He was then stabbed to death. He had no job. Star Wars - Secrets of the Rebellion. Det. The day after Twitchell was arrested in connection to Altinger's death, police found a suspiciously deleted file on Twitchell's computer labeled "SK Confessions". Renee: I thought it was gonna be like a working relationship, a working friendship. Bill Clark: One of the first lines it says "I'm not sure when I decided to become a serial killer, but it was a feeling of pure euphoria. BILL CLARK [Mark Twitchell interrogation]: As I told you that night, I knew that you were involved in the disappearance at that time of Johnny Altinger. So, there was obviously troubles in paradise there, we knew that Mark Twitchell had been having an affair with an old girlfriend and lying to his wife about having a job. Such a Nice Boy Serial Killer - Mark Lasswell, Commentary Magazine But it was only a hunch. DET. So, he's not crazy. Twitchell claimed he bought the red Mazda for just $40, and that it was parked at a friend's house. Steve Lillibuen: I learned really quickly that he preferred to talk through writing. The directions led police directly to Mark Twitchells door. Produced by Asena Basak. WebMark Andrew Twitchell (born July 4, 1979) is a Canadian filmmaker convicted of first-degree murder in April 2011 for the murder of John Brian Altinger. Bill Clark: We had a, you know, luminol tests done on the floor. Embarrassed and confused, Tetreault convinced himself that perhaps it wasn't as serious as he first thought. Gary Altinger: Not a message, nothing. After reading about Mark Twitchell, the Dexter Killer, discover the story of Pedro Rodrigues Filho, Brazils Dexter-like serial killer. Who is Mark Twitchell and why is he called the Dexter killer? His friends, having broken into his condo and finding no evidence he had packed for a vacation, alerted the police. We don't even know if we have a crime. John was very, very, very responsible. And to Lillibuen's surprise, even behind bars Twitchell was able to feed his obsessions. The names and events were altered slightly to protect the guilty. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Thats about people with criminal minds. On October 3, 2008, Gilles Tetreault drove to a garage in Edmonton, believing that he was about to meet a woman named Sheena whom hed met on a dating site called PlentyOfFish. But where was Johnny Altinger's body? Det. Mark, on the other, hand used media for his appeal. star To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. He wouldn't. Part of the report included a return trip by Tetreault to the garage in which the incident had taken place. But Twitchell claimed he could explain everything. Chris Heward: "How much of the blood splatter on the wall was from your filming?" That piece of tooth matched up to our victim. Another man had been lured to the same garage and met a gruesome end. When not at work, you can find me at the stable. Bill Clark: One of the things they had found was a hockey maskthe "SK Confessions" talked about how Mark Twitchell had worn this mask when he attacked both victims. Edmonton-raised Mark Andrew Twitchell was a fledgling filmmaker whose first major project, a green-screen fan film called Star Wars: Secrets of the Rebellion, ", "SK Confessions." Gary Altinger, Johnny's older brother, says the last time anyone heard from him was on October 10, 2008, when the 38-year-old left for a date with a woman named "Jen.". Julia Cowley: I think he identified with Dexter to some degree. June 10th actually. Once again, the victim believed he had met a woman on PlentyOfFish and followed her online instructions to Twitchells garage. Driven by this desire and his passion for the TV show Dexter, Twitchell started plotting out a Dexter-like murder. Steve Lillibuen: He blames Johnny, saying it was Johnny's reaction to his attempt at this promotion is what happened. This is the story of Mark Twitchell, Canadas Dexter Killer.. Bill Clark: He talked a lot about how he loved the show "Dexter.". Experts say it's a long shot, but it worries Tetreault. Det. In the document, the killer wrote about his kill room, explaining that it included "several rolls of painters plastic sheeting" and a 45-gallon steel drum "for the body parts" as well as a "game processing kit" containing multiple different knives and a serrated saw "for the bones". DET. Mark Twitchell - IMDb Large amounts of blood had been spilled on the floor of the garage. Born on July 4, 1979, Mark Andrew Twitchell grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Bill Clark: It was unbelievable. The