{TAPE ROLLS} 

“I had just returned from shopping. I saw a white Ford pickup truck parked in front of the Rice’s house. Patricia and a man were out next to the truck talking. She pushed him back against the truck. And then the man kept stabbing her with something. She started screaming real loud, and she fell down to the ground, and the man sped off in the truck. I went inside and called the 911.”

“EMS said she was dead upon arrival. Could you hear what Miss Rice and the man were talking about?”

“No sir, I only heard the screaming.”

“Describe the man you saw for us.”

“He was a black man about six feet tall, maybe around 30. He had on a dark green shirt, jeans, and white athletic shoes. He was wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap. I guess he was about 250 pounds, but I don’t really know.”

“Had you ever seen him before?” “No sir.”

“Did you see the license plate on the truck?” “It was blue, but I couldn’t read it. Patricia was such a sweet girl.”

“Thank you.”

{TAPE ENDS}

“The Highway Patrol says that Iowa, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania have blue plates. Anyone with any information on the truck or the man, please call one of the two phone numbers on the screen. We will have more on this story at eleven. This is Jim Black for channel 12 news.”

Then off the air: “What a tragedy! This girl waited on my table several times, and was so pretty too. Hey, Mike, can you join me for supper at the Old Country Inn? I want to talk to some people there and see what they know.”

“I’m sorry, Buddy, but I promised Sarah I would be home early tonight. She is driving to Bridgeport in the morning to spend some time with her mother and father. I can let you take a camcorder. If you get the tape to the station by 9:30, Roger can edit and have it ready to play.”

“It’s O.K., I understand, I always put my wife first too. Tell Sarah I said hello. And thanks I will take a camera with me.”