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To our readers -- the following is a transcript from an interview between our Investigative Reporter, Maggie Maine, and Eliza Slater. Historically, Slater has not been open with the press about what happened fifteen years ago at Clarmont College. In an odd turn of events, Slater reached out to our Editor to speak with someone on the record concerning the events that were so heavily publicized. The interview, while short, was electric. As a result, we believed this story was best told through her exact words.

HER

Everything comes down to who's paying the most attention.

That’s what I told the papers after what happened with Jimmy Waters. Because you don’t have to be a genius to figure out that someone is watching you. You just have to be self-aware – pay attention to the small details, ya know? Then you can leverage those details. Because that’s the difference between who lives and dies.

I met Jimmy my freshman year of college. Lanky guy – rail thin, not all that coordinated. He had deep set eyes, shaggy hair. Quiet, too. I think the whole campus thought he was a bit of an oddball. And who could blame them? He barely spoke unless it was to ask our chemistry professor a clarifying question or to place his weekly pizza order, which was always delivered to his dorm room at 6:00 pm.

To be clear, he lived down the hall from me. Looking back, that wasn’t ideal, but it wasn’t like I had much control. Anyway – Jimmy and I were already in close proximity. Not enough to set off any alarms at that point. But once he started showing up everywhere, I knew I had a problem. 

If I went to a Friday night fraternity party, he was there. If I went off campus to grab a bagel at Lox and Loft, he was standing a few people behind me. If I was studying late at the library, he was a few stacks over, eyes peering over books. Then came that night in November.

It had just snowed. I remember because it was unusually early that year for snow, and I wasn’t prepared. Didn’t bring my boots or gloves with me. When I saw him, he was standing under a streetlamp. Just the two of us, staring at each other in the dark. I didn’t dare to move. But even with that shadow cast across his face, I knew that he knew I was there. That night was enough for me to get things in order.

I filed four – no, six police reports – within the span of a month. One for that night in the street. Another when he went off on me at some party. The last time was when he followed me to my car after the end of semester exams. The whole precinct knew me by my first name at that point. They encouraged me to take a restraining order out on him, so I did. 

REPORTER

Tell me about the break in – what do you remember? Is it true you knew he was going to do it?

HER

I didn’t know – the papers got that wrong. But I did think that he would be bold enough to try it. He came in through the backdoor, slid his way downstairs to my room.

REPORTER

You were awake?

HER

I’m a light sleeper.

Everything happened so fast. But I remember the pool of blood he was lying in. That kind of thing – you don’t forget.

REPORTER

How did that make you feel, in that moment, looking at him on the ground?

HER

Numb. Then all of this adrenaline hit me. It was like my whole body was on fire.

REPORTER

My colleagues – the ones that interviewed you before – they told me that you seem to believe you’re invincible because of what happened with Jimmy. Do you believe that?

HER

Invincible? No. Focused is more appropriate. Jimmy was my confirmation that I was good with details. That I was good at protecting myself.

REPORTER

And then you weren’t. 

HER

Is that a question?

REPORTER

You said once in an interview that cops are bad at their jobs.

HER

They are.

REPORTER

Then how do you explain how this all turned out for you?

HER

Turned out?

REPORTER

How you got to this point, in this room.

HER

Things didn’t “turn out” for me. I’m here because I made it so.

REPORTER

You don’t think that your 54 police report filings had anything to do with it?

HER

Is there an actual question here?

REPORTER

You got caught.

HER

The last ten years would prove otherwise. 

REPORTER

From where I am sitting, your jumpsuit tells a different story.

HER

I got tired, there is a difference.

REPORTER

How did you get the idea?

HER

What do you mean?

REPORTER

To make your victims look like the instigators?

HER

...You have to reverse engineer it.

This is where details really matter, you see, because you have to think through a scenario and it's logical conclusion. I thought of all the steps someone might take if they were being stalked. Police reports? Check. Get on a first name basis with the Chief? Check. Be seen in public acting like any other student? Check. Get Jimmy Waters to act crazy? Check. 

People’s own thoughts will fill in the gaps, which takes care of the rest of the work. But there were times, especially with Jimmy, where I lost track of who was stalking who. 

REPORTER

Why did you pick Jimmy Waters? Why was he your first?

HER

You journalists are all stuck on the same thing.

REPORTER

You’re the most prolific serial killer in the state. You did it by pretending to be two different people. The “why” is an important detail. 

HER

I suppose it’s because I could.

REPORTER

That seems too simple.

HER

Perhaps. But it’s better than the alternative isn’t it?

REPORTER

And what’s that?

HER

That we all are two different people.

Some of us just act on it.