search of the car also led police to discover a deleted file on Mark Twitchell's laptop called "SK Confessions." Wow, yeah, this is this is the guy. filmmaking. Investigators followed it to an alleyway just a half block away from where they had stopped the search. I knew he couldn't hurt me anymore. There is no key. But police had found a helpful clue during the search of Twitchell's home. Renee: I'm a huge fan of the Showtime show "Dexter." Secrets of the Rebellion, a feature-length fan film prequel to Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Court documents filed in Peoria noted that Mark married Megan Twitchell, a U.S. citizen, in Edmonton on Jan. 4, 2001, and they eventually moved to the Illinois city, where they worked at American Electronics Appliance. Right away I'm saying to myself this is a bunch of crap. In March of 2011, Mark Twitchell went on trial for the murder of Johnny Altinger. Lillibuen points to "SK Confessions," where Twitchell describes how he turned that garage into a kill room, set up a makeshift autopsy table, had plastic sheeting, and a processing kit similar to the one Dexter Morgan used. Gilles Tetreault: Right. They divorced within 4 years. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Then a year-and-a-half after Johnny Altinger disappeared, Twitchell, while awaiting trial, broke his silence and gave the police a map. Mark Twitchell tells police about the deal he got on a red Mazda. Thats when I looked back to see this man hovering [behind] me with a hockey mask. MARK ANSTEY [to reporters, holding up hockey mask]: We have some details on this male victim who was attacked, and we would like him to come forward. Mark Twitchell, a fringe filmmaker accused in a slaying that matched one of his scripts, spent earlier years feverishly hawking and buying Star Wars toys over the EDMONTON CROWN PROSECUTION OFFICEThe message that Gilles Tetreault received from Sheena, who was really Mark Twitchell. Det. Suffice it to say that I crossed the line on Friday, he wrote. Steve Lillibuen: Yes absolutely. You've got to do something.". Gilles Tetreault: I wasn't really afraid of him at that time. The hockey mask wearing man had ordered him to the ground at gunpoint. BILL CLARK [interrogation]: So, as you know Mark, we're just here trying to find this John fellow. MARK TWITCHELL movie interview]: "The word has gotten around ", Lillibuen read one of Twitchell's letters: "I killed Johnny Altinger in a horrific accident of self-defense. Mark-Twitchell Voluntarily, the amateur filmmaker came down to the Edmonton Police Station to speak with detectives. MARK TWITCHELL [graduation video]: "I'm glad I got to work with you all and I hope I see you all in the industry.". They were now convinced it was no screenplay, but rather a diary of murder. And since Altinger had shared the driving directions sent by his date before he disappeared, they reported him missing and forwarded the directions to the police. where there's smoke there's fire. It is what it is and I am what I am.". So, we thought, "Well, maybe if we drive him around and we'll put a camera on him, maybe he'll just we'll just take him to places," 'cause we had no idea where where Johnny remains were at that time. View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. He rented a garage, found potential victims on dating apps, and set the scene with plastic sheeting, a table, and different kinds of weapons. Extra: Jimmy Siokos on Mark Twitchell - CBS News He's very charismatic. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. I didnt know what was going on, he said in the documentary My Online Nightmare. For detectives in the Edmonton Police Department, the disappearance of Johnny Altinger was a mystery in more ways than one. Then, the Dexter Killer lured his victims in. Troy Roberts [outside Twitchell's garage]: What was the most damning piece of evidence that you discovered? Julia Cowley: He's not killing bad guys. Det. Three weeks after Altinger's disappearance, police charged Twitchell with first-degree murder. Exactly one month after he was attacked, Gilles Tetreault walked into the Edmonton Police Department and told police his incredible story. She was basically livin' on the main floor, he was livin' in the basement. Troy Roberts: And what did you take that to mean? On October 3, 2008, Gilles Tetreault followed directions to a location in Edmonton where he was supposed to meet a woman named "Sheena" he met online. Julia Cowley: He's a depraved individual, and he knows that. Steve Lillibuen [reading letter]: He writes, "I