him for a long time, or you know if he just kind of stewed on a certain thought for a long period of time,
and then he'd eventually like just come out and tell me. So he wasn't really all that open, but you know, he was very honest
at least. And you know that's something that I really respect in him. So you know, I felt because of his honesty, I felt
like I could tell him anything and get truthful feedback, you know. Just very real feedback. So .
CASE: I knew that was going to come up.
CASE: I heard that rumor and I don't remember who I heard it from, but no. Justin and I were always very, very good friends, and it was never anything beyond that. The fact that we hung out together all the time and I guess some people were thinking that Justin might have been gay at the coffee shop. You know. They probably wondered. You know, I never heard any talk about it. But you know, I would probably have assumed the same thing if I had been an outsider looking in on something like that.
CASE: No.
CASE: Yeah.
CASE: At one point he did. I don't remember what it was beyond the fact that it was a shotgun. He bought it, I can't remember if he bought it after I, yeah, he bought it after I had moved out. And he, I don't remember exactly when it was, but I think what happened was he decided that he was never actually going to you know be able to use it because, you know, he didn't have any kind of a hunting license or anything like that, I guess. And he ended up, when he went down to see his parents in Tulsa once he took Anastasia with him and they went to, I guess they went to a gun show down there and sold it. So, I don't know if his parents know anything about that or not. Probably not.
CASE: I'd
say it was probably like a month, or maybe two. Maybe. I'm not sure about that.
CASE: I don't even remember.
CASE: No, I wasn't. No, I remember I came over to his
house once and he was like, check this out. Justin had this thing with like toys. You know, he had to have something
that was, you know, weird or, I don't know. Justin was really eccentric. So I mean, it probably, I mean it struck me
as odd that he went out and actually bought a gun, because he was a pretty non-violent person. I mean, I'd never known
him to even get upset, not really, really like fuming upset anyway. I mean he'd get like you know, emotionally upset
like depressed or you know or whatever, but you know he was never angry. So it just seemed kinda weird that you know
he would buy a shotgun or you know a firearm of any kind, but I don't know. I think he'd always had kind of a
fascination with weapons of different kinds. I mean, you know, gun aficionados like guns. There are people that
collect like medieval swords and things like that, so I think it was him kind of I guess trying to get into something
like that, is what I kind of like put it off as. But, you know, I don't know what he bought it for or anything.
CASE: As far as I know, yeah. I think he would have told me about it.
CASE: Just that it was, I think it might
have been a Remington. I don't know, but it was black and it was, it held like several shots. It was like a . . .
CASE: No, it was pretty long.
CASE: It might have been a little bit smaller than that but, yeah, it was pretty big. It was full size.
CASE: Oh yeah. It
was all there. I mean it had the full barrel and the shoulder thing and, yeah.
CASE: Uhm, it was bolt action is where you do that or . . .
CASE: Oh, no, it wasn't like that. It was just the pump.
CASE: Yeah. I mean, you know, I held it and looked at it and everything.
CASE: I did it once, but he told me not to. He said it was bad for it if there weren't any shells in it.
CASE: I think he kept it in his closet in his room. At one point when he first got it, it was just like you know kind of braced up against the entertainment center and he determined that that was a little bit too intimidating. You know, for people coming over to see something like that, so he decided to move it.
CASE: No. No. I don't even think he had shells
for - well, I don't remember if he actually bought shells with it or not. Yeah, he did. But he didn't load them
because he wasn't going to go shoot it off anywhere. He didn't know anywhere that he could go.
CASE: No. Can't.
CASE: No.
CASE: No, I know Justin. Justin was like ultra-paranoid about everything. He was always. . .
CASE: Well yeah. I mean he was always really concerned that you know he would have something with him at some point that would get him in really big trouble. Like, you know, he wouldn't take the shotgun anywhere because you know he knew that if he got pulled over and they searched his car and they found the shotgun, it would probably be considered a concealed weapon and he'd probably go to jail for it. So he was just really, I don't know if paranoid is the right word, but he was very cautious, you know, about speeding, you know, everything. He was always right at the speed limit when he drove because he was just so freaked out about getting pulled over or something.
CASE: He talked about, when he was younger he had, I think, yeah he had attempted to commit suicide when he was younger. You know, and that was about it. There was never any, I mean he never said that he just wanted to die or anything like that. I assumed that everything was okay with him.
CASE: I think so. But I seem to remember her, just in passing though, I mean it was never anything like she was going to do it. It was just like her way of, I guess, like getting attention or you know being melodramatic, kind of. You know, they were in an argument and it was something to the effect of well, you know, why don't I just go shoot myself or something.
CASE: Well, I don't know. I mean I'm just saying that you know, it's like about the same way that she would have said it. But I don't remember if she ever actually said that or not.
CASE: There were a couple of points when we were, well, there were a couple of points when we were living together when I would kind of get annoyed by the fact that her and Justin would fight all the time. And it was mostly because from my perspective, it was mostly because she wasn't really happy with the way that Justin treated her. You know, he wasn't giving her enough attention or you know, or something like that. So I mean it got a little annoying and you know I would go talk to her and you know try and, I don't know, mediate. So I mean
it was never to the point that I disliked her.
CASE: Actually, no.
CASE: Alone?
CASE: No.
CASE: Yeah, Abraham took me up one time, years ago.
CASE: Yeah. He took me up years ago to Mt. Washington Cemetery just because he said, oh you know, you've gotta see this place. 'Cause I had commented that I had never seen it. And he was just commenting on you know how some of the architecture on the mausoleums was really cool. So, I mean, I had been up there before and I think I'd actually been up there twice. Once to take some photos.
CASE: Probably not. All my stuff's in boxes.
