The bizarre case of Duane Hurley and Daniel Kovarbasich

Duane Hurley with his dog

Responding to additional questions from Abt about Danny's relationship with Hurley, Danny said that they had become friends. He explained that he had met Hurley three years earlier while Hurley was out walking his dog. After awhile, Danny said that he considered Hurley as his grandfather, even more so than his real grandfather. Danny described Hurley as "just an old dude with a dog."

When asked to talk more about their friendship, Danny said that after they had become friends, they would sometimes watch television together. Danny frequently walked Hurley's golden retriever dog, Tanner, for him, and Hurley sometimes allowed him to use his computer. When Danny obtained his driver's permit, Hurley would sometimes let him to use his car. Danny also told Abt that Hurley occasionally purchased clothes for him. When Danny wanted to spend more time with friends his own age, he would "switch off" with his older brother, Gregory.

At one point Abt asked if Hurley had ever approached Danny sexually.

"Not that I remember," Danny replied.

When Abt pressed him for more details, Danny said that he had slept in Hurley's bed, but not with Hurley. Danny explained that if he was sleeping in Hurley's bed, Hurley would sleep on the floor. Similarly, if Hurley was in the bed, Danny would sleep on the floor. When confronted about the possibility that Hurley was a pedophile, Danny acknowledged that a number of people thought that he was. However, Danny told Abt that as far as he was concerned, "it wasn't like that."

Abt asked Danny what the last thing was that he remembered while at Hurley's home that morning, and Danny responded that he recalled "running down the hallway" outside Hurley's bedroom, and that he thought he was being chased by Hurley. Danny also said that he believed he would be "locked up" over what had happened that morning even though, he claimed, "it was a case of self-defense."

At one point during questioning, Abt told Danny that situations such as he was involved in were "often related to sex or drugs." Just prior to Danny's parents halting the interrogation by stating they wanted to hire an attorney for their son, Danny said, "It's one of the two things you said and that's all I'm saying," a reference to Abt's comment about such situations being related to "sex or drugs." Based on Danny's last comment, Abt believed that the teenager was alluding to a possible sexual relationship. At that point, however, Abt was unable to question Danny any further due to the fact that his parents had invoked Danny's right to a lawyer.

Earlier, it should be noted, before Danny's parents had asked for a lawyer, Danny was asked to strip down and was examined by the police at the hospital for the presence of any injuries. Aside from a few fresh scratches observed on his forearm, a scratch on his chest and a small abrasion on his nose, no other injuries were noted.