killed Johnny Altinger in a horrific accident of self-defense. ", Det. The murder charges have yet to proven in court and Mr. Twitchell has yet to make an appearance. The man who was tricked into that very bad date in Twitchell's garage, Gilles Tetreault, continues to be haunted by the experience. ", "SK Confessions" told the story of a man who was lured to a garage and stabbed to death a plot strikingly similar to "House of Cards. Det. Bill Clark: Gilles Tetreault was online on the plentyoffish.com website Which is a dating site. Mr. Twitchell, 29, was arrested on Halloween and charged with the first-degree murder of Johnny Altinger, a 38-year-old pipeline-industry worker originally from White Rock, B.C. We don't know if foul play's happened here. John Altinger. On the day he disappeared, Johnny Altinger had forwarded the directions of where he was going to friends. One passage about a knife read: "I thrust it into his gut. Who is Mark Twitchell? Just a few days later, Mark Twitchell sent a message to his Facebook friend. Det. Prosecutors called Gilles Tetreault to testify, and to prove that what Twitchell described in "SK Confessions" was not a work of fiction but an account of what had actually happened. Gilles Tetreault: I stuck the key in the ignition and then I just sped away. But I said I couldn't do it. And he did his best to erase his own memory. He graduated from a radio and television program at the The plot of House of Cards might have seemed suspicious to police, but it was nothing next to a deleted file they later found on Twitchells computer, titled SK Confessions. Though Twitchell said it was just a screenplay, investigators believed that SK meant serial killer and that the document was actually a detailed account of Twitchells crimes. But the property also had a second purpose: a man was planning on parking here and ducking under the bay door as he headed toward the house, where a beautiful woman supposedly At the time, Renee was upset with her ex-husband's new wife. Moreover, he wore a hockey mask when he attacked his two victims. Joan Adelman and Michelle Harris are the editors. Police discovered Twitchell spent countless hours making elaborate Halloween costumes. Gilles Tetreault: He's about 6 foot and this black and gold hockey mask painted all painted up on his face. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. "I'd ask him one question and I'd get 10 pages back as an answer.". Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. DET. The garage door will be open for you a touch, Sheena had written. Renee [reading email]: "There's an enormous missing person, possible homicide investigation going on centralized around a location I've rented for film work. WebStar Wars: Secrets of the Rebellion was directed by Mark Twitchell, a Canadian producer, actor, and director. Det. Steve Lillibuen: The first time I met him, he actually had me laughing. It's a rare look inside the mind of a killer. Twitchell had attempted to lure another victim to his kill room earlier that month. Det. He was lured out on the promise to meet this guy at this coffee shop And when he got about three blocks from his house, the tactical team swooped in on him and took him down. Get this over with? He told the police that hed been filming a movie called House of Cards that just happened to be about men who were killed after being lured to a garage for a date. Gilles Tetreault was at home oblivious to the horror he had escaped when a friend told him to watch the news. Mark Twitchell The "Dexter" garage. That profile had caught the attention of a woman named Renee from Cleveland, Ohio. He had a table set up for his victims. Bill Clark: When you you read all the experts' books about these type of individuals is they tend to like the media attention. He is still in Saskatchewan Federal Penitentiary. It says that Jeremy Bulloch is in the movie and it says it's coming out in June. Totally out out of character. BILL CLARK [interrogation]: There's absolutely no doubt in my mind that you're involved in the disappearance of John Altinger. Ever. The police, not believing this story, impounded Twitchell's laptop and car, and found Altinger's blood in the car's trunk. Mark Twitchell was nothing like author Steve Lillibuen expected. For the first time on television, Lillibuen is revealing the contents of Twitchell's letters. Steve Lillibuen: Mark Twitchell wrote to me quite extensively about his interest in "Dexter.". Det. Bill Clark: We found out he was telling his wife he was going to work every day. Lillebuen said: "He had