A: Yes. So I could do the interview. She was very excited about the interview.
Q: What happened then?
A: What do you want me to say?
Q: Whatever you wish to say. Tell me what happened after dinner.
A: I killed her. I already told that to the detectives here.
Q: Where did you kill her?
A: In my apartment. I told her I wanted to continue the interview, and I suggested that we finish it over a cognac in my apartment. She said she didn’t want a cognac — she was in training, you know, runners have a very strict training regimen — but she said if I had a Coke or something, that would be fine.
Q: What time did you get to your apartment?
A: Seven-thirty?
Q: And then what happened?
A: She was — I think she was looking at a painting I have hanging in the living room, it’s a painting of a male runner — and I came up behind her and applied a full nelson. I used to do some wrestling before I got interested in track. There’s no comparison, you know. Wrestling is a sweaty form of one-on-one combat, whereas running...
Q: You killed her by applying a full nelson?
A: Yes. To break her neck.
Q: At what time was this, Mr. Lytell?
A: A little before eight, I guess.
Q: Lieutenant Byrnes, the medical examiner’s estimate of the post mortem interval puts the time of death at approximately 7:00 P.M., doesn’t it?
A: (Byrnes) Yes, sir.
Q: Mr. Lytell, what did you do then?
A: I watched some television.
Q: You...
A: I wanted to wait till the streets got deserted. So I could carry her down to the car. The rope was already in the trunk, I’d put it in the trunk earlier that day.
Q: How long did you watch television?
A: Until about two in the morning.
Q: Then what?
A: I carried her down to the car. I checked the street from the window first, my living room faces the street. I didn’t see anybody around, so I carried her down, and put her in the front seat. She looked like she was sleeping. I mean, sitting there in the car.
Q: What did you do next?
A: I drove her up here.
Q: By up here...
A: The neighborhood up here.
Q: Why up here?
A: I didn’t pick it specifically. I was looking for a deserted place. I found this construction site with a row of abandoned buildings on the other side of the street, and I thought it would be a good place.
Q: A good place for what?
A: To hang her.
Q: Why did you hang her, Mr. Lytell?
A: It seemed a good way.
Q: A good way?
A: Yes.
Q: To do what?
A: Just a good way.
Q: Mr. Lytell... did you also kill a young woman named Nancy Annunziato?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Can you give me the details of that?
A: It was the same as the first one. I told her I was with Sports USA, I took her to dinner, I...
Q: When was this, Mr. Lytell?
A: On the night of October thirteenth. I met her for dinner at Marino’s, that’s a midtown restaurant, very nice. She lived all the way out in Calm’s Point, you see, she agreed to meet me at the restaurant. Eight o’clock. I made the reservation for eight o’clock. We did most of the interview during dinner, and then we went back to my apartment, same as the last one, same as the Schaffer girl. We talked some more — she was a big talker, Nancy — and then I... well... you know.
Q: You killed her.
A: Yes. I used a full nelson again.
Q: What time was this?
A: Ten-thirty, eleven.
Q: Lieutenant Byrnes, does that jibe with the medical examiner’s estimate?
A: (Byrnes) Yes, sir.
Q: What did you do then, Mr. Lytell?
A: Same as the other one. Took her down to the car, drove around looking for a deserted place to hang her. I didn’t want to do it up here again. I’d already tried to help the detectives up here...
Q: Help them?
A: Yes. By sending them Marcia’s handbag. I took the keys out first, though. I threw away the keys to her apartment.
Q: Why did you do that?
A: To help them.
Q: Help them with what?
A: Well, just to help them.
Q: You thought throwing away her keys would help...
A: No, no, I did that so it wouldn’t be too easy for them. What I mean was I sent them the handbag. So they could identify her, you see?
Q: Why did you want to help them?
A: Well, I just did. But they seemed... excuse me, gentlemen... they seemed to be moving very slowly on it, you know? So I didn’t want to hang Nancy’s body up here again, I figured I’d try my luck with another precinct.
Q: Lieutenant Byrnes, where was the second victim found?
A: (Byrnes) In west Riverhead, sir. The Hundred and First Precinct.
Q: Is that where you took Nancy Annunziato, Mr. Lytell?
A: I guess so. I mean, I didn’t know the number of the precinct or anything. It was in Riverhead, though, where all the burned-out buildings are. That part of Riverhead.
Q: West Riverhead.
A: I guess that’s what it’s called.
Q: Mr. Lytell, did you hang Nancy Annunziato’s body from a lamppost in West Riverhead?
A: Yes, I did.
Q: At what time was that?
A: Sometime in the middle of the night.
Q: Can you give me an approximate time?
A: Three in the morning? I guess it was around then.
Q: Lieutenant Byrnes, would you know at what time the Hundred and First Precinct received notification of discovery?
A: (Byrnes) Steve?
A: (Carella) Detective Broughan clocked the call in at 6:04 A.M.
A: (Lytell) I left her wallet under the lamppost.
Q: Why did you do that?
A: Help them out, you know. I was hoping maybe the cops there were a little smarter than the ones in this precinct — excuse me.
Q: Why did you want the cops to be smart?
A: Well, you know.
Q: No, I don’t. Can you explain that to me?
A: Help them out a little, you know?
Q: Why are you smiling, Mr. Lytell?