Phoenix Police Detective,
Armando Saldate, Jr.

December 3, 1989 began as a day off for Detective Saldate, but it proved to be the most controversial day of his twenty year career before it was over. Joining with fellow detectives after approximately fourteen hours of interrogation, which included accusations, depriving ROGER MARK SCOTT of needed medications and threatening to interrogate his elderly, ill mother, Detective Saldate was able to get SCOTT to admit his involvement in the death of Christopher Milke. SCOTT told the detectives that his friend, JIM STYERS, had allegedly killed Christopher and that he had only driven the car when the crime occurred. SCOTT agreed to show them where the body was and it was during this ride to the crime scene that Debra Jean Milke's trip to death row really began. SCOTT told detectives "YOU PROBABLY FEEL THAT ME AND JIM ARE THE ONLY BAD ONES IN THIS SITUATION, BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT THE BABY'S MOTHER." He went on to say, "THE BABY'S MOTHER KNOWS ALL ABOUT THE KILLING AND IN FACT, THE ONLY REASON CHRIS WAS KILLED WAS BECAUSE SHE WANTED IT DONE." That happened at least thirty minutes after his initial confession to his participation.

Following the trip to the crime scene Detective Saldate instructed that SCOTT'S confession be taped. After the arrest of JIM STYERS at 5.17 p.m. and his refusal to cooperate with the police detectives, Saldate decided to go to go to Florence, Arizona where Debra Milke was staying at her father's house. Saldate was told to "INTERVIEW" Debbie and to tape record it. Although SCOTT had made the accusation in his confession there were no facts that supported it so Debbie was not a suspect when Saldate received his orders. From that point on, Detective Saldate's story and Debbie Milke's conflict. And in fact, this website has displayed the hardcore proof of Saldate's false claim and that the arrest of Debra Milke was preconceived. The decision to apprehend both STYERS and Debra Milke were made at the same time. Since the events of the next few hours were critical in her conviction or innocence, it was paramount that good police work prevailed. But just the opposite happened as Detective Saldate elected to take matters into his own hands. For whatever reason every critical action went unsupported. He appeared to take purposeful steps to see that it came down to his version of the story against Debbie Milke's version of what actually happened. It began with a seven page police report, written three days later from recollection because he had allegedly destroyed his notes, that was an unsigned, unwitnessed and not-recorded "INTERVIEW" that was later ruled her confession; it ended up a favorable ruling from the presiding judge who admitted it into evidence and declared Debbie had been properly "mirandized." Everything went his way and against Debbie. He knew his experience and savvy on the witness stand would prevail and that everyone from the media to the jurors would accept his version of 'the truth'."