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#83-04274
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INTERVIEW MADE ON 1/ftMAY 1983, 0900 HOURS
WITH JAMES SNUKA RElMEATH OF
NANCY ARGEOTINO
Present at George Washington Motel were: Lt. A. H. Fritzinger, Det. G. P. Procanvn
and Det. V. C. Geiger (IN ROOM 427)

We

here to Allentown. It was early in the morning, around 4 or 5

o'clock In the morning. It was Tuesday morning that we got here. We came from
Connecticut, which is my home town. She lived with me.
On the way here, we stopped on the side of the road to use the bathroom.
She was desperate to use the bathrdai .so she went a little into the bushes and
squatted.. In the meantime there were a lot of trucks coming by. So I said to
hurry up and she jumped across the grass onto the?road. And then she slipped and
fell backwards and hit her head. Right on the concrete on the side of the road,
she just slipped backwards. I'm pretty sure this happened on Rte. 22 coming down.
We were already in Pennsylvania.
She had a real bad concussion. When I saw that I just picked her up
and slapped her across the face to get her to come to again. I had to pick her up,
she was unconsious. This happened early in the morning about 4:30 or 5 o'clock.
It was not quite light yet. We drove right here. And when we got here, she said
she was having a little pain in the head and I told her to come and lay down.
I ran up to the diner to try and get her something to eat because she was
hungry. She didn't want to go out, so I told her I would run out and get the food
for her.

But she never ate, she just wanted to lay down and sleep.
That was yesterday morning and we overslept and I had to get up, and she

was breathing normally and everything and I had to rush to go to work because I was
late already getting to the TV station. So I got up, got ready and kissed her and
said "I'll see you later, honey. I'll be right back as soon as I get done."
I had to go to work at the Fairgrounds. I wrestled last night. I got to the Fair­
grounds about quarter after one or twenty after, in the afternoon. I left here about
one o'clock. I drove myself, usually it's only me and her. We gp around together
to all these places.

 frOJ-U^/4

U^iLKVifcW WllM J/WUUJ

RE? 11 May 1983 DEATH Jj NANCY ARGENTIND

I left the Fairgrounds afn, 6 o'clock

Page

I came back here and looked at

her, and she just looked like she was sleeping. Breathing and everything. So I
got a towel, soaked it In the ice and put it over her head, stie was nuc up, she
was laying down in bed. She did not couplain. She just had a big lunp on her
head - it was swelled. There was no blood. She had marks on her back fran me
trying to help her when she fell. So right from there, I thought maybe she was so
tired.

Just laying there and breathing. So I had to gp back to work on TV new.

This was about ten minutes to eight hen I left to go because I was on the second
tape. She was okay when I left her, she was laying down and I kept putting the
towel on her head and she just kept mumbling around. She didn't talk to me. She
just munbled so I kept wetting the tcwel and putting it on her head. (QUESTION - Did
you ask her if she wanted a doctor?) Well, she vasn' t/ln§$ering me so I just looked
at her and said, well, she's resting there. So I said I have to go to work and I'll
be right back. I was in a hurry all the time. So when I was at work, I tried to
call her and I figured she was tired because we got in late that morning. So when I
got back, after I got down with ny taping, I just stayed here for a little bit and I
just kept watching tier and I said, Man, something's wrong. Let me see when this was.
The first tape starts at 7 o'clock and ends at 8. The second one starts at eight,
let me see, I must have went down about, I'd say about IP to nine, somewhere around
there. It's an hour tape so I got done about 9 o'clock. When I got done, I came
straight back and I didn't even shower or anything.

I came back to check up on her.

As soon as I got back here, I wet the tcwel and put it back on her head. Finally I
just kept looking at her and trying to talk to hex and she didn't even respond like
when I left. So I thought, ny God, I better try to call a doctor right away. Right
away, I just went out of my mind. I didn't know what to do with her, I called the
front desk. I told them ay girl is having a hard time breathing, just seems like she

 •INIERVIEW WITH JAMES SNUKAh.
RE: 11 MAY 1983 DEATH dlPlANCY ARGENTINO
*■

#83-04274-.
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i

can't even breathe at all, whatever you do, please hurry up.
Finally they came by and starting putting things' to her throat and
trying to -

A couple times there 1 got so scared, I thought she was loosing her

breath so I was trying to push on her, but she was still breathing and stuff. She
didn't talk to me. She just made mumbling noise, like she was in pain.
(LET'S GO BACK TO WHEN YOU STOPPED TO RELIEVE YOURSELF ALONG THE HIGHWAY,
AND YOU STATE THAT SHE FELL DOWN OR SLIPPED, WHEN YOU.-PICKED HER UP, DID SHE TALK TO
YOU?) Yes.

(WHAT DID SHE SAY?) When I woke her up, I picked her up and said, "Are

you okay, honey?" She said, "Yeah, but it's just my head, tiy btmp."
She sat in the passenger side of try cat (Lincoln), and after we stopped,
she talked to me on the Way here. Just talking about her head and stuff, if she's
okay. She said she'd like to lay down.

