At 3:00 a.m. on April 4, 1961 in a small room of the Kern County Sheriff’s Department substation in Mojave, California, Spade Cooley was interviewed by Harman Cooper, a Kern County Sheriff’s Department detective. Also present was Sergeant Thomas Shuell. The statement lasted for one hour or until 4:10 a.m.

While the interrogation was under way, a team including representatives of the District Attorney, Coroner’s and Sheriff’s offices was combing the Cooley ranch. At the conclusion of the interrogation and search, Cooley was booked on suspicion of murdering Ella Mae.

This recording has been sped up for time, nothing has been removed from the original reel-to-reel recording.

Spade Cooley Interrogation Tape - April 4, 1961

BakersfieldCali