CASE: There was a church, I think that would have been on the north, kind of on the north side. It was just this cathedral that looked really cool. And then there was also pretty much everything on, everything right in the middle and towards the northern side of the cemetery was really pretty. And then they had the newer stuff over I guess on the south side. I think my directions are right on that. But so I mean I didn't really have any, I mean like I said, I've only been there a couple of times, so I mean it was not like, it wasn't like there was anyone particular thing that was just, you know, awe-inspiring of anything.
CASE: Uhmm, I don't remember. I don't think so. I really don't think so. No. No, I don't think we ever went there.
CASE: Hmmm-mmm. No, I know I didn't go with Anastasia.
CASE: Yeah, actually they were. Once was I think was with him and his brother. And the other time was with him and his girlfriend and a couple other people. I think his brother might have there. I don't really remember.
CASE: Nah.
CASE: No. No, Justin just liked, Justin liked to watch his movies at home and go to the coffee shop and that's about it.
CASE: I really don't know. I think she'd probably been to them before. I mean, she lived fairly close. I mean I don't know what her and her friends, she might have gone with Tara, but I'm not sure about that. I mean, I never heard anything about it if she did.
CASE: Right.
(Officer hands Case a document taken from Justin's computer).
CASE: It sounds like Anastasia wrote it.
CASE: That was weird. I had never seen that before.
CASE: Yeah.
CASE: And I'm trying to think what that, what all that was about. The ride thing, I vaguely remember asking her for a ride at one point when she was borrowing I think her dad's car. But, I don't, I don't remember like where we went or anything like that.
CASE: Right. I'm trying to think of when she would
have, Justin didn't have e-mail or anything. So I'm trying to think of when she would have been at his place to write that.
CASE: I'm pretty sure it did.
CASE: No, but when
she got mad, she got mad at everybody. But, still, I mean, I would have.
CASE: I don't know. I mean, I never really
read anything like, I never read like any letters or essays or anything like that that she had written, so
I'm not really sure if that is her. I mean, I'm sure it is, but you know, I can't, I mean if you were to
say well, you know, we think that somebody else was using Justin's computer, then I would have said well
I don't know who that might have been, 'cause I can't recognize whether or not it's like her writing style.
CASE: Yeah.
CASE: I remember her being, you know, really upset with Justin,
obviously, but she never, I mean, she I think we had talked actually, you know, that week. I mean, she was coming to me for advice.
CASE: You know, about what she was, what she should do about the whole situation with them arguing and everything.
CASE: I basically said that, you know, if it's, I mean, that it's their decision. I mean, they need to work this out. And if they can't, then you know, I said, you know, you guys basically need to go your own separate ways if you can't work it out. Because there's no point in, you know, I mean you guys have been working at this for so long there's really no point in trying to change him or trying to change yourself to please him. So...
CASE: Hmm-mmm.
CASE: Umm, yeah, I think, well, hmm-mmm. Was this like something of Justin's or what?
CASE: Oh, I'm not sure, but I think that they were thinking about getting tattoos. And that this was, I don't remember what it meant. It was something, I think, it was either an astrological thing or it was like, I don't remember if it was from the Necradomicon. I don't know.
CASE: The Necradomicon. It was a book that Justin had. It's like a bunch of, I don't know. I read part of it and it was just really stupid. But it's basically like ancient magic, symbols and, I don't know. Just occult crap, basically. But I think that that meant forever, or something like that. I don't really remember.
CASE: I really don't remember. I don't think so.
CASE: Uhm, in what sense?
CASE: The historical origin? Okay. Like I said, it's either an astrological thing, or it's from the Necradomicon. It's one of the two. I'm almost positive.
CASE: (no response)
CASE: No. No, I sure don't.
CASE: Either they were together, or just she was. 'Cause Justin already had a couple. And I think she was kind of thinking that it was really cool or whatever to get a tattoo. You know, she kind of wanted to do something, I guess. I don't know. Maybe, you know, maybe because she liked it, maybe because she wanted Justin to like it, I'm not sure.
CASE: I don't think so. I think she was just kind of toying with the design idea. 'Cause I know that he had gone, she might have gone with him when he got his, he had one on I think each of his shoulders, and he had one of them filled in. Or gone over, or something. Yeah, he had it gone over and he had something added to it. But, you know. I don't know if you know she went with him and then decided it was a good idea or what.
CASE: Yeah, I heard about that, too. I heard about that.
CASE: No. I heard about that at the funeral. And you know, everybody was like, oh my God, I'm so surprised to see you here, Byron. I was just kind of like, why? Because you know, I was probably, I would think that I was their closest friend, or at least one of her closest friends. You know. And it was, yeah it struck me kind of as off, but they were like, well I heard that the police think that there's some kind of like suicide pact or something like that. That if like, that you guys were all going to kill yourselves together. Like in succession or something like that.
CASE: No. No, we never did.
CASE: No. Not so far as I was ever, you know, I never heard anything about it, basically. If they were talking about it, they were talking about it behind my back and I seriously doubt that they would have done something like that.
CASE: Oh, yeah, I was like the go-between for them. You know, I was the guy that both of them talked to.
CASE: Yeah, yeah. I don't know. I mean. . .
CASE: Yeah. I mean I know that she was jealous because you know Justin and I had known each other for longer. You know, I was the one that introduced them. But you know he and I had known each other for longer and he and I got along better, and I mean, you know. So I mean she had told me before, that she was envious of you know, the type of relationship that he and I had. You know, just how we never got on each other's nerves, you know. We always wanted to do the same things, you know. And it was just kind of like, I don't know. I guess she wanted that in her relationship with him as well. Which makes sense. But, I mean I don't know why, I can't imagine why she'd be angry with me. I mean, like I said, when I read that note it was the first that I would ever have suspected.
CASE: That's something that I've thought about a lot.
