Paul’s Interview

INTERVIEW WITH PAUL KOVACICH

PCSO Inspector JOHNNIE SMITH & 

APD Detective DAN BOON 

• Before the interview started, Paul complained that Chief Willick and PCSO Deputy Dave Milam had conducted an improper interview with Kristi at her school by taking her out of her 2nd grade class, and making her believe she was in trouble with the police. Kristi thought that they were blaming her for her mother being gone. 

• Paul noted that the children had been traumatized by the sudden disappearance of Janet, and that for any future interviews, there should be a child psychologist present. Kristi and John were interviewed numerous times between 1982-85 and both stated they were unaware of any fights between their parents, and that Paul had not kicked or beaten Fuzz during the garbage incident 7-10 days before the dog died. 

• Paul’s interview covered the history of conflict with the Gregoire family with whom he and Janet had little contact over the years. Paul stated that the only “kicking” of Fuzz was the accepted practice of correction with the side of the foot on the dog’s shoulder. Fuzz was not a family pet, but a working police K-9 officer trained to bring down suspects—he had to follow his handler or a citizen could get injured or killed. 

• Paul repeated that he had not taken Janet’s discussion of divorce seriously because she seemed upset about her surgery and her parent’s marriage more than anything else that morning. He blamed Jean for making Janet feel bad about herself, and said that he didn't take it personally. 

• Paul said that he felt certain that the only way Janet could have left voluntarily was with her mother’s assistance because there was no money missing from their accounts, and someone must have given her a ride from the house. He said that Jean hated him enough to let him worry about Janet’s safety, but he didn’t think Janet would do that to the children. 

• Paul and the children hadn’t seen the broken window because the damage was down in the bottom corner of a large dining room sliding section covered by the screen from the outside, and with blinds that were rarely open on the inside (the window’s “view” was the concrete retaining wall). Paul had no idea that the CalDOJ team had minimized or erased it from their reports, and that Auburn PD and PCSO investigators were not looking for the man who had pried the window, hidden it, and taken Janet and her purse—they were solely focused on making a case against Paul.