48 Hours: Orbin Police Interview

Three weeks after finding Jay Orbin's dismembered body, Phoenix, Ariz., police detain his wife, Marjorie, for forging his signature at a Circuit City store. This is a transcript of excerpts of the taped interview.

SGT.: We get a call out there that there's a credit card in your husband's name, and your husband's missing. Tell me what the story is. Apparently, you've been using cards with no problem, right? At Circuit City.

MARJORIE ORBIN: I always have. During the first search warrant when there was a missing persons report. They went through and they confiscated my home and business - CPUs to our computers, so I couldn't. My husband is missing and he is not here generating income.

SGT: Uh, huh.

MARJORIE ORBIN: We both ran - he ran the business and I helped him.

MARJORIE ORBIN: They took the CPUs - and like you can see on the Circuit City account, prior to him being missing, you can see that I have, have always used it with his approval and knowledge.

SGT: Uh, huh.

MARJORIE ORBIN: I mean there are just several, several things that he just [said] "Here go get that or get or get that." I never, I mean, I know my name is not on the card, so I do know that that is, ya know, it's not my credit card. I know that. But I have used it with his prior - his knowledge and approval, ya know, for 10 years.

SGT.: So for seven years you have this account…

MARJORIE ORBIN: It has his name on it.

SGT: Has his name on it…

MARJORIE ORBIN: It says J... It says J.M. Orbin.

SGT.: OK.

MARJORIE ORBIN: And the debit card. And I just use the debit card and...

SGT: For seven years.

MARJORIE ORBIN: Um, huh.

SGT: OK.

MARJORIE ORBIN: Am I getting myself in big trouble? Saying that I -

SGT: I don't see it… if you got it in two people's names…

MARJORIE ORBIN: NO. It is not in two people's names.

SGT.: It says J.M., so that means…

MARJORIE ORBIN: No, no. His - Jay Michael Orbin.

SGT: Oh, oh. OK.

MARJORIE ORBIN: It was his account.

SGT.: I thought it was like Jay/M.

MARJORIE ORBIN: No, no. It was his account and he had me use it.

SGT.: And he knew about it of course…

MARJORIE ORBIN: Yes.

SGT: …and he was putting the money in it.

MARJORIE ORBIN: Yeah. Every week

SGT: You've used this in the past - this credit card - because the Circuit City said you've bought stuff with no problem.

MARJORIE ORBIN: I don't know why they are saying they've closed Jay's accounts.

Sgt: Uh, huh.

MARJORIE ORBIN: Everything's in Jay's name. Nothing can be in my name because if anything is in my name - the IRS problem.

SGT: They're gonna attach it.

MARJORIE ORBIN: So we just… so I put myself at risk of not being able to accumulate community property, status or rights. But I didn't care because I knew Jay wouldn't do anything against me, especially for no other reason than that child… Regardless any difficulties we may have, we both know the kid, you know, nobody would hurt each other…

SGT.: Right

MARJORIE ORBIN: …or stab each other in the back because of Noah.

MARJORIE ORBIN: But I guess it says it showed up that he's deceased.

SGT: Uh, huh.

MARJORIE ORBIN: I know Det. Barnes has been working on this missing persons thing and I'm upset with him because he brought us in to tell us he thinks they found my husband.

SGT: Uh, huh.

MARJORIE ORBIN: I'm sorry, he's still my husband in my mind… and they told his parents that they're 100 percent sure it's him.

SGT: Uh, huh.

MARJORIE ORBIN: His parents are in [their] 70s and just completely distraught and completely - they're older than their age, they're not well and they've been through hell, they're distraught… and he told them he's 100 percent sure it's him...

SGT: Uh, huh.

MARJORIE ORBIN: …before the DNA…

SGT: Uh, huh.

MARJORIE ORBIN: …before the tests, and I think that's just very irresponsible. Because his mother's just gonna die.

SGT: What do you think?

MARJORIE ORBIN: (tearing up) I don't know. I thought he'd just come walking through the door any minute. I don't know. I know I had to tell my son that when he said, "Did daddy forget about us?" An 8-year-old had to ask if his father forgot about us (crying).

MARJORIE ORBIN: I had to tell him I'm sure that something terrible has happened. I don't know what - daddy may have had an accident or some bad guys might have robbed him or somebody bad must have happened cause he would not… he would not not call you.

MARJORIE ORBIN: Whatever I have to face for the mistake of using that card, I will happily - I will face it if I could just go home with my son.

SGT: The part about Jay, too. I mean, do you know anywhere we can start? Do you have any idea where we can start finding him, look for him?

MARJORIE ORBIN: I want him back here more than anyone in this world.

MARJORIE ORBIN: To say that I don't think it's him, or I don't want to believe it. I and Noah - we have decided that we're just taking the position that he's not dead until someone proves it to us. Maybe that's denial. I don't know if that's the healthy way to do it. Unless someone proves it to me - I know… I know that something terrible must have happened. Because he wouldn't just walk away from us. He wouldn't do this to his mother…

MARJORIE ORBIN: I'm just afraid of something I say being misconstrued or taken out of context or read in a way that might not be fact. I've been told, "Well, you bought this so that meant that you thought Jay wasn't coming back." I'm like, "No, that's not what it meant." I bought it - that's what it meant (hits hand against table). I bought it. That's all.

SGT: Like the computer. Bought it to run the business.

MARJORIE ORBIN: I'm accustomed to buying things.

MARJORIE ORBIN: I don't want my son to lose his mother. I didn't do anything wrong. I didn't do anything to Jay. I had nothing to do with having anybody do anything to Jay.

DET. DAVE BARNES: When was the last time you saw Jay?

MARJORIE ORBIN: See, this is the thing that I really am terrified of sitting here and answering questions. I want to answer any question that you want answered. I will tell you the truth as best as I know it. I will tell you anything you want to know. But I have a little boy out there that may have lost his father and I'm terrified of him losing his mother.

MARJORIE ORBIN: And I don't want to say anything that may be taken out of context… may we resume this conversation during the day when my son is at school with the attorney present just to help me - just so - not to stop… I will talk to you, but just to help make sure that I don't make an error…

DET. DAVE BARNES: How 'bout this, how 'bout this.

MARJORIE ORBIN: And I don't mean cover my behind and hide a lie. I don't mean protect anyone else. I don't mean that at all. I just mean, given what I have at stake, what my life - if I am blamed for this, I have a little boy out there that needs me, needs his father, too.

DET. DAVE BARNES: Right.

MARJORIE ORBIN: But that may not happen. That's too much for me to risk.