CASE: And I've wondered about. And I have never been able to come up with, I don't know. See, okay. With all the talk about you know people thinking that Justin, after he dropped me off at home, you know, that they had some secret pact or something, you know, like the rumors said. But if they had something going on, you know, where they had planned to you know to kill themselves, or kill each other or whatever, then I never heard about it. And that's what I think is weird. And that's why I can't really believe that. Because you know with the type of relationship that we all had, it was like I think that they would have, either one of them, would have told me anything like that. You know, anything serious that was going on. You know, if they were planning something, I would think that they would, you know, even try to involve me. And you know, they'd at least talk to me about it or mention it or something. And there was never any talk about that. Ever. And so what, I'm rambling. Basically, I don't, I can't justify that there was anything going on between them, because we were so close. And the bottom line is that you know, if they were planning something, I would assume they would have told me. You know. So, I forgot the question.
CASE: Oh, okay. Anyway, the longer that I thought about it though, the more it was like I almost started to believe some of the rumors myself. Even though I felt like I knew better. So it was like I started kind of working out in my mind, assuming that they didn't tell me about it, you know, and that they had planned like that night to, I mean if the whole thing had been staged or whatever, which I doubt just because of their relationship, but if for whatever reason the whole thing had been staged and you know, they just wanted us, Kelly and I, to go with them so that they'd have witnesses to this or something, I don't know. But you know, if Justin did it, then it would make sense for him to kill himself. But I don't believe he did, so that's why I haven't been able to like justify in my mind what his reasons could have been. So I really have no idea.
CASE: I mean all I have you know is the information that you know, was in the papers and posted on Anastasia's memorial website. And you know it seems like the cops pretty much determined that it was a suicide.
CASE: Actually, no. That's the one thing I haven't heard any rumors about.
CASE: Well, I mean I've got a problem with it, but I mean, logically, I believe that he did. But I don't want to believe that he did, I guess. I don't know. I mean, because I can't imagine why.
CASE: Oh, no. Yeah.
CASE: He. ..
CASE: I don't know. I mean, Justin was, like I said, Justin was kinda weird. I mean, when it came to emotions, he would like kind of wait until the last minute and then you know, he would just be, I mean when he and Anastasia argued, he would always wait until the last minute and then, you know, he would just be quiet. I mean, when he and Anastasia argued he was always quiet and she yelled and yelled and yelled and yelled and yelled, and he'd always speak very calmly and you know try to be rational and you know talk his way through it. So I mean he wasn't, it took a lot to get him hot under the collar. You know. And I don't know what a lot is. I mean, for him I don't know that that argument that they had would have been enough. You know, because they argued all the time. But then who am I to say? I mean maybe it was just, I couldn't hear what she was saying over the phone to him, you know, before we went to pick her up, so I mean I don't know like, I don't know what was going on exactly, so I mean, I don't,
their, I don't have the full story basically.
CASE: Right. Exactly.
CASE: She was doing most of the talking.
I mean, he would kind of sit there and try to interject and then stop. So I assumed that she was just like her conversation was just kind of like this bulldozer coming through and she just had to let it all out before he was able to say anything. So, I mean, they were arguing about the same old stuff which was you know why didn't he care as she wanted him to, basically.
CASE: I think that she could have been, I know when she got upset she tended to get really drastic, you know. I mean she was always very, you know she always had a short fuse and would take things a little too far when she got angry. I mean, she would like throw things occasionally or I mean she was just very hot-blooded I guess. And so when something happened, it would get all kind of blown out of proportion because she was so pissed off about it, basically. So, I guess what I'm saying is that I could believe that, with a situation like that, that it's possible she, you know, would
have considered it. Beyond that I can't really say.
CASE: Hmm.
CASE: Uhm, I was over at Justin's. I don't remember if I had stayed the night or what, but I was over there and, I don't really remember what happened that afternoon or anything. I remember that at one point, I think he called Anastasia and talked with her for a while.
CASE: Probably wasn't the morning, it was probably more like you know early afternoon, maybe evening. I know it was still light out, you know, when we, well we went out to Lenexa to pick up Kelly and we, I don't remember if we stopped by the apartment or the condo or not. Uhm, okay. We went to get Kelly and it was really bright out. I remember that, because we had, we stopped for something to drink at a gas station. And I think it was probably, when we went to go get her, about 4:00 maybe? And then we drove, either we drove back to Justin's condo or we went straight there. No, that's right. Okay. I remember now. We drove to Justin's condo and set around for a while, and then he called either he called Anastasia or she called him and they talked forever. And that was when, you know, when they were arguing, about the relationship. You know, that was when it was just like she did most of the talking. I don't even remember how long they were on the phone, but it was a long time. And I guess they agreed, or he agreed to pick her up earlier in the day and they were just like arguing, and I think he was saying that he wasn't going to be able to make it or something. Eventually she was going to get a ride to the Dairy Queen on 24 Highway and they were I guess, we were just planning on either going back to Justin's condo or driving around. And when we like on the way up there I think we decided that you know Kelly and I didn't want to have to be around them while they argued because it was their own private thing and they needed to deal with that without any you know, influence or pressure or anything like that from anybody else. So I think we decided that since it was right across from Mt. Washington Cemetery that we'd go there and Kelly and I would just like go for a walk or something. And you know they could like do whatever and talk. And we drove through and it was really dark and we decided we didn't want to get out 'cause we were just really paranoid about it.
CASE: Okay.
CASE: Yeah. Yeah. We, if we went in, we only stepped in the front door. I mean, we weren't there for any length of time.
CASE: Uh, yeah.
CASE: Yes.
