PI report
Private investigator Pam Thompson provided a copy of her reports to the detectives.
YOKNAPATAWPHA COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
Investigating Officer(s): Det. T. Armstrong, Det. S. Murphy
Incident No.: 000524-27A-2001
Case Description: Melissa Hammond homicide investigation
Private Investigator Pam Thompson submitted the following reports and invoice to the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department in response to a subpoena.
View the detectives' interview with Pam Thompson.
20-Jan
CASE DETAIL REPORT
Case Number: Kirby98751
Hire Date: 15-Jan-2001
Date Filed: 20-Jan-2001
ACTIVITY REPORT:
Followed the subject four days during the partial week of January 16 through 18, 2001.
16-Jan-2001
Subject left home alone in white Mustang at approx. 8:15 a.m. and drove directly to work. Subject left work approx. 6:40 p.m. He purchased gasoline and soft drink at McPhail's Chevron. Spoke for approx. 5 min. to clerk.
Subject then went to Kiamie's Bowling Center on Highway 6 and parked in handicapped parking near east entrance, arrived approx. 7:00 pm. Visual confirmation that subject participated in league bowling until approx. 9:30 pm. Subject then returned to car and immediately drove home.
See Follow-up Information section below for more details.
17-Jan-2001
Subject left home with client in green Honda at approx. 8:20 a.m. and drove directly to work. At approx. 5:30 p.m., subject and client left work in green Honda and drove home. Subject left home at approx. 6:00 p.m. in white Mustang and returned to work. Subject remained at work late into the evening.
During this time, delivery was made to workplace by Pizza Den, approx. 7:40 p.m. Subject spoke briefly with delivery person, appeared to be normal transaction.
Subject left work approx. 9:50 p.m. and immediately drove home.
18-Jan-2001
Subject left home with client in green Honda at approx. 8:00 a.m. and drove directly to work. Subject left work alone in green Honda at approx. 2:00 p.m. He drove to Pitner Office Supply on University and parked near east entrance.
I followed subject into the store. Posing as a shopper, I watched subject select 2 boxes of computer paper and an office chair. Subject lingered in paper supplies aisle; visual confirmation that subject looked at and handled certain packets at end of aisle. Subject replaced all packets onto shelf, purchased only the computer paper and chair.
After subject left, proceeded to end of aisle; packets were do-it-yourself legal aides. Two packets were placed backward on shelf: Business Partnership legal paperwork (form, dissolve, merge businesses) and divorce legal paperwork. While I can NOT positively confirm that subject had handled either packet, I believe based on visual estimates that these were among those he had handled.
Left Pitner Office Supply, having lost track of subject. Found subject again at work, unloading the computer paper and office chair from vehicle. Subject remained at work until 6:30 p.m., at which point he and client drove directly home.
Client exited vehicle at the residence and subject drove to Murff's. Visual confirmation that subject sat in bar watching television. Subject remained at Murff's until approx. 10:45 p.m.
Subject slept in car until approx. 12:35 am, then drove home.
19-Jan-2001
Subject left home with client in green Honda at approx. 8:35 a.m. and drove directly to work. Subject left work alone in green Honda at approx. 11:30 a.m. He drove to Southern Beauty and waited in his car.
Approx. 11:45 female exited building and entered subject's vehicle. Subject and female appeared very friendly.
Subject drove to Buster Roodie's restauarant. Subject and female took booth and ordered lunch. Using a Minolta Maxxum Htsi with a 75-300 MM f/4.0 – 5.6 USM lens, I was able to photograph subject and female eating lunch and talking.
Subject paid for meal. Conversation seemed very friendly. Near end of meal, I photographed the subject holding female's hand.
Subject drove female back to Southern Beauty at approx. 1:00 p.m. and returned to work. Subject then remained at work until 7:00 p.m., at which point he and client drove immediately home.
Photographs are presented in Attachment A. Attachment A is not available to the public pending legal clearance.
See Follow-up Information section below for more details.
FOLLOW-UP INFORMATION:
• Posing as an upset customer, I was able to determine name of clerk at gas station (Stan Dains). Research on Internet revealed subject and Dains are acquainted from high school, including being teammates in intramural softball.
• Brief questioning of a clerk (Josh Bullock) at Kiamie's Bowling Center revealed that subject was a semi-regular who often came on Tuesday nights to participate in league bowling. Clerk, who works every Tuesday night and is acquainted with subject, spoke very freely about the subject, stating he seemed very preoccupied and withdrawn on Jan. 16.
• Posing as a customer at Southern Beauty, I was able to determine female seen with subject to be Missy Hammond. Conversations with Southern Beauty employees heavily suggested that Missy Hammond had discussed how wonderful subject was, and popular opinion seemed to be that she was interested in getting back together with him.
