Stoner brings up the 3/8/73 case. Polete contends that someone else copped out.
Lieutenant Byrd says no. Another man was arrested that night–but the victim exonerated him immediately.
Stoner asks why Polete was never charged with the 3/8 crimes: Kidnap/Sodomy/Oral Copulation.
Lieutenant Byrd says the victim moved out of state. Her parents didn’t want her to testify and relive her ordeal in court.
And:
Lieutenant Byrd attended a hearing on Polete’s attempt-rape case. He observed Polete and his father outside the courtroom.
The father was dispensing advice. He told Robby to say that the woman who stabbed him came on to him first.
12/2/97:
Bill Stoner calls Roger Kaiser–Baldwin Park PD, retired. Kaiser remembers Robby Polete and his father.
Polete Senior was the treasurer of the Baldwin Park Little League. League officials accused him of embezzling league funds. The case was settled out of court. Polete Senior made restitution.
12/4/97:
Bill Stoner calls the music director for the Baldwin Park school district. The man supervised the Sierra Vista High School band in 1973.
He remembers Robby Polete. Robby was scatterbrained, undependable, and a lot of talk that never turned into action. Robby and his brother were very afraid of their father.
12/8/97:
Gary Walker calls the former pastor of the Pentecostal Church of God in El Monte. The man does not recall Robby Polete. He doubts that his daughter dated him.
Walker talks to the pastor’s wife. She recalls Robby Polete and his brother.
They went to her husband’s church. Sometimes the boys would walk. Sometimes she and her husband would give them a ride. The pastor and his wife had two girls at Sierra Vista High School then. They didn’t socialize with Robby or his brother outside of school or church. She knew that Robby was arrested back in ’73. It surprised her. He didn’t seem to be a violent boy.
Stoner ran checks on Polete’s ex-wife, parents, and brother.
The father was dead. The mother and brother were living in Oregon. He couldn’t locate Polete’s ex-wife–Vonnie Polete. He found a Bakersfield file note that surprised him.
Robert Polete and Vonnie Polete were undoubtedly divorced. Polete had remarried.
8/12/87:
A woman named Lori M. Polete writes to the Kern County courthouse. She identifies herself as Robert L. Polete’s wife. She requests a copy of his 1977 court records.
She was living in Oregon then.
Bill held off on the mother and brother. He put the wives aside.
He wanted to brace Robby first.
Thursday, 12/11/97:
THE CALIFORNIA MEN’S COLONY AT SAN Luis OBIsPo. SERGEANT BILL STONER REPRESENTING SHERIFF’S HOMICIDE. DETECTIVE GARY WALKER REPRESENTING EL MONTE PD. THE SUSPECT: INMATE ROBERT LEROY POLETE JR. PRISON #B84688.
The interview was held in a parole-hearing office. Stoner and Walker sat at the long end of a T-shaped table. Inmate Polete sat at the T end.
Bill Stoner’s first impression of Inmate Polete:
“He was scared now. But I could tell he was curious. He wanted to know what we had.”
Stoner went in calm and slow. He told Polete that they checked out his exoneration claims. They talked to two Baldwin Park detectives. Both men said his claims were untrue. The 3/8 victim moved out of state and declined to testify, No one else was arrested or charged with those crimes. Polete admitted his guilt in ’73. Both detectives said so. The 3/14 attempt rape was the most prosecutable case. The 12/16, 3/13, and 4/23 cases were not as viable. Prosecutors liked to present concise cases. He got lucky that way.
Inmate Polete said the 3/14 case was bogus. The so-called victim was bogus. He said she had a thing with one of the cops.
Stoner mentioned Inmate Polete’s alleged blackouts. Stoner said he had obtained Polete’s juvenile records and wanted to discuss some discrepancies.
Inmate Polete blew up. He balled his fists and yelled at Stoner and Walker. He said the interview was over. They had no right to look at his juvie file.
And:
He had an alibi for the night of the murder. He was at a churchfellowship thing. The whole congregation would back up his claim.
The Pentecostal Church of God was across the street from Crawford’s Market. Betty Jean Scales vanished en route to Crawford’s.