CASE: We went in, well I know we went in on the left side, facing the building it was on the left side, the entrance. And she was sitting like right up on the window I guess on the same side of the building. And I don't remember if I was just standing outside the window waving or something, or in actually came in and then she got up. I think, I think I went in, or I think we all went in and she like had gotten something and she like threw her tray, like emptied her tray and put it up, I think. I don't remember.
CASE: I think, if I remember correctly, that she had on jeans and, that's because she usually wore jeans, and I don't remember. I honestly don't remember. It may have been a t -shirt, it may have been a long-sleeved shirt. I'm pretty sure it was gray though. I seem to remember her having like a gray t-shirt-style thing with like a V -neck or something. But, I don't remember.
CASE: Uh, I don't even remember if it was cold enough for one. I don't think so, but I might be wrong on that again.
CASE: No.
CASE: Well, knowing Justin, he had like a uniform kind of that he wore, so it was probably like you know khaki pants and black t-shirt, er, white t-shirt and a black like zip-up jacket.
CASE: Uh, yeah. Like tan.
CASE: He usually wore, they were, I remember they were a brand called Flulog, or something like that. They're. . .
CASE: Flulog. I think that's how you pronounce it. They're kind of like a Doc Marten boot, only they're shoes. They've got really thick soles and I know the reason that he liked them was because if you turn the soles over, on the bottom of it says resists oil, water, alkali, acid, Satan. And then it's got a little picture of an angel on it. So it's, I don't know why. They put 'em on like the bottoms of all their shoes. But he just thought that was really cool, so.
CASE: I think he had two. I think he had a pair of boots and a pair of shoes. No, that's right. He had two, he bought two pairs of the shoes because one of them was wearing out after like four years or something. I know he bought a new pair exactly the same. And he might have had the boots, too, but he never wore them I don't think.
CASE: No. We may have been just like really quiet. I don't really remember. But we just got back in the car and, matter of fact I think it was really quiet for the first few minutes, because I don't think that they had anything to talk, or they didn't know like where to pick up on the conversation. So I don't think that anything was really said. I know that she was really pissed off and that you know, when I said hello she didn't say hello back. But you know, that's just because she was like, just consumed by her, you know, being angry.
CASE: Anastasia was in front of me. I was in the rear seat and Kelly was sitting on my left behind Justin.
CASE: Right.
CASE: Oh, boy.
CASE: I think we might have sat in the car for a little bit trying to decide where to go. Or we may have just driven off, I don't remember. But I think we just. . .
CASE: Yeah, I don't remember exactly how we decided to, you know, what the train of conversation was.I think it was just like a well, you know, Mt. Washington's right here, it's going to be quiet, you know. We might as well go there. So we drove onto the property and drove around for a little bit just trying to find a place, a good place to park the car. And then we decided that, you know, basically it was too dark and you know we didn't want to run into any unsavory people that might be there. So I guess we decided to go back to Justin's condo.
CASE: Yeah, there was a car that was a ways behind us and that was basically why we thought maybe you know, there were obviously people there and we weren't sure if it was the grounds keeper or what, you know. But it was after hours for the cemetery anyway so, you know, we didn't want to get in trouble for being there.
CASE: Which way would be north?
CASE: Okay, and this is 24 Highway here?
CASE: Kansas City over there. Okay, I guess. Okay, I think that this is where we went in at. I'm not sure. Go out. What is this right here? Is this a highway or a river?
CASE: Oh. Okay.
CASE: Okay. Oh, okay.
CASE: Yeah, I'm familiar with this stretch, and then there's like apartments somewhere down here.
CASE: Okay.
CASE: I know we went in this entrance right here. Now which way we went I'm not. . . okay, this is fairly big. Okay. 'Cause I think we came out the same entrance. We went in and I guess we came through this way, but that doesn't seem quite right, 'cause I don't know, maybe my perspective is off. But I think we came around like this and is there, I know there was a, there's like a big, I don't know what it is, whether it's a mausoleum or what, but it's huge, and there's steps that run up on either side of it. I don't know if you're familiar with that, but if I'm right, then that's where that is, right there. But I'm not sure. But I know we came down, we ended up, the reason I said that it's either, actually it might be here. Oh, wait! Is this a little, what is this little icon?
CASE: Okay. Okay. Well that's, yeah I think that's it. Okay, that was how we came in. [indicating with hands on a map]We went like this and around here and we decided, I guess right here to stop the car. We figured they could go sit on the steps or something.
CASE: Like right there.[pointing to map]
CASE: Yeah, pretty much.
CASE: We weren't out of the car for more than like 30 seconds.
CASE: Uh, I think we all did. Kelly may have stayed in the car for a second, 'cause she was like, I don't know, I don't know. She may have just stayed in the car. I really don't remember though. I mean it was so brief. But we saw a car coming up this way I think. Or maybe it was like down here. Actually it would have been over here turning the comer, and so we decided we'd just go ahead and leave. So we came out. . .
CASE: We like, we stepped out of the car and looked around and it was like wow, it's really dark. And then we saw the car turning the corner pretty much like as we said that and we said that might be the groundskeeper, you know, it's dark, it's after sundown, and as far as I know, I mean those cemeteries say that like after sundown you have to be out. At least that's what I've seen on you know the hours posted on a couple of them in Kansas. So we decided to go ahead and leave and we got like right back in the car.
CASE: More than likely.
CASE: Probably that, yeah, I'm pretty sure we got back in the same way. 'Cause that was generally how we sat. I mean I was usually in the passenger side of the car in the back, if it was all four of us anyway. You know, Kelly and I sat in the back and Anastasia sat in the front.
CASE: Is this another chapel or something?
CASE: Okay, then that's the old one. We must have come this way, 'cause we went by it and then circled around through here and left the same exit.
CASE: I think we took 24 Highway back.
CASE: We were going to go to Justin's condominium and they were going to talk there.