I said okay, honey, just let me know hew

to get down to this hotel right here and she said just follow 22 afid get off the
exit when you see it. 17 or 27, whatever it is. So I said, okay, just lay down.
So she lay down on my lap and we drove to the office and I got out to go and get the
key and stuff and she just laid down there. $o we came straight to the room, laid
her down and everything. I helped her take her clothing off. I put on a sweater for
her and stuff. I talked to her at that time and she just said she was tired. And
that's when I went to get something to eat becAuSe all the time before she was talking
about that she was hungry. First, when we were in Connecticut she wanted to eat some
egg roll. I said we'll try to get something on the way down. But we didn't get any­
thing and we Vere hungry, because we were trying to get here. So, finally I told her,
you just stay here and I'll run Up-to the diner and g)et sane food and stuff. Came
back and she just —

(HGW MUCH TIME ELAPSED FROPT T O TIME YOU STOPPED UNTIL YOU GOT

HERE?) About a good 45 minutes from wherever ye were at until we got here. It was
about 5:30 of quarter to six when we checked ih here. When we stoppetj along the road,
it was between 4:30 and 5. We were already in Pennsylvania, already througjh the tfoll

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INTERVIEW WITH JAMES StwkA
#83-04274
RE: 11 May 1983 DEATH. OF 1IANCY ARGENTINO

booth, we were already on this side.
(JIM, AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO SAID THAI: WE INTERVIEWED THE PEOPLE AT
THE HOSPITAL, THE CORONER, AND ONE OF OUR OFFICERS INTERVIEWED YOU THIS MORNING
HERE AT THE MOTEL, THE DETECTIVE'S GOING TO READ YOU STATEMENTS OF WHAT THESE
PEOPLE SAID.)
Two young girls were interviewed this morning. They were on duty in the emergency
room when the victim was transported to the hospital by the Whitehall Emergency Squad.
F-3 just stood in one stop and stared at the victim. F-2 asked for some information
on the victim. F2 and F3 stated they came into town late last night, very tired,
stated they got into an argument. He stated he pushed her and she fell back and hit
her head. This was stated when he first entered the emergency room.
(DO YOU REMEMBER SAYING THAT, JIM? NOW LET ME READ IT AGAIN. YOU STATED:
That they got into an argument. She fell back and hit her head. You pushed her.
You stated this to the officer when you first walked into the emergency room.
They got that wrong, that's not right. This is when we came here> I'm
helping her. When we were here in the roan, she was starting to feel a lot better
but - so then we got to playing around and I said, let me help you. Let me undress
your clothes for you, honey. And then we started pushing around here then, you know.
But this is not the thing that —

(WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY PUSHING AROUND?)

This is when we were coming into town, talking to each other and she got tired finally.
What I'm talking about —

When we used the bathroom, is when she fell down.

(I UNDERSTAND THAT BUT IT SAYS HERE: That you said you were both very ttfed and you

/

got into an argument. NOW WHILE WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO YOU HERE, JUMY, YOU HAVEN'T
MENTIONED ANYTHING ABOUT AN ARGUMENT. YOU TOLD OUR OFFICER THAT YOU GOT INTO AN
ARGUMENT.)
Ch, the argument, that's nothing, That was just nothing to be really serious.
(WHAT WAS THE ARGUMENT ABOUT, JIM?) There was nothing, nothing at all. Like I said
caning down,
When we got here, she was hurting and she laid down. We came inside here and I helped

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overview with james snJH

RE: 11 MAY 1983 DEATH OF NANCY ARGENITNO

#83-04274

her out and I said, "Come on, honey, lay down here and let me get you some towel
on your head and stuff." So sh*» said, you know, I'm just a little tired and I'm
still hungry. So that's when I helped her. I staid her up which was right here
I brought her to lay down and that's when she fell down, and knocKed the side of
her head right on the

chair. That's what I was trying to explain to chan, you see.

But the oushkigs, I'm tryingto tell them that every time we'll having fun together,
like pushing and wrestling around but, like the time I helped her right here
then she was like in a daze, so she just fell down and collapsed. Then I picked
her up and put her here.

( J3M4Y, YOU SEE HCW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT YOU TELL US

EVERY DETAIL THAT HAPPENED. SEE, NOW YOU LEFT THAT OUT. NOW WE HAVE TO GO BACK
OVER IT. TRY AND REMEMBER EVERY DETAIL WHAT HAPPENED. JIM4Y, IF YOU WERE POOLING
AROUND WITH HER, LIKE YOU bAY "HQRSE PLAY" r YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN BY HORSE PLAY,
IF YOU WERE POOLING AROUND and SOMETHING HAPPENED, THAT'S AN ACCIDENT. JUST TELL US.)
Yeah, okay,

but wewasn't foolingaround or anything. (WELL, YOU BROUGHT

THAT UP-SCMETHING ABOUT— ) No, I'm talking about, like if we'd be playing around and
stuff, but the pushing back and forth is What I was explaining to the cop that was
here. That we'd push around and play around every time and then, but I just could not
™hen

believe, why dia it have to be, just/we were on the road, and stuff, and she slips and
falls down. (DID YOU TELL THE OFFICER THAT SHE FELL ON THE ROAD?) Yes, I did. (DO
YOU REMEMBER TAIKENG TO A YOUNG MAN THAT WAS A DEPUTY CORONER?) A deputy - all I
know is just the policeman that was here.

