Page 52 of Dead Air
[Reading from document]"I arrived at the warehouse at approximately 11:00 p.m. after receiving a text from Detective Landry requesting the meeting. I parked my vehicle and approached the loading dock area where I observed my partner standing alone. Before we could speak, a bright light activated, temporarily blinding me. When my vision cleared, DetectiveLandry had been shot. I did not see the shooter or identify any suspects. I immediately called for assistance while attempting to provide emergency medical aid."
LEAH:This statement formed the foundation of the official investigation. It appears straightforward – a sudden ambush leaving no opportunity to identify the attacker. But multiple evidence points contradict this account.
[Sound of shuffling papers]
LEAH:First, surveillance footage from a business across the street shows Detective Lawson's vehicle arriving at 10:47 p.m. – thirteen minutes earlier than her statement claims. The same footage shows her remaining in her car for nearly five minutes before approaching the warehouse.
LEAH:When we presented this discrepancy to forensic investigator Dr. Eliza Mercer, her assessment was troubling:
DR. MERCER:Time discrepancies often indicate memory issues or intentional falsification. A thirteen-minute difference is significant. That's ample time for additional interactions or observations not included in the statement.
[Brief pause]
LEAH:Second, Detective Lawson's statement claims she "observed Detective Landry standing alone" before the floodlight activated. This contradicts the medical examiner's report, which determined Detective Landry was shot from an elevated position, likely the second-floor window of the warehouse.
LEAH:I asked retired homicide detective Oliver Williams to review both documents:
WILLIAMS:The angle of entry described in the autopsy report is inconsistent with a shooter at ground level. The trajectory indicates the shots came from approximately fifteen feet above the victim. If Detective Landry was standing when first observed, and the shooter was in that elevated position,they would have been visible to anyone approaching from the parking lot.
[Music intensifies]
LEAH:Third, and perhaps most troubling, is what Detective Lawson's statement omits entirely. Multiple witnesses at the Driftwood Tavern confirm she consumed several whiskeys in the hours before meeting her partner—a detail never mentioned to investigators.
LEAH:Tommy Reynolds, a regular at the Driftwood, provided this account:
TOMMY:She was at the bar from early evening. Had at least four whiskeys that I saw. Checking her phone a lot. Left suddenly after getting some kind of message. Seemed upset about something.
LEAH:The bartender, who requested anonymity, corroborated this account:
BARTENDER (voice disguised):Detective Lawson was a regular. That night she drank more than usual. Four, maybe five straight whiskeys. No food. Left around 10:30, maybe 11:00. Definitely shouldn't have been driving.
LEAH:When asked if Detective Lawson appeared intoxicated, the bartender was unequivocal:
BARTENDER:Absolutely. Slurring words by the end. Unsteady when she stood up. I considered saying something about driving, but … you know … she was a cop.
[Brief pause]
LEAH:These witnesses paint a very different picture than the official narrative. Detective Lawson, potentially impaired, arrived at a remote location to meet her partner after weeks of professional tension between them.
LEAH:I contacted the lead investigator who took Detective Lawson's statement, now-retired Detective James Morton:
MORTON:Standard procedure requires sobriety assessment for officers involved in shootings or traumatic incidents. I don't recall conducting one with Detective Lawson, but it was a chaotic scene. Captain Richardson took command early, might have made that determination.
LEAH:When asked if Captain Richardson directed any unusual procedures that night, Detective Morton became noticeably uncomfortable:
MORTON:I've been retired three years. My memory isn't what it used to be. What I can say is that Captain Richardson was particularly protective of Detective Lawson throughout the investigation. Professional courtesy for an officer who'd just lost her partner.
[Music shifts]
LEAH:Fourth, Detective Lawson's statement describes attempting "emergency medical aid" after the shooting. This contradicts first responder reports documenting that Detective Landry received one gunshot wound to the chest at close range—injuries that caused catastrophic damage to her heart and lungs, resulting in death within minutes.
LEAH:Paramedic Vincent Torres, first on scene that night:
TORRES:By the time we arrived, Detective Landry had no pulse, no respiration. Detective Lawson was kneeling beside her, covered in blood, but there was no actual medical intervention happening. Just holding her. Trauma response, probably. We see it often with partners.
LEAH:Torres noted that Detective Lawson appeared disoriented and unresponsive to basic questions—consistent with both traumatic shock and potential alcohol impairment.
[Brief pause]