And Kelly and I were just going to go down like take a walk on the Plaza or something.
CASE: We went down 24 and I think we turned, no that's not right actually. 'Cause we had to be on Truman. We may have, I think we went that way then. I guess. 'Cause I know we took Truman back in 'cause that was Justin's preferred route whenever he like picked her up or took her home or anything. Although I seem to remember taking 24 Highway at least part of the way. We may have just, we may have taken 24 Highway down here and then made a left to get back to Truman.
CASE: Blue Ridge Blvd.?
CASE: Yeah, I don't know where it is in that area.
CASE: Okay.
CASE: Okay. Where does that drop you off on Truman though?
CASE: Oh, okay.
CASE: Right. Okay. Well I know that we took Truman past, there's a bunch of curves and then there's let's see, going east on Truman, the road curves a little bit after there's like a, I think the end of, yeah, that's right.
CASE: Okay. We must have taken that then.
CASE: Yeah. I'm trying to think of where it runs into Truman though. If I can picture it. 'Cause I mean, I'm horrible with street names. But I know that we passed, there's no way to get down there. So yeah, yeah we took that route. We had to have.
CASE: Well I'd been down that way a couple of times when I was like driving around with Abraham. And I remember once when I was, it was not long after I guess, it was probably like a month after Anastasia had died me and a mutual friend of Anastasia's and mine who was in town. . .
CASE: Anna Hunsicker. She was in town and we went down there to try and find like, to try and find Lincoln Cemetery. 'Cause she wanted to see it.
CASE: Hmmn-mmm. No.
CASE: I didn't really want to. I mean, it just kind of. . .
CASE: No, I didn't.
CASE: Yeah, I mean we found it that night when Anna and I went.
CASE: I think. It might have been a couple of months. All I know is that Tara and I guess a few of her friends or something were curious about it, or she was curious about it, so she got a ride with them and she was telling me that they went to go see it. So she had told me there was like this little area that looked like it was probably for Anastasia where they had like you know, little mementos and things laid out, and like a candle and things like that.
CASE: Well, right after we left right here, the Nelson whatever, right after we left there, she started talking. She was just you know, Anastasia that is, to Justin about you know, their whole relationship deal. And so they were, I was just, well don't know if I was tired or what, but I was just kind of in the back with my eyes shut and just like, just riding basically.
CASE: No. I mean we were, Kelly and I were like kind of in our own little world in the back of the car. I mean, we weren't, I was doing my
best to not pay attention to the conversation, you know I hate being around people when they argue. And so I do remember though right after we passed, well we were coming up on the gas stations, down by 435. And I remember you know just kind of looking out the window and we came to a stop at, there's like a stop light right before the bridge, at the overpass for 435.
CASE: Well she was headed, as she got out of the car she was headed west, or east, excuse me.
CASE: Along the side of the car. 'Cause she was in the passenger seat and I was sitting right behind her. So she walked, she got out of the car and walked that way.
CASE: No. I mean I looked to the side and then I looked at Justin. And I was like waiting for him to say something.
CASE: Nothing.
CASE: I couldn't tell.
CASE: I don't know. I wasn't paying attention. I was just like looking at Justin like expectantly, you know. Wondering if he was going to you know turn around or what he was going to do. Just kind of waiting for him to do something.
CASE: Well he paused for a minute and I guess he was like trying to think of whether or not he wanted to go back, and then . . .
CASE: No. The rest of the ride home none of us said anything really. 'Cause I didn't know what to say, I mean, you know. It was just kind of an awkward moment.
CASE: We went back to Justin's condo and I guess were were just going to hang out there for a little bit, 'cause Kelly had some time to kill before she had to be home. So we went there and Justin wasn't saying anything and he was just kind of like sitting in his chair quietly when we got to the condo, and so Kelly and I played Nintendo for a little bit, you know, just like kind of waiting for him to say something. And you know nothing was said. And then every now and again we'd look over at the clock to see if it was time to leave yet. And 'cause I think Kelly had to be home by 9:00. She had school the next day I'm pretty sure. Regardless, she had to be home by 9:00.
CASE: No. Because I mean, it was just, like I said, it was kind of a weird subject and I didn't want, I didn't want to bring it up because you know, I didn't want to like hit a nerve with him and get him all upset. You know, I figured whatever he was upset about just you know, kind of leave it be for a little bit because he was still going to be really sensitive about it.
CASE: We probably were at Justin's house for about a half hour or so. And then the ride to Kelly's took about a half an hour I guess. I don't even, probably 20 minutes to get back from Independence or something like that, I don't know. And I think it was probably, I think he called a little bit before 9:30 when he called Anastasia's house. I think.
CASE: Probably more like an hour and half to two hours, I guess.
CASE: My sense of distance is pretty bad, too. But she lives up by the, actually she lived up by the Truman home, I think. Yeah. She lived like down the street, like two blocks north, I guess. So I'm not sure about the distance between there. Like I said, I'm not really familiar with Independence either.
CASE: Oh, yeah. I mean, it was dark when we were at the cemetery.
CASE: Right.
CASE: Well I know that Kelly was worried about her. And I was, once he called and said she's not home yet, we all just kind of sat there.
CASE: No.
CASE: Hmm-mmm.
CASE: Hmm-mmm. No, we just called. . .
CASE: Well, we certainly didn't think that.
CASE: I mean, beyond the fact that you know I was just kind of concerned about her being okay, I mean it wasn't anything specific. I mean it was just like a general sense of well, you know, she's probably just like, I don't know.
CASE: Not that I know of, I don't know.
CASE: Hmm-mmm. No.
CASE: I don't think he did.
CASE: She may have, but I don't think so.
CASE: Right.