(AT THE HOSPITAL, DID YOU TALK TO A

CORONER?) I don't remember, I just remember talking to the ladies. (DID YOU TFT.T. THE
LADIES, THE NURSES AT THE HOSPITAL, THAT SHE FELL ON THE GROUND? Yes.

(WHAT TYPE OF -

WHEN SHE FELL ON THIS HIGHWAY, WAS IT ON THE HIGHWAY OR OFF THE HIGHWAY?) We were just
jinping off the grass.

(DID SHE FAIL ON THE GRASS?) No, because vdien she jumped onto

the grass, then she took the bmp back here,you see, sliding backwards. (WHAT EXACTLY

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TMTERVIEW WITH JAMES StMBL
RE: 11 MAY 1983 DEAlH'w NANCY SNUKA
did

#83-04274 Jgk

HER HEAD HIT? STONE? GRAVEL? CONCRETE? MACADAM? WHAT EXACTLY DID — ) She hit

her head on the concrete.

(ON THE CONCRETE? THEN IT WAS ACTUALLY ON THE HIGHWAY?)

Yes. (WHEN SHE FELL BACK, SHE HIT HER HEAD ON THE HIGHWAY?) Yeah, just where we
parked on the side, because we went into the bushes so she could use the bathroom
and I told her to hurry up because here comes some trucks and stuff, so she cones
running and then junps across, right onto the concrete and sliding, because there
were rocks and stuff like that. (WAS SHE WALKING TOWARDS THE CAR?) Yes, she was
coming towards the car that way. (WHERE EXACTLY DID YOU PARK THE CAR, OFF THE HIGHWAY?)
Yes, right ontothe side, like we walked just a little in front, so then to, walk
across , to come back onto the road, but with the bushes there, that where we jumped
across there. I'm waiting for her.

(BUT WHERE YOU WENT TO RELIEVE YOURSELF AND HER,

YOU CAR IS NOW PARKED OFF THE HIGHWAY?) Yes (FACING WEST, COMING TOWARDS ALLENTOWN?)
Yes

(THEN YOU WENT TO THE RIGHT.OF THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR TO RELIEVE YOURSELVES?)

Right, she went ahead to the bushes, I was just on the side.

(NOW WHEN SHE CAME BACK TO

THE CAR, IS THIS WHEN SHE FELL?) Right,, before that, before $he junped onto the road
before she started walking, that when she fell and I bdok off after her. ( OKAY, BUT I'M
MIXED UP ABOUT SOMETHING HERE - IF YOU PULLED INTO THE RIGHT,

I WANT TO SHOW

YOU WHAT I MEAN, IF YOU'RE DRIVING THIS WAY, YOU PULL YOUR CAR OVER, YOU GOT TO BE ON
GRAVEL, NO CONCRETE. IT'S GRAVEL. HERE'S THE HIGHWAY. NCW SHE GOT OUT ON THIS SIDE,
YOU GOT OUT ON YOUR SIDE, YOU WALKED IN FRONT OF THE CAR AND INTO THE BUSHES?) I
opened up the door for her and she went towards the bushes. (NOW WHEN SHE CAME BACK,
WHY WCWB SHE FALL ON THE HIGHWAY? WAS SHE GOING TO DRIVE THE.CAR?) No, fche was
jumping across from the grass on to the concrete or whatever you call it, and when she
jumped over * - she just slipped. And then fell down and hit her head and that's
when r took off after her.

(IT'S VERY IMPORTANT NOW THAT YOU TELL US, WHAT HER HEAD HIT?

WAS IT GRASS? WAS IT GRAVEL? WAS IT STONE?) She hit her head on the concrete, right
on the concrete. (BUT IF SHE'S WALKING TOWARDS THE CAR* AND YOU SAY SHE FELL BACK,
NOT FORWARD, THEN HOW GOULD SHE FALL ON THE HIGHWAY? SHE'D HAVE TO FALL ON THE DIET.)

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INIERVIEW WITH JAMES SU M
#83-04274
RE: 11 MAY 1983 DEAEPDF NANCY ARGENITNO

Okay, Here's what we - when we pulled outside from the road, okay, may believe this
is die road, right here's the line where you cane over to the side, so we pulled
right here. So I got out and cane and helped her open the door and she goes across
and goes into the bushes here. And I just stand here. When she's done, she just
comes jumping across again over the grass, coming off of the road again, so that's
when she's slips, right from there and hits the back of her head.

(SO SHE ACTUALLY

WASN'T ON THE HIGHWAY THEN.) No, not right on the highway, just on the side where
the car was parked —

so that's when I went and junped and was 'tapping her around

to bring her back to. I didn't knew what to do then.

(WHERE YOU STOPPED TO GO TO

THE BATHROOM, WAS THERE A STEEL MEDIAL BARRIER GOING DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY
OR WAS THERE CONCRETE THAT SEPARATED THE EAST AND WEST BOUND LANES?) Yes, there
was concrete on the other side too. (NOW LISTEN, YOU KNOW WHAT A MEDIAL BARRIER IS?
ACROSS
THE BARRIER THAT SEPARATES SO THAT YOU CAN'T DRIVE/INK) ON COMING TRAFFIC?) Oh, yeah
(WHAT WAS THE BARRIER MADE OF? WAS IT CONCRETE OR WAS IT STEEL?) I think steel.
CAT THAT POINT WHERE YOU STOPPED?) I'm pretty sure it was steel. (WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO
FIND THE LOCATION WHERE YOU STOPPED TO RELIEVE YOURSELF?) I don't think I could
remember because I don't even knew my way until, just only her and me goes around,
she shows me all the places for me, because I can't even (JUMY, DOES SHE HAVE HER
IDENTIFICATION HERE?) Yes.

