Woodland, MA

WITNESS INTERVIEW

TRANSCRIPT OF WITNESS INTERVIEW

Case No. 03-0929

11/02/1981

Witness: Julie M. Ladd

Detective: Jessica K. Hunt

Detective Hunt: This is the second interview with the witness in the case of Sara Larason, missing since the thirty first, October. The first interview was conducted at 44 Lantern Lane, residence of Simon and Helen Krasinski at the time of the disappearance. The witness was the first to notice Sara was missing and the first to call police.

Julie Ladd: My mom called the police.

Detective Hunt: Correction, Witness' mother called the sheriff's department. Thanks for the correction, do you want a soda or something? (Witness shook her head no) Okay, try not to be intimidated, just tell me what you know, even the details that don't seem really important. Start with the last time you saw her.

Julie Ladd: Okay, um, well Sara was upset because it was Halloween and it was Saturday so she wanted to come trick-or-treating with us--

Detective Hunt: When you say "us" who are you referring to exactly?

Julie Ladd: Me,Lauren, Henry and James.

Detective Hunt: That's Lauren Tedesco, Kathryn Harren, Henry Stevens and James Mckenzie.

Julie Ladd: Yeah. She had already told the Krasinskis she could babysit anytime, they paid really well and she was saving for a walkman.

Detective Hunt: I heard she was saving because she wanted to go on a trip.

Julie Ladd: Yeah, she wanted to go to Europe after graduation but she wanted a walkmen for when she was walking alone or on a train.

Detective Hunt: You're barely freshmen, you're already thinking 'bout what to do after high school?

Julie Ladd: That's kind of how high school works.

Detective Hunt: (Laughs) I remember. So, she decided to go.

Julie Ladd: She's really responsible, once she says she's gonna do something, she does it. She came to my house—

Detective Hunt: What time?

Julie Ladd: Three. She left at 4:45 to go babysit, she was supposed to be there at 5 o'clock to take the oldest son trick-or-treating. I think he's five.

Detective Hunt: She took her bike there?'

Julie Ladd: Yeah. That was the last time I saw her.

Detective Hunt: Were you supposed to see her that night at all?

Julie Ladd: I told her we would trick-or-treat up to the house where she was around ten just to visit. The Krasinski's weren't going to be home until midnight so hanging out that night was out of the question.

Detective Hunt: Okay. So she left your house just before five, what happened then?

Julie Ladd: Lauren came over my house at around 5:15 and we started getting ready, the boys came at 6 and we all went out. At around seven thirty we were eating at Rick's Diner and the subject of crushes came up. The boys were teasing us, telling us James liked someone we knew. Finally James admitted he was in love with Sara. I pretended to go to the bathroom but went to the phone and called the Krasinski's house, Sara gave me the number to call before we came over to make sure it was okay. Sara picked up.

Detective Hunt: How did she sound?

Julie Ladd: Distracted.

Detective Hunt: Distracted how exactly?

Julie Ladd: Just, not really responding to me. I told her James liked her, which was a really big deal, he was a really close friend of ours but she barely said anything. I asked if she was okay, she said she'd put both boys to bed already but she was hearing some noises. And seeing things. I asked if she was watching a scary movie she said yeah so I didn't take it that seriously, she's a fraidy-cat... So then we left the diner—

Detective Hunt: What ti—

Julie Ladd: Around eight, I wanted to go straight to see her, I told the others she was scared but they wanted to get more candy. Did you talk to Mrs. Landson?

Detective Hunt: We did, can you tell me about that? I didn't really understand.

Julie Ladd: People are gonna think I'm a freak.

Detective Hunt: It's just us here. I won't spread rumors I promise.

Julie Ladd: Well, we were at Mrs. Landson's door getting candy and I suddenly felt very strange. Like a sick feeling, like something was really wrong, and I knew it was Sara.

Detective Hunt: How did you know?

Julie Ladd: Please don't ask me that, I really don't know. I asked if I could use her phone and she let me inside. The others were confused so they just waited outside. I called the house and got a busy signal. I called a few times but it was always busy. I ran out of the house and just jogged across town to the house. I'm not sure what time I got there, maybe eight thirty.

Detective Hunt: What state did you find the house in when you arrived?

Julie Ladd: It was really dark. That whole street— it pretty much was all woods so it was dark and the streetlights were out for some reason but I saw that the front door was wide open and the feeling in my stomach got worse. I went inside, calling for her but she didn't respond. Then I heard the baby crying and ran upstairs. The boy was holding the baby, they were both really scared. I asked what happened and he said the trick-or-treaters took her.

Detective Hunt: Did he explain what he meant?

Julie Ladd: No. I assumed he meant whoever was there were wearing masks.

Detective Hunt: That's what we thought too.

Julie Ladd: I think I heard her. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. I was trying to forget.

Detective Hunt: What do you mean? What did you hear?

Julie Ladd: Well, so I told the older boy to stay with the baby while I went to call for help. My friends hadn't gotten there yet. I went downstairs and picked up the phone but there was no dial tone. When I put the phone down, I heard something outside. Like someone screaming from far away. I went out and stood by the door, all I could see were the tops of the trees because the sky was cloudy and lit up by the town lights but everything else was pitch her black. I listened and heard it again. I think they were killing her.