CASE: I think we left a few minutes after Justin called. So we drove, we were driving back into mid-town and the original plan was just to go back to Justin's condominium. So far as I assumed. But like on the way there, I don't know, he was, you know, he was still being quiet and wasn't really saying anything. And when I think, well like I said, it was kind of assumed that we were going back to Justin's condo, because that was like the place that we always pretty much ended up.
CASE: Pretty much.
CASE: No, never did.
CASE: The next morning at like 9 something I got a phone call I woke up to. And it was Justin on the phone.
CASE: No, I mean, I, no. She was in bed and you know, like I said, I'm pretty sure she had school that day.
CASE: No. I don't even remember what day of the week it was on.
CASE: It was a Wednesday? Okay, then she probably had school. But no, I didn't even think to call her, I mean, like I said, I was still asleep when Justin called, and that's what woke me up.
CASE: Right. Or well, maybe a little bit after 9:00 I don't know.
CASE: Well, he, you know, just normal conversation pretty much. He's like hey, what are you doing? I was like, well I was sleeping. He goes oh, did I wake you up? And I said yeah. And basically I didn't, I was like why are you calling this early? Why are you up? And he was just like oh, I didn't sleep very well last night. And I said well, tell you what, I'm going to go back to bed, 'cause I was just too tired to like be in any type of conversation still, 'cause I hadn't like woken up. And I was just like, I'm going to go right back to bed and you know, can you call me later? And he said yeah, sure, I'll give you a call this afternoon. I was like, okay. So I hung up the phone, went back to sleep.
Don't know what time I woke up, but it probably wasn't too much later. Couple hours maybe. And got up, got dressed. Tried to call Justin like when I woke up, 'cause you know I figured if he wasn't going to call until the afternoon, I might as well just make a phone call right then. He wasn't there, so I just went ahead and I said well, might as well make other plans, 'cause I was pretty bored. And I ended up just calling my friend Aaron and went over to his house 'cause I think he needed some help with his computer or something. And so went over there, and tried to call Justin at one point while I was there. Then he still wasn't home. So then it was like a little bit, I think it was a little bit after 4:30 and I got a page from Abraham and so I called him like right back as soon as I got the page and he, you know, he answers the phone and he's like Byron? I said yeah. He goes were you watching the news just now? I said no, I was on the computer, why? And he says well Anastasia's dead. And I was just like quiet because like I didn't know what to think. And I think I said like what do you mean? Or something. And he says Anastasia was shot and I was like just totally quiet. And you know, it was like I said, it was just like really shocking and I didn't have any idea what to say. And you know, he was like yeah; it was just on the news on all the channels. And I was just like freaked out so I said let me let you go; I'm going to call Justin again. And then I'm like; I'll be in touch. So I hung up the phone, called Justin, got his answering machine again. And I think I left, I think I just grabbed my stuff, said goodbye to Aaron and just walked out the door.
CASE: He lives in Wyandotte County. Just off of its like Gibbs Road and well, . . .
CASE: Vermeulen. It's like V-E-R-M-E-U-L-E-N.
CASE: I'm pretty sure I drove. Yeah, I did. I must have.
CASE: My car.
CASE: Well, had. It was a 1990 Pontiac 6000 LE.
CASE: Yeah, MORBID.
CASE: No. I got rid of that one a long time ago.
CASE: More or less.
CASE: Not really. You know, he ran out on errands all the time,
you know, so I didn't really think it was a big deal. I just figured you know he was out, like buying things or something.
CASE: That day?
OFFICER: Yes.
OFFICER: 23rd.
OFFICER: Saturday.
OFFICER: 23rd was a Thursday.
CASE: Okay.
CASE: Honestly I don't remember where I went directly after that.
CASE: No. No, I mean we went to Justin's and to Kelly's and.. .
CASE: No.
CASE: Oh! I'm sorry. Yes, yes we did. We went, actually we went by Tara's apartment because Brahm, Abraham needed some stuff, they had
just broken up like not too long before, and Abraham wanted like the stuff that he had left over at her apartment. So we stopped by over
at her place and it was pretty brief as I recall. We just picked up the bag and left. And then drove over to Abraham's house and dropped
it off. And we stayed and talked with him for a while, but we needed to get Kelly back so we didn't spend a lot of time there.
CASE: We went to Tara's first to pick up the stuff.
CASE: I don't remember if we had called earlier or not. I know, I mean it was already in a bag, so I don't really remember if, I don't really remember for sure if we had called or not.
CASE: While we were there? If we did it was probably pretty brief. I don't remember.
CASE: I'm sure he must have, yeah.
CASE: Mmm-hmm.
CASE: No. I don't think we did. I wasn't smoking like hardly at all.
CASE: I think she had a couple of friends over. I don't remember who, or she had her friend Cameron over and somebody else that I didn't know. I think. I don't remember for sure if Cameron was there either or not, though. But I'm pretty sure she had somebody over. She usually did. And you know, Brahm was just sitting at the computer when we got to his place.
CASE: Yeah, it was pretty brief. We you know, we mentioned, you know we mentioned Anastasia, you know, the argument that they got in and you know, it was just kind of weird.
CASE: Yeah. Well, that was why we mentioned it. Otherwise it wouldn't have been an issue.
CASE: Just gotten out of the car? No, well she'd never gotten out of the car like in the middle of an argument or anything like
that. But I mean she'd done some like, she had a tendency when she got really upset, to just leave. You know, like when we were
staying at Justin's, you know, they'd get in an argument and she'd just like walk. And she'd like walk out the door and walk somewhere.
CASE: I don't remember if we went, or if I went straight home or if I went over to Brahm's, or if I went to Kelly's. I have no idea. I know at some point we. . .
CASE: I know we drove by. . .
CASE: Right. I think what I . . .
CASE: Well, like I said, I don't really remember for sure if I stopped by over at. . .