COOULD WE GET HER FULL NAME AND ADDRESS? DOES SHE HAVE A

DRIVER'S LICENSE?) This is the address, hone address.
Almost a year now, you know.

(WERE YOU WITH HER A DONG TIME?)

(NANCY LORRAINE ARGENTINO, THE ADDRESS ON THE DRIVER'S

LICENSE IS A FLORIDA DRIVER'S LICENSE, 4191 Northwest 72 Terrace, IAUDERHILL, FLORIDA,
33319, DATE OF BIRTH APPEARS TO BE 03/30/60. THE INTERVIEWEE STATES HER NEW ADDRESS
IS 878 EAST 27th STREET, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, 11210. JIMMY, WHAT IS YOUR FULL NAME, FOR
THE RECORD?

JAMES S.? WHAT DOES THE S STAND FOR?) Smith. (YOUR MIDDLE NAME IS SMITH?)

Yeah. (NJ W, YOU HAVE JAMES W. WHAT IS YOUR MIDDLE NAME? OKAY, THE INIERVIEHEE'S
NAME IS JAMES W. SNUKA. WHAT'S YOUR DATE OF BIRTH?)

May 18, 1943.

(AND THE ADDRESS

 #83-04274
INTERVIEW WITH JAMES SNUKA
RE: 11 MAY 1983 DEAT F NANCY ARGENTINO

Page 8

THAT YOU ARE USING IS: 185 WASHINGTON AVENUE, HAMPTON, CONNECTICUT. HOW OLD WAS
SHE?) 23. (THE DATE OF BIRTH ON THE DRIVER'S LICENSE IS 03/30/60, LOWER RIGHT
HAND OORNER. JIM, ARE YOU SURE THAT YOU WERE IN THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA? ARE
YOUR POSITIVE? WHEN SHE FELL AND HIT HER HEAD ALLEGEDLY.) I'm pretty sure but
I don't really know my way around. But I'm pretty sure we were pretty close by
caning here.

(WELL, THE REASON THAT I'M GOING BACK TO THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE SAYING

THAT IT TOOK 45 MINUTES TO GET PROM WHERE YOU STOPPED TO RELIEVE YOURSELF TO
DIRECTLY HERE. 45 MINUTES IS .VN AWFULLY LONG TIME TO GO TO EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA
WHICH IS THE STATE LINE. EASTON AND PHUJIPSBURG, NEW JERSEY. THAT'S WHY I'M
ASKING YOU IF , IN FACT THAT YOU REMEMBER, DID THIS OCCUR AFTER YOU PAID A TOLL.
YOU EITHER HAD TO PAY A MAN PHYSICALLY, YOU MAY HAVE GIVEN HIM A QUARTER, YOU MAY
HAVE GIVEN HIM A DOLLAR, OR YOU MAY HAVE HAD TO THROW 15 CENTS INK) A BASKET AND
THEN THE GREEN LIGHT GOES ON AND THEN YOU CAN DRIVE THRU A TURN STILE. DO YOU
REMEMBER DOING THAI? YOU HAD TO GOME THROUGH THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, JIM.)
Yes, we did come through New Jersey side, but I just can't remember which toll that
we are talking about here,

(HOW MANY TOLLS DID YOU PAY AFTER YOU LEFT CONNECTICUT?

DID YOU COME DOWN 84? DID YOU GCME INK) NEW YORK? OR NEW JERSEY?) Yeah, see I don't
know how she took us because she takes us around all different kinds of ways. I don't
even know my way around the place anyway but, so it's so hard for me to say something
if I don't even know.

(WAS IT ALL MAJOR HIGHWAYS COMING IN?) Yes.

(WHERE YOU ON

A TWO LANE HIGHWAY FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME?) Not until we was coming here. Most we
were just on highways coming down.
OKAY, JIM. YOU TOLD US WHEN I WAS TURNING THE TAPE OVER THAT YOU MADE
NOTIFICATION TO HER PARENTS IN NEW YORK, IS THAT WHERE THEY ARE - IN NEW YORK?)
Yes, in Brooklyn.

(DO YOU HAVE A PHONE NUMBER FOR THEM? It's 212 area code, the

number is 338-3431. (THE MOTHER OR THE FATHER'S LAST NAME - IS IT THE SAME.AS HER
LAST NAME? )
11 months now.

Argentina, yes.

(HOW LONG DO YOU KNOW THIS GIRL? Oh, going on about

(DID YOU MEET HER AT A WRESTLING MATCH OR DID YOU KNOW HER FROM NEW

YORK OR CONNECTICUT?) I met her at the wrestling matches, yes.

(DID SHE WORK THERE

 INTERVIEW WITH JAMES SNUKA
RE: 11 MAY 1983
NANCY ARGENTINO

#83-04274

Page 9

OR WAS SHE A FAN OF YOURS?) She just cane by with some friends. (WHERE ARE YOU
FROM ORIGINALLY?) The Fiji Islands. (ARE YOU A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES?)
No.