27-Jan
CASE DETAIL REPORT
Case Number: Kirby98751
Hire Date: 15-Jan-2001
Date Filed: 27-Jan-2001
ACTIVITY REPORT:
Followed subject during the week of January 20-25. Subject showed an increased interest in contacting Missy Hammond.
20-Jan-2001
Subject left home alone in white Mustang at approx. 9:00 a.m (Saturday) and drove directly to work. Subject drove straight home at approx. 5:00 p.m.
21-Jan-2001
Subject remained at the residence throughout afternoon. Left the residence approx. 6:00 p.m. and traveled to home of Missy Hammond. Subject remained in car in front of house for approx. 5 minutes, then drove away. I followed the subject at a safe distance, only to return to Missy Hammond's house approx. 10 minutes later.
No lights were on in the home at that time. Subject exited his vehicle and approached front door of house. After repeatedly ringing the doorbell and knocking on the door, subject returned to vehicle and drove straight home.
I photographed the subject using the Minolta; photographs are presented in Attachment B. Attachment B is not available to the public pending legal clearance.
22-Jan-2001
Subject left home alone in white Mustang at approx. 8:15 a.m. and drove directly to work. Subject left work alone in white Mustang at approx. 7:00 p.m. and went to Missy Hammond's residence. Subject was admitted entry into the house.
I was unable to capture photographic evidence as a neighbor was in the area at the time.
Subject left Hammond's residence approx. 8:30 p.m. Neighbor returned indoors shortly after. Subject drove straight home.
23-Jan-2001
Subject left home alone in white Mustang at approx. 8:15 a.m. and drove directly to work. Subject left work alone in white Mustang at approx. 6:40 p.m. and went immediately to Kiamie's Bowling Center, arrived approx. 7:00 p.m.
Visual confirmation that subject participated in league bowling until approx. 9:30 p.m. Subject then returned to car and immediately drove home.
See Follow-up Information section below for more details.
24-Jan-2001
Subject left home with client in green Honda at approx. 8:25 a.m. and drove directly to work. Subject left work with client in green Honda at approx. 6:30 p.m., and drove home.
Subject left home alone in white Mustang at approx. 7:15 p.m. and drove immediately to Murff's.
Visual confirmation that subject sat in bar watching television. Subject remained at Murff's until approx. 10:45 p.m. Subject drove straight home despite somewhat inebriated condition.
25-Jan-2001
Subject remained at home all day.
26-Jan-2001
Subject left home with client in green Honda at approx. 8:20 a.m. and drove directly to work. Green Honda was observed leaving at approx. 3:45 p.m., but was driven by client and not followed.
Subject remained at work until 7:00 p.m., when he left with client in green Honda and drove straight home.
FOLLOW-UP INFORMATION:
• Josh Bullock at Kiamie's Bowling Center freely discussed subject the following day. Stated subject seemed even more preoccupied than the prior week. Could not recall if subject had mentioned anything specific that was aggravating him.
29-Jan
CASE DETAIL REPORT
Case Number: Kirby98751
Hire Date: 15-Jan-2001
Date Filed: 29-Jan-2001
ACTIVITY REPORT:
Followed subject during partial week of January 27 to January 28. Client terminated surveillance January 28.
27-Jan-2001
Subject remained at home all day.
28-Jan-2001
Client terminated surveillance.
Summary
CASE SUMMARY REPORT
Case Number: Kirby98751
Hire Date: 15-Jan-2001
Length of Investigation: 14 days, from 15-Jan to 28-Jan, 2001
Date Filed: 29-Jan-2001
INVESTIGATION FINDINGS:
It is not possible to conclusively determine that the subject is involved in an extra-marital affair. All direct evidence suggests that subject and Missy Hammond have a strong friendship at the very least, and extra-marital activity cannot be completely discounted.
Friends and co-workers of Missy Hammond seemed to believe that if there was not an affair taking place, that one was likely to begin soon.
Additionally, the furtive nature of the subject's contacts with Ms. Hammond suggests that he was uncomfortable with being seen in public while in her company.
Also, the subject seemed emotionally withdrawn and agitated, based on visual observation and conversations with an eyewitness.
All of these factors, combined with my suspicion that the subject was inspecting a do-it-yourself divorce packet, lead me to believe that the subject is currently considering ending his marriage to the client.
This information was delivered to my client today after she terminated surveillance on the subject yesterday (following the news of Missy Hammond's death).
At that time, she requested all photographs and notes be given to her. Her bill has been partially paid, and satisfactory payment arrangements have been made.