CASE: Yeah, I was just running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I had no idea what to think.
CASE: Well I know I think I did stop by at Justin's and his car, I know his car wasn't there because I remember I stopped by at some point. Maybe even twice. I just drove by like his, drove into his parking, he had like a parking garage under his condominium, and I drove in there and his car wasn't in it's reserved spot. And I remember I drove around to the other side to see if he'd parked on the street on the other side of the building and it wasn't there either, so but I think that was in the evening that I stopped by.
CASE: No, I never had a key.
CASE: Uh, no, actually I didn't.
CASE: We didn't think so. We were petty much inseparable, you know and he was always at home.
CASE: Yeah. I mean whenever we left, we all left together pretty much.
CASE: I remember either, either at some point Kelly got a ride or I picked her up, because we were really worried about what was going on. And I think I went to get her.
CASE: Right. I remember we were, well we were at, Kelly and I were at my mom's apartment for a while just
talking about everything, and like trying to figure out where he might be. And then I went by his apartment
again, or his condo. And I think that was in my mom's car the second time. Yeah, it was.
CASE: No, I mean, my mom was driving 'cause I asked her to drive us by. 'Cause I was pretty sure I was having car problems at the time.
CASE: Well, I was having a lot of problems with that car. There was a head gasket that had been blown. Needed to be machined: Or the
heads needed to be machined. It was overheating all the time. Bunch of stuff. There was transmission problems. It was just, you know, a
sometimes point A to point B car. But anyway. . .
CASE: Mmm-hmmn.
CASE: Some of what?
CASE: But it wasn't even released like, as far as I know. . .
CASE: I can't imagine. I mean, unless it had been pre-planned or something.
CASE: I don't even remember how long they dated.
CASE: Well, and that's what I've been trying to like justify for a really long time is you know, if were so close,
then why, if he had anything to do with it, why didn't he tell me.
CASE: No. I mean, there was . . .
CASE: No.
CASE: I don't know.
CASE: Yeah.
CASE: Absolutely.
CASE: No. I mean, if he had I would have, you know, immediately gone over there, you know to stop him.
OFFICER: Did you guys have conversation like, yeah we were the last ones that saw her. Yeah, we were over here last night, and while we were standing here she was being killed? Anything like that?
CASE: We explained like what, you know, the events up until the point where she got out of the car, you know, and then like you know how the next day I got a call from Brahm, you know, I told her about that. As far as I can remember, that's the best of it. I just remember that she got like really, really distraught and had to go into the other room and kind of compose herself.
OFFICER: Did you go out and look for Anastasia that night?
CASE: No.
OFFICER: Do you know of anybody that did?
CASE: Nobody except her dad.
OFFICER: What do you know about that? Have you talked to him?
CASE: I've talked to him a couple of times. Once at the funeral and I think I ran into him once in person, but I don't really remember.
OFFICER: Have you heard from anybody that your car was seen near the area of Lincoln Cemetery the night that Anastasia was killed?
OFFICER: And you are telling me now that you were not there?
OFFICER: Just that following day?
OFFICER: Well you told me you drove it to Aaron's over in Kansas.
OFFICER: Are you still friends with Aaron?
OFFICER: Do you know his phone number?
OFFICER: And what's his last name?
OFFICER: Sure.
OFFICER: If you had to, if you had to provide me with a name of who might know what happened,
who would that be? Who would Anastasia turn to when she exited that vehicle?
OFFICER: Were you present when Anastasia was killed?
OFFICER: At that time were you dating Kelly Moffett?
OFFICER: Do you know if Justin Bruton killed Anastasia?
OFFICER: Did you kill Anastasia? Did you kill Anastasia?
OFFICER: There's no way that your car could have been out in that area the night that she was killed, October 22, 1997?
OFFICER: There's no way your car could have been there?
OFFICER: Would anybody else have had access to that car?
OFFICER: Did you own another car at the time?
OFFICER: Did you have access to another car at that time?
OFFICER: What kind of car does your mom drive?
OFFICER: Back then.
OFFICER: You had no other vehicles that you used at that time, back in October?
OFFICER: Know anybody that owns a red Mercur?
OFFICER: How long have you owned that car?
OFFICER: July of 1998?
OFFICER: Do you have a license plate on your car?
OFFICER: What is it?
OFFICER: Who did you buy it from?
OFFICER: But you didn't own that car until when?
OFFICER: As I've said before, you have no reason to lie to me do you?
OFFICER: You can even tell me that you were present and you still would not be in
any trouble, in any trouble with the law, you understand that don't you?
OFFICER: Based on the letter from our prosecutor.
OFFICER: So you could sit there and tell me you were there and you know you wouldn't get in any trouble, right?
OFFICER: So you have no reason to lie, no reason to fear the legal system at this point in time, is this correct?
OFFICER: Were you present when Anastasia was killed?
OFFICER: Do you know who killed Anastasia?
OFFICER: Are you telling me the truth?
OFFICER: Okay. We're going to go off tape for just a few minutes. It's 12:05.
Back on tape. It's approximately 12:15. The morning that Justin called you, now that you've had time since you and I have been
talking, is there anything at all that you can remember that you have omitted that would have given any indication that he had
either found Anastasia, that he had killed Anastasia, that he was about ready to go kill himself?
OFFICER: Since the time that Anastasia was killed and now, have you heard of anybody that would have some information
that would help us resolve this and get to the truth as to what had actually happened that night?
OFFICER: Do you have any personal thoughts on this about what had happened, that might give me a direction to go?
OFFICER: Yes.
All I can imagine happening is that when Anastasia got out of the car, she was you know, headed up Truman Road and I guess she might have run into somebody or something, I don't know. I mean her mom said that you know there were like no signs of sexual assault or anything like that when I talked to her. And I'm assuming that that's true.