(HOW LONG ARE YOU IN THE COUNTRY?) About a year, maybe a little over, 14

months I guess.
card.

(ARE YOU TRAVELING ON A VISA? A PASSPORT?) No,I have a green

(A GREEN CARD. COULD YOU SBCW IT TO US? WHILE YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THAT,

WHERE IS YOUR NEXT ENGAGEMENT? WHERE ARE YOU GUYS GOING FROM ALLENTOWN?)
We are going rj-ght up into the next TV town, up in - - (READING?) Harrisburg?
or whatever it is. (DO YOU HAVE A SCHEDULE THAT YOU CARRY? COULD I SEE IT?)
This is yesterday. So we know exactly where to go.

(THIS SAYS TV? THAT DOESN'T

TELL US ANYTHING. WHAT'S THIS OFFICE NUMBER DOWN HERE, JIM? IT SAYS BOOKINGS
APRIL 25 THROUGH MAY 15. WHAT DO THEY CALL YOU "SUPERFLY"?) Yeah.

(ALL RIGHT,

WHO'S OFFICE NUMBER IS THIS? 617 AREA CODE -) That's the wrestling coach's.
(AREA CODE 617-394-9824, THAT'S UNTIL 6PM. AND THERE’S ANOTHER NUMBER HERE, AREA
CODE 617-775-3740. THAT'S THE EMERGENCY NUMBER. IT STATES HERE THAT TV - TV THEN YOU ARE GOING TO LYNNHURST, LONG ISLAND: THEN YOU ARE GOING TO PITTSBURGH,
PA.: THEN YOU ARE GOING TO BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: THEN YOU'RE GOING TO GLEN FALLS,
NEW YORK. IT SAYS HERE THAT YOU LEFT

NEWLYTON, CONNECTICUT. WHEN WE ASKED YOU

EARLIER IF YOU LEFT FRCM HOME, YOU SAID YES. IS THIS TOWN CLOSE TO WHERE YOU LIVE?)
Yes. (HOW MANY MULES APART?) Let me see, about 15. (YOU WERE AT THE NEWLYTON,
CONNECTICUT HIGH SCHOOL?) Yes. (JBMY, DID YOU EVER HAVE ANY ARGUMENTS OR FIGHTS
WITH YOUR GIRL FRIEND ?)

No. Just like I said, when we play around, we push each

other around, and just mess around with each other.

(DID YOU EVER HAVE ANY

ALTERCATIONS WITH THE POLICE WHILE YOU WERE IN THIS COUNTRY?)

Just when we was up

in - what's the name of that town up there? (IS IT ON THAT SCHEDULE?) No, this
is quite a few months back.

(WHAT HAPPENED?) We'd just been playing around, like

I say, wrestling around and stuff, this happened that an old man and woman came up
in the office, got a little excited, because we were making a lot of noise, and then
he called down the cop on us and stuff like that. Took me down and arrest me for
nothing at all. They thought maybe trying to kill somebody or whatever.

(WHERE YOU

 INTERVIEW WITH

owuna

RE: 11 MAY 1983 DEATH-~ NANCY ARGENTINO

#83-04274

ARRESTED?) Yeah, the cops just came and —
about nine of than.

Page 10

(HOW MANY COPS?) Oh gee, there was

(DID YOU GIVE THEM A HARD TIME?) No. (HCW CCME IT TOOK NINE

COPS?) I don't knew, just because; I'm a wrestler. So when the squad just came, they
all busted in on me.

(JIM, ON THIS RESIDENT ALIEN CARD THAT HAS YOUR PICTURE ON,
WITH THE LAST NAME
IT SAYS JAMES WILEY SMITH/REIHER, WHO'S THAT?) That's my family name. (THAI'S YOUR

FAMILY NAME, SO YOUR TRUE NAME IS THEN IS JAMES WILEY SMITH EEIHER. THEN WHY DO YOU
GO UNDER THE NAME OF "SNUKA"?) That the name that I have been recognized here. If
I had given them this, they wouldn't even knew exactly - - (IN OTHER WORDS, THAT'S
YOUR WRESTLING NAME?) Yes. The native name is Snuka.

(YOUR NATIVE NAME? IN OTHER

WORDS, FROM THE FUI ISLANDS ARE YOU TELLING ME YOU CAN USE YOUR MOTHER'S MAIDEN
NAME OR YOUR FATHER'S SIRE NAME, IS THAT BASICALLY WHAT YOU ARE SAYING? BECAUSE WE'RE
TALKING JAMES WILEY SMITH — ) That's the whole name there. This name "Snuka" is just
a native name.

