American Inn Hotel
4267 Highway 20
Buford, Georgia
Telephone: 404-932-0111
File No. 10-40143
On February 21, 1994, Marco was interviewed at the American Inn by D. Miller. Marco was advised of the nature of the interview and the identity of the interviewer and informed that the information he provided would be furnished to defense Attorney Walt Britt. Marco provided the following information:
Approximately two months ago, Marco placed the time period as between Thanksgiving and Christmas because there was a vendor selling Christmas trees on the vacant lot next door to the hotel, he found a gun lying on the ground near the dumpster in the rear of the hotel. Marco stated that gun looked as though it had been there a while because grass had grown up over the gun and there was mud almost completely covering it. Marco notified the manager on duty, Delores, who called 911. Delores told the 911 operator of the finding of the gun and was told that an officer would be dispatched. Marco picked the gun up with a stick, placed it in a clear plastic bag, and took it to the lobby of the hotel. The first officer who arrived on the scene, Marco could describe only as an older white male who was wearing a uniform and driving a marked Gwinnett County Police Department vehicle. Marco gave the gun to the officer. Shortly after, another officer arrived on the scene. Marco could describe him only as being a white male, tall, and younger than the first officer. The second officer also wore a uniform and drove a marked Gwinnett county Police car. The two officers left the lobby of the hotel and stood in the parking lot just outside the front door of the lobby. Marco stated that the officers talked between themselves for approximately ten minutes. At this time, one or the officers opened the trunk of his vehicle and removed some sort of cloth or rag. The officer then opened the clear plastic bag and dumped the gun out, picking it up with the rag, and wiping the gun clean. The officer then put the gun back in the clear plastic bag and put it in the trunk of his vehicle. The officers then left the scene. Marco described the gun as being a short-barreled revolver with a blue finish, and rusty. Marco looked in the cylinder of the revolver and noted that two of the bullets had been fired. To the best of his recollection, Marco stated that he found the gun during the day sometime between 11:30 A.M. and 1:00 P.M.
Many guests of the hotel are local people who stay one night, paying by cash and using various names, but normally need their correct last name. Marco stated that Michael Thompson stayed at the hotel this past weekend (February 19-20, 1994). Thompson paid by cash, and to the best of Marco's recollection, Thompson was alone. Marco provided the investigator with the reservation book for reservations made at the hotel from late October, 1993, to present. No known names of subjects of this investigation were observed in the reservation book. Marco was provided with the investigator's business card and was asked to telephone if he thought of any further information which could assist in this investigation.