After towing his car, the cops brought Robert Hansen in to talk about Patty Roberts. As was the case when they seized the Pontiac, both the Anchorage Police Department and Alaska State Troopers were present, in the persons of Detective Ron Rice and Sgt. Don Hughes, respectively. Hansen was characteristically evasive during the interview. So evasive that there were long pauses while Hansen collected his lies. So evasive that he continually claimed to remember nothing. Sgt. Hughes, who led the interview, found Hansen so evasive that he made note of it.
INTERVIEW
HANSEN, ROBERT C., address: 327 Thomas Circle, Anchorage, Alaska. MR. HANSEN was interviewed at the Anchorage Police Department by Detective Ron Rice and this investigator. The interview began at approximately 5:20 p.m. Prior to the interview, MR. HANSEN was advised of his rights, the Miranda Warning and the Waiver of Rights, which he replied that he understood and would talk to me. Present at this time was the defendant, Detective Ron Rice, and this investigator. Interview took place on 12/28/1971.
Robert Hansen, Bowhunter
MR. HANSEN, for the first 45 minutes to an hour, maintained that he had no idea of what we were talking about. Several times during this interview, there were pauses to let MR. HANSEN collect his thoughts. He continued to maintain that he remembered nothing. He was shown a copy of the Registration card from Sunrise Inn on Seward Highway, which is shown to have been written by the person registering there on Sunday morning, 12/19/71. He looked at it and admitted it looked like his writing, but would not state definitely that he had written it. He was then asked if he had anything in his wallet that bore his handwriting.
He produced his wallet and emptied it on the table top and looked for something with his writing on it. It was at this time that he opened a triangular piece of white paper, and put it down, and I saw that written on this piece of paper was the name of “T. ROBERTS, 1321 P. Street, Anchorage, Alaska.” I asked him what the piece of paper was, and he professed complete ignorance of it, of the name, or how it got in his wallet. I then questioned him again about the girl he had met at the Nevada Cafe that morning, and he then began to give bits and pieces of thoughts concerning the girl.
He continued on, quote… “I think she was a prostitute. I think she said something about her price was $75.00.”
Then he asked no one in particular, “Did she have black hair?”
I answered him, “Yes, she had black hair.”
Again, a question to no one in particular, “Does she have a little child?”
Again, I answered him, “Yes, she has.”
After considerable pause, “Seems like the girl had marks on her arms, and that she took dope, that she needed to make some money… she didn’t have a place to stay.”
I then asked, “Did you give her any money?”
MR. HANSEN answered, “Didn’t have any.”
After considerable pause and thought, MR. HANSEN continued, “Seems like her car was next to mine, and was running. She got into my car… seems like she was crying. I don’t remember. Said she just wanted to go… to get out of there… can’t remember.”
“Seems like she didn’t have the child any more… Seems like she was in trouble with the law.”
“Can’t remember…” Considerable pause. “I can remember her saying…” (pause)
Question by HANSEN, “What’s that motel here in town… can’t remember the name of it.”
Considerable pause…
“Fancy Moose.”
“Seems like she could stay all day the next day if I would pay the rent.”
Robert Hansen in Court, 1972
I then asked MR. HANSEN if he took the girl to the Fancy Moose, and his reply was negative, then, “I can’t remember.”
I asked MR. HANSEN if he was driving his Pontiac that day, and he said very slowly, “I don’t think so,” then more emphatically, “No, I don’t think so.”
Another pause and thought by MR. HANSEN and he continued, “I think she was mad because she didn’t make any money that night.”
“I remember her saying, ‘I didn’t make a God damned dime tonight.'”
“Seems like she’d pay for the motel room,” then considerable pause and thought…
“Half of it. Didn’t make much sense… I didn’t have $75.00.”
“Seems like I remember her saying she’d go with me, but I didn’t have any money.”
“She was very tired.”
“I’m not sure about that, or if it was just me that was tired.”
MR. HANSEN again paused and started to say that he had something on his mind, but then shook his head and said, “No… no.”
I told MR. HANSEN if he had something on his mind that was bothering him, to tell us what it was. He then continued. “Hypodermic syringe… she said she wanted more dope.”
“Seems like she had some needles.”
“I don’t even know if this is right.”
“Seems like I remember a girl with dark hair… she wanted some money… seems like she’d been in a fight… her arms were sore… her wrists and arms.”
“I can’t remember going down there… just doesn’t seem like I would just before Christmas.”
Detective Rice then asked MR. HANSEN what kind of hand gun he usually carried in his car if he were going hunting, and MR. HANSEN replied, “A Colt Woodsman .22 with a six-inch barrel.”
At this point, we called a break, and asked MR. HANSEN if he wanted a Coke or water. He wanted Coke. He was left by himself for approximately twenty minutes. Upon our return, MR. HANSEN was again advised of his rights. He stated that he most wanted to talk to MR. GILMORE, his attorney, and his doctor. The interview was terminated immediately at approximately 7:10 p.m., and MR. HANSEN was taken to the State Jail and booked.
Robert Hansen’s evasive tactics ended with the ultimate evasion: he wanted to talk to his attorney. It was his right. He knew his rights. And, as it turned out, Patty Roberts knew her guns.
Purchase Butcher, Baker