(YOU MADE IT UP? IT'S A NICK NAME.) No, it's a name that's been given

to me. (NO, SUPERFLY lS HIS NICK NAME. ALRIGHT. IT SAYS HERE YOU WERE BORN 05/18/43?)
Yes. ( YOUR ALIEN NUMBER IS A A14127834.) (OK, JIM, GO BACK TO WHEN YOU SAY SHE FELL,
AND HIT THIS CHAIR. WHEN WAS THIS? WHEN YOU FIRST BROUGHT HER IN?) No, this was
after a little while, while I was bringing her to lay down,you knew, so she was leaning
on me, so I said "Hang on, let me move another blanket over. And finally she just
fell down backwards. By the time I turned around, she just was, down she goes. Just
around here some place. L just turned around and I heard was a bang. And I looked
and I just wanted to grab her again but--

(JIM, HCW MUCH DO YOU WEIGH?) Right

now I weigh.about .225 - 230. (AND HCW TALL ARE YOU?) 6 Even. (SIX FOOT EVEN. DON'T
LOSE THE ALIEN CARD. HCW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO STAY HERE IN WHITEHALL, THAT'S ACTUALLY
WHERE YOU ARE, IN WHITEHALL?)
Station.

We stay here until tonight. Tonight I go to the TV

(AT THE FAIRGROUNDS?) Not this one. We go up to Hanfturg, whatever it is,

and yeah, Reading. The next tewn out is about thirty miles away, twenty-five or
thirty.

(BUT YOU ARE .GOING TO STAY HERE?) Yes. (YOU ARE GOING TO SLEEP HERE TONIGHT?!

Yeah. I ---right in the next tewn, right the next day. You knew, up in Long Island,

 Page 11

~RE:" 11 MAY 1983 DEAfflOF NANCY ARGENTINO

we use to jvst stay over and we were planning on driving ri$it to there. Since
she knows where to go around, we were use going to go right to, stay in Long
Island there, and then I was going to fly out and go to Pittsburgh. Cane back and
then she picks me up there again. ( BUT TONIGHT, IN OTHER WORDS, TODAY - TODAY, OK?
TODAY IS MAY 11TH. IF I WANT TO TALK TO YOU AT FIVE O'CLOCK THIS EVENING, WHERE
WOULD I FIND YOU AT FIVE O'CLOCK THIS EVENING? IF I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU.) I'd
be at the TV station.

(YOU'D BE AT THE TV STATION. WHAT TIME ARE YOU GOING TO BE

BACK IN THE ROCM HERE AFTER YOU WRESTLE IN HAMBURG?) It all depends on what time
I get off and get out of there. Sometimes I be on the first or second tape, or I
might be on the whole three tapes. By the time we get back here, it will be about
11:30 or 12 o'clock. (DO YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE AT HAMBURG TONIGHT OR
READING?) We are going to be coming on our way bade this way.. So we usually stay
here all the tine.

(YEAH, BUT DO YOU KNOW ACTUALLY WHAT TOWN YOU ARE GOING TO BE

IN TONIGHT?) Well, when we get done, I'll be right here. (WHERE YOU WRESTLE TONIGHT,
DID YOU EVER. WRESTLE THERE BEFORE?) Oh, yeah. Many times. (IS THAT IN READING? OR
HAMBURG?) Hamburg. Right. At the fairgrounds there. They got a fairgrounds there,
you know. That's where we make our TV tapes.

(IN HAMBURG- I DON'T THINK HAMBURG'S

HAS A FAIRGROUNDS. READING - READING DOES. DO YOU STAY RIGHT ON 22 WHEN YOU GO
OUT THERE?) 22, going west and I think it's about 20 miles, 20 to 30 miles, away
fran here where we, but it's at a fairgrounds, like way out there. I knew how to
get there but I can't just remember exactly where to tell you how to go and stuff.
I know how to get there but - - (SO YOU ACTUALLY WILL BE AT HAMBURG TONIGHT?) Yes.
That's what we are planning, usually we come by and stay here and that5'what we were
planning, to drive right down to the next town tomorrow.
JIM? IS THAT HOW THIS WRESTLING THING GOES?) Yes.

(DO YOU WORK WITH A FRCMDTER,

(IS HE HERE AT THE MOIEL TODAY?)

He's probably at the TV, you know. Vince McMahon. (VINCE McMAHON- THE ANNOUNCER? THE
YOUNG GUY?) Yeah, that's the son. The father's usually there too. (IS THE GUY THAI
WEARS THE TURBAN AND SCREAMS AND HOLLARS AROUND, IS HE AT THE MOTEL TODAY? WHATEVER
HIS NAME IS.) Most of the guys stay here and some of them stay up in the other side.

 Page 12
INTERVIEW WITH JAMES SfflA
#83-04274
RE: 11 MAY 1983 DEATH GF NANCY ARGENITNO
like today for instance, making TV up there. (ARE THESE GUYS AIL FRIENDS OF YOURS
IN REALITY, AND YOU JUST GO AND DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IN THE RING OR DON'T YOU
SOCALIZE WITH THESE PEOPLE?) No, I'm usually just with my girl or - (BY YOURSELF?)
Yeah, we travel along together--

(ARE NANCY'S PARENTS OOMING IN TO CLAIM THE

BODY?) (I don't really know . I'm suppose to be calling them back up today. But
as far as I know, the father called up sometimes this morning and said that they
were going to deliver the body over there, back to Brooklyn.
YOU THIS MDRNING?) Yes.

(DID THE FATHER CALL

(WHAT TIME?) uh (WAS IT BEFORE WE GOT HERE?) Yes.

(ABOUT 7 or 8 O'CLOCK?) Yeah, right in between there , somewhere in there, because
when I was at the hospital, I gave than the nunber where I was staying at, in case
they wanted to know some information and stuff.
Oh, yes, I know them.