So, 'cause initially I thought well it's a bad neighborhood, you know. There's like those adult bookstores and who knows what kind of people go in there, and you know. It's not exactly the best area. So initially I was just thinking, maybe she was raped or something. But after hearing that she wasn't, all I can imagine is that for whatever reason somebody took her there and shot her or shot her somewhere else and dropped her there or something.
And that Justin, like the next morning, felt so bad about letting her get out of the car, even before he knew that she was murdered, because he had no way of knowing unless he went out there, and I doubt that he, I really doubt that he did. But I guess it's possible. I don't know. I mean, I guess, I guess it would make sense if he went out there and found her that, I don't know.
OFFICER: Do you know anybody that might know something?
OFFICER: Have you told anybody that you were there when she was killed?
OFFICER: Have you told anybody that you had a firearm that night or was near one?
OFFICER: As I've said before, you have nothing to fear from the legal system at this point in time. Would you be willing to take a lie
detector test to verify what you and I have talked about today?
OFFICER: We don't use the polygraph.
OFFICER: We use the Computer Voice Stress Analyzer.
OFFICER: Okay. We can't do it today, so could I get with you in the near future at a time that's agreeable that would accommodate both our
schedules? Would you get together with me and do that?
OFFICER: Well not yeah, I guess. I need a little better commitment than that. A little assurance in your voice.
OFFICER: I mean I don't want to spend a year getting you in here to do that.
OFFICER: Are you telling me the truth?
OFFICER: Then if you're telling me the truth, then you should have nothing to fear from a lie detector.
OFFICER: It would just be a means to verify what you're telling me today. Did you kill Anastasia?
OFFICER: Were you present when Anastasia was killed?
OFFICER: Was Kelly there when she was killed?
OFFICER: Do you know for a fact that Justin Bruton killed Anastasia?
OFFICER: Do you know who killed Anastasia?
OFFICER: Is what you're telling me the truth?
OFFICER: We'll conclude this interview at approximately 1223 hours, July 29, 1999.
CASE: Just you. I hadn't heard anything about that.
CASE: Absolutely. I was in Justin's car the whole night, and I don't even think I drove my car at all that day.
CASE: Yeah.
CASE: Yeah. Yeah. I was just trying to remember the sequence of events. But, yeah.
CASE: Yeah. Well, we're more, we've known each other since 4th or 5th grade.
CASE: I don't have it on me. It's in my address book in the car.
CASE: Vermeulen. V-E-R-M-E-U-L-E-N. He just moved like last week and I haven't talked to him since then. I went by his house and his parents said that he had moved out. But he does have a cell number, I just can't remember it 'cause I never had to call it. I can give you his parents' line.
CASE: xxx-xxxx.
CASE: Her dad. I mean, that's the only person that I can think of. You know, I didn't know, I know that she complained about how like her friends weren't, one of her friends lived really far out there, Danielle Fields. And up until shortly before all of that happened, they were pretty good friends and then they had like kind of a falling out. Anastasia was just getting in the way with her or something, I don't remember what it was about. But, you know, she lived just way out in the middle of nowhere as far as I can remember. And there's no way that she would have, well she might have called her, but I doubt that she would have given her circumstances and I don't really know that, I don't really know that she talked to many of her, well I don't know if she talked to many people period, with the exception of her dad and Justin and me. I have no idea who she would, if she called anybody, who she would have talked to.
CASE: No,
CASE: Yes.
CASE: No, I don't know.
CASE: No.
CASE: Right. Right.
CASE: There's no way. It was parked at my mom's apartment.
CASE: My mom.
CASE: No, I didn't buy another car until . . .
CASE: Hmm-mmm. . .
CASE: Right now she's got a . . .
CASE: Oh God, she was either driving an '84 Toyota Corolla or a 1980 Chevy Impala.
CASE: No.
CASE: Yeah, that's me.
CASE: Since July I think of last year.
CASE: Yeah.
CASE: Yeah.
CASE: ATHEIST.
CASE: Gosh, whatever his name is. I don't remember his name. It was a guy who lived off of like 84th & Nall in Kansas. I've got the bill of sale still, I mean.
CASE: Like July of '98. June or July. 'Cause I just had it up, you know, I'd just had my fill of the other car and I was just you know, there was no way I was going to put the money into that it needed before I could fix it.
CASE: No.
CASE: Yeah.
CASE: Right.
CASE: Right.
CASE: Yeah. That's right.
CASE: No.
CASE: No.
CASE: Yes.
CASE: No.
CASE: No.
CASE: What do I think happened, basically?
CASE: Well, I mean, just from like a logical standpoint I guess, or it's the most logical that I can bring myself to conceive of.[N.B.: Please note that Case is speculating that Justin might have driven to Lincoln Cemetery and discovered Anastasia's body, when the last he claimed to have known of Anastasia's whereabouts was near Truman and I-435.]
If he wouldn't, if he didn't say that, if he didn't tell me that night when he left my mom's apartment after dropping me off, if he didn't tell me that he was going to go out looking for her and he did, then I guess you know that there were some things about that whole sequence of events that you know, he wasn't telling me. And that would explain why he didn't mention anything on the phone.
You know if he didn't think he could tell me about this or something, I don't know.
CASE: No.
CASE: No.
CASE: Hmm-mmm.
CASE: Well, I would say yes, but you know I know that polygraphs aren't. . .
CASE: What do you use?
CASE: Oh. I wouldn't have a problem with that.
CASE: Yes, I guess.
CASE: Yeah.
CASE: That's fine.
CASE: Absolutely.
CASE: Right.
CASE: No.
CASE: No.
CASE: No.
CASE: No, I don't.
CASE: No.
CASE: Yeah.
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