Stoner read from a Temple City Sheriff’s report. It was dated 4/25/73. A Sheriff’s detective stated:
Robert Leroy Polete said he blacked out while watching girls at the shopping center on Durfee and Peck. He woke up back at C&R Printing, one and a half blocks east. He was sweaty. He could not recall what he had done. A woman identified Robert Leroy Polete. She told detectives he assaulted her in front of Durfee Drugs. The event occurred at 1:30 P.M., 4/23/73.
Stoner asked Inmate Polete to explain the report. Inmate Polete said the facts were wrong. He never told anybody he blacked out that day. He was never at Durfee Drugs.
Stoner read from a Sheriff’s Homicide report. It was dated 4/25/73. Deputy Hal Meyers stated:
Robert Leroy Polete said that he suffers from blackouts. He cannot recall any of the assaults that he was accused of. He snapped out of blackouts twice and found himself hurting women. He said he may have done things that he cannot recall.
Stoner asked Inmate Polete to explain the report. Inmate Polete said he never committed crimes during blackouts. The only crime he committed as a kid was that thing with the woman who stabbed him. The only crime he committed as a grown-up was that Bakersfield thing.
And:
He felt guilty about the Bakersfield thing and turned himself in at the air base.
And:
He knew why he blacked out. It was anger at his father. His father used to beat him with his fists and a belt.
And:
He was never alone when he went into blackouts.
And:
If he did cop out to some crimes, it was just to anger his parents.
Stoner did not say, “You never turned yourself in.,, He did not ask Inmate Polete how he knew what he did in blackouts. He did not challenge his “I was never alone” statement. He was letting his lies accumulate. He’d contradict them at the right moment.
Stoner asked Inmate Polete how he got along with girls and women. Inmate Polete said he got along with them fine. Stoner mentioned an old file note. It stated: Polete told a cop that fourteen girls beat him up in the seventh grade. His girl troubles started then.
Inmate Polete said he never had girl troubles. Fourteen boys beat him up–not fourteen girls.
And:
He knew why that thing happened with that woman who stabbed him. It was because his mother was contemplating suicide. He was mad at her because she wanted to leave him. He just wanted to be loved and held.
And:
He knew why that thing in Bakersfield happened. He was mad at his father. He was having marital problems on top of his thing with his dad. He wanted to prove he could still perform sexually.
Bill Stoner’s third impression of Inmate Polete:
“He had a defensive and poorly reasoned answer for everything. I couldn’t tell if he believed his lies or not. I got some details on his parole hearings before the interview. Polete never took responsibility for his Bakersfield rape and continued to state that the victim came on to him. He wasn’t smart enough to feign simple remorse in order to get out of prison.”
Stoner switched gears. He mentioned Betty Jean’s children. They grew up with no mother.
Inmate Polete started sobbing. Stoner thought they might be getting close. Walker asked Inmate Polete if he’d like to give it up.
Inmate Polete stood up. He wiped his eyes and balled his fists. He looked flat-out scary.
He yelled at Stoner and Walker. He said he didn’t kill anybody. He said the interview was over as of now.
The interview was terminated at 12:30 P.M.
Bill called me. He described the interview in significant detail. I asked him if he thought Polete killed her. He said yes. I asked him if Gary Walker agreed. He said yes.
I asked Bill what he planned to do next. He said he wanted to talk to some people and brace Polete with more information.
12/1/97:
Bill Stoner calls the Beaverton, Oregon, PD. He talks to Lieutenant Jim Byrd. Lieutenant Byrd worked Baldwin Park PD in 1973.
He remembers Robby Polete. He calls him a “choirboy rapist.” He tells Stoner that Polete admitted the entire series of assaults that he was initially accused of. Polete supplied details to substantiate his admissions. Polete said he was admitting the crimes because he did them. He tried to shift the blame to his victims. He said they all came on to him.