(DID YOU EVER MEET HER PARENTS?)

(OKAY. JIM, YOU'VE BEEN ADVISED OF YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL

RIGHTS. OKAY? DO YOU KNOW WHAT CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS MEAN? IF YOU DON'T KNCW, I
WANT TO EXPLAIN THEM, OKAY? SO THAT YOU UNDERSTAND. I REALIZE THAT YOU ARE NOT A
CITIZEN. IID LIKE TO EXPLAIN THEM TO YOU. YOU HAVE AN ABSOLUTE RIGHT TO REMAIN
SILENT. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS? DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS WHEN I SAY TO
YOU, YOU HAVE AN ABSOLUTE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT?) Meaning as what? (MEANS THAT
YOU CAN SIT HERE AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO TALC TO US, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO TALK TO US.)
Oh, oh, I see.

(YOU CAN REMAIN SILENT. YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?) Yes.

(OKAY. DO YOU

REALIZE THAT ANYTHING YOU SAY, CAN AND WOULD BE, USED AGAINST YOU IN A COURT OF LAW?
DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS? Yes.

(OKAY. NOW, BEARING THAT IN MIND, DO YOU

WANT TO TALK TO AN ATTORNEY OR HAVE AN ATTORNEY HERE WITH YOU DURING YOUR QUESTIONING?)
Well, you know, it would be nice if I could get to talk to my boss and them. (YOUR BOSS?)
Yeah, Vince McMahon.

(I'M ASKING YOU IF YOU WANT AN ATTORNEY TO BE HERE.) If it's -

(DO YOU WANT TO TALC TO VINCE MMAHON, BECAUSE YOU THINK HE WOULD EXPLAIN THIS BETTER
TO YOU?) Yes, sir, because - (IS HE HERE?) I don't knew. They are probably up at the
TV by now. Theyare suppose to be there about 11 o'clock. (IN HAMBURG?) Yeah. That's

£

 INIEEWIEW WITH JAMES St
RE: 11 MAY 1983
Oh - yes.
doctor.

Page 14

#83-04274
NANCY ARGENTINO

(DO YOU REMEMBER TALKING TO THE DOCTOR?) Yes, I remember talking to the
(OKAY. DO YOU REMEMBER SAYING TO HIM THAT YOU AND NANCY WERE PUSHING EACH

OTHER AROUND AND THAT SHE FELL OUTSIDE OF THE MOTEL ROCM.) No - no - no - no. This
«

is explaining to him how we, you know, playing around with each other at time, but
I didn't tell him that we , that she fell outside here. This is one the road where
she fell.

(YEAH, BUT YOU WERE VERY EMPHATIC HERE WHEN YOU SAY THAT YOU PUSHED NANCY

AND SHE FELL STRIKING THE BACK OF HER HEAD. AND THEN YOU STATED THAT SHE LOST
CONSCIOUSNESS AND THAT YOU PICKED HER UP BY THE ARMS, BY THE UPPER ARMS AND SHE CAME
TO. AND THEN YOU STATED YOU WENT INTO THE ROCM AND YOU WENT TO SLEEP. AND THEN THE
NEXT MORNING,

SEE, THE WAY THAI YOU ARE STATING THIS HERE) So many talking —

you confused me, I-don't know what you are talking about here. All I knew is just
how she fell and then - - (THAT'S WHY WE ARE HERE. WE WANT TO UNCONFUSE EVERYTHING.
RIGHT?) Yeah.

(RIGHT NOW, WE ARE CONFUSED. TODAY IS THE 12TH, AM I RIGHT? TODAY

IS THE ELEVENIH. THE ELEVENTH? OKAY. WHAT DID THE D.A. SAID?)
Det.VCG: /NO ONE'S CCMENG UP HERE. JUST CONTINUED WHAT YOU ARE DOING. HE WOULD
SUGGEST THIS: TWO THINGS - JIMMY SAYS THIS FALL HAPPENED SOMEWHERE ELSE. YOU SHOULD TAKE
HIM THERE AND TRY TO FIND OUT WHERE THIS HAPPENED. EXACTLY WHERE.)
Lt.AHF:

(WE ASKED HIM WHERE, AND HE DOESN'T KNOW WHERE.)

Det.VOG:

(WELL, MAYBE IN RIDING, HE WILL BE ABLE TO POINT THE PLACE OUT TO YOU. SECOND

OF ALL, WOULD BE A POLY EXAM, IF HE WOULD CONSENT TO THAT. AND IF HE'S GOING TO BE
COOPERATIVE, I'M NOT SAYING THAT HE'S NOT, BUT COOPERATIVE TO THE EFFECT THAT HE’S
GOING TO REMAIN IN THE AREA. ) For how long? (YOU GO TO READING I UNDERSTAND?)
Lt.AHF:

(TO HAMBURG.)

Det.VOG: (OH, HAMBURG.

FRCM WHERETHEN, JDMY?)

Lt. AHF: (NEW YORK.)
JIM:

Long Island, sir.

Det.VCG: (HE'S GOING TO HAVE TOMAKE ADECISION. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TALK WITH
A DECISION. WHETHER HE'S GOING TO KEEP HIMSELF AVAILABLE 'SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER OR IF
THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FILE SCME KIND OF PAPER TO HOLD HIM AROUND LOCALLY. BUT

 Tmrr
TNIERVIEW WITS JAMES SNlMg 
RF. 11 MAY 1983 DEATH WNANCY ARGENTINO

#83-0'274

Page 15

THAT'S NOT RIGHT NOW.
Lt.AHF: (THERE'S ONLY ONE DESCREPANCY HERE, JE-MY. IF YOU COULD CLEAR IT UP FOR US.)
Yes, sir.

(AND THAT IS THAT YOU STATED TO ONE DOCTOR AND TWO NURSES THE SAME STORY.

YOU TOLD THE NURSES THAT YOU CAME INTO TOWN LATE LAST NIGHT, YOU WERE BOTH VERY TIRED,
AND THAT YOU GOT INTO AN ARGUMENT AND THAT YOU PUSHED HER AND THAI SHE FELL BACK AND
HIT HER HEAD. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID WHEN YOU FIRST WENT INTO THE EMERGENCY WARD.
IN OTHER WORDS — ) No, sir, meaning, there, right there at that point, is where I
told you when she was here, trying to lean back, and I pushed her back to lean on me,
she was just leaning against the wall, before I pulled this cover over. In the mean
time, when I turned around, that's when I told you that she fell right down again and
hit her head there. You know, this is after we came back new. Trying to help her into
bed. But before all this, the most important thing is that she fell when we was using
the bathroom on the side of the road. That's the whole thing right there. (OKAY. WELL,
DO YOU REALIZE, DID ANYBODY TELL YOU YET THAT THEY ARE PERFORMING AN AUTOPSY ON NANCY.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT AN AUTOPSY IS? IT MEAN MEDICALLY THAT THE DOCTORS ARE GOING TO SEE
EXACTLY WHAT SHE DIED FRCM BY OPENING UP HEP. SKULL.) I see. (AND EXAMINE IT SCIENTIFI­
CALLY. NOW DO YOU SEE WHAT AN AUTOPSY IS?) I see what you mean, sir. (SO ONCE THE
DOCTORS TELL US WHAT THEY FEEL, AND KNOW, WHAT SHE DIED FRCM, IF YOUR STORY MATCHES THEIR
STORY, THEN THERE'S NO PROBLEM. BUT IF IT'S SOMETHING ELSE, THEN YOU MIGHT HAVE A
PROBLEM. I DON'T KNOW YET AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER, I’D LIKE TO CLEAR UP ONE THING,
WHY YOU STATED TO THE DOCTOR AND THE NURSES THAT SHE JELL OUTSIDE OF THE MOTEL ROOM?)
That's now right, sir. That's not right. No, because when they asked me, "Did she fall
outside there?" They were talking too fast at me and I'm probably saying yes, you
know, but the real tiling, sir, is when it happened, when we pulled on the side of the
road. This is the only time when she fell until we came in here when I was ready to
put her to bed.

(OKAY. THEN IT'S POSSIBLE THAT HE COULD HAVE SAID IT HAPPENED OUTSIDE

OF THE MDTEL. DID SHE FALL OUTSIDE? WELL, SHE ACTUALLY DID FALL OUTSIDE,- WHAT HE'S
SAYING. HE GOULD MEAN, BECAUSE HE IS NOT A CITIZEN. HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND.flPHTTO'QUITE
tO OOMUNICATE EXACTLY WHAT HE WANTS TO SAY. ARE YOU SURE YOU DIDN'T HAVE AN ARGUMENT

 INTERVIEW WITH JAMES SNUKA
RE: II MAY 1983 DEATH OF NANCY ARGENTTNO

#83-04274

LAYING THERE?) I turned around and down she goes. And I picked her up, you know.
(THEN YOU'RE STAYING THAT SHE FELL WHEN SHE WENT TO RELIEVE HERSELF, THE FIRST TIME,
BUMPED HER HEAD, AND THEN SHE FELL A SECOND TIME, INSIDE THISMOTEL ROCM.) Right
here, sir.

(HOW LONG OF A TIME AFTER YOU GOT HERE?) Just when we was coming.

(OKAY, AFTER YOU CHECKED IN. A OOUPLE OF MINUTES AFTER YOU CHECKED IN. ALL RIGHT.
OKAY. CALM DOWN. WHERE CAN WE GET A HOLD OF YOU, HOW DO WE CONTACT YOU IF WE WANT
TO TAUOTO YOU SOME MORE?) Just call the Wrestling Promotion Office, the Vince
McMahon Promotion. (YOU HAVE THAT NUMBER?) Yeah, I gave it to you.
ON THE BOTTCM OF THAT PAPER?) Yes, yes.

(THAT 617 NUMBER

(THESE NUMBERS DOWN HERE THAT I PUT ON THE

TAPE EARLIER. 617-394-9824 or 775-3740, 617. AIL RIGHT. THIS IS VINCE MCMAHON?)
Just hang on a minute, sir.

(YOU ARE SAYING VINCE MCMAHON)

Yes. (YOU HAVE A CARD

WITH VINCE'S ADDRESS ON? I've got his number, sir, where you can just call him up
where he stays in Florida there, but he's usually with us at the TV. (WELL, DID YOU
SEE HIM YESTERDAY?) No, sir. Yesterday he wasn't here.