a kill room set up with plastic sheeting. Mark Twitchell - Biography - IMDb So, I thought, "Oh, well, you know, I'll be friends with him.". He was to be in Provincial Court yesterday to enter a plea, but the case was put over to Nov. 26 so lawyers for both parties can sift through the evidence. In April 2011, Twitchell was found guilty of first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. So anything you guys have in this, or if you've ever even heard of it, post away, because I have no idea what this is. Seven days after Tetreault was attacked, police say Twitchell wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. He spoke to them about his career in filmmaking, his wife, Jess, and his 8-month-old daughter, Chloe. Gilles Tetreault: I couldn't believe it. He spent countless hours scouring the Internet, buying and selling Star Lillibuen said: "He wrote me probably 30 or 35 different letters - up to about 350 pages like an entire book worth. Johnny Altinger's friends were also able to hand over the directions Johnny had forwarded them before his date. I am a keen observer and an ardent reader. Something goin' on here.". But we figured it was something the first victim would key on. He proved himself highly disorganized and erratic during the filming. That doesnt change the fact that his crimes, and Dexters fictional ones, have obvious parallels. That's changed slightly I now know that you killed John Altinger. Det. Trump motion to dismiss E. Jean Carroll lawsuit denied, U.S. to let Afghan evacuees renew temporary legal status, Tornado hits Virginia Beach, likely damaging hundreds of homes, First Republic Bank seized by regulators, then sold to JPMorgan Chase, Texas man who lost wife and son in shooting shares story, Supreme Court to hear case that could curb power of federal agencies, Mental health of LGBTQ youth worsening in current "hostile political climate", Waiter killed, woman wounded in shooting at popular New Orleans restaurant, MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo found dead at 46, "He wrote me probably 30 or 35 different letters up to about 350 pages like an entire book worth," investigative journalist and author Steve Lillebuen said of Mark Twitchell. It's a combination of a sexual motive and thrill killing. In the document, the killer wrote about his kill room, explaining that it included "several rolls of painters plastic sheeting" and a 45-gallon steel drum "for the body parts" as well as a "game processing kit" containing multiple different knives and a serrated saw "for the bones". Renee: That he killed somebody. Lourdes Aguiar and Anthony Venditti are also producers. of the Rebellion (2007), a fan film for the Star Wars franchise that MURDERER Mark Twitchell has become known as the Dexter killer due to his obsession with the TV show. Cops say his fascination with the fictional TV killer carried over into his real-life crimes. Who is Mark Twitchell? Mark Andrew Twitchell was born in Edmonton, Alberta, on July 4, 1979. His interest in the show was raised numerous times during his trial. Det. Web1.8M views 3 years ago Mark Twitchell was a film maker from Canada, who, one day, decided he wanted to turn one of his short films into a reality. KILLER Mark Twitchell has become known as the Dexter Killer due to his obsession with the TV show. Mark Twitchell Det. Bill Clark: Ultimately Mark Twitchell drove around with it, according to the "SK Confessions" document. Bill Clark: His red Mazda was missing. Cops arrested Twitchell on October 31, 2008, and charged him with first degree murder. Dexter Killer Mark Twitchell was an aspiring filmmaker whose scripts bore a striking resemblance to his crimes. In early 2011, Mark Twitchell faced charges of the first-degree murder for killing John Brian Altinger. Gilles Tetreault: And he tore a piece of tape and he covered my eyes with it. That he purchased a car for $40? After this, the actor who played Dexter stated he did not think Dexter glamorized a serial killer. Easier to find a car than than a person. Mark Twitchell, The 'Dexter Killer' Inspired To Murder By But he claimed Altinger became enraged at being tricked, and he accidentally killed him in self-defense. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Gilles Tetreault: When I grabbed the gun, I felt the gun was plastic. Twitchell, then 29 years old, a married man with a young daughter, had used the garage as a set for a recent movie project. Det. Something inside my head just gave me red flags and said, "He did it.". Twitchell started running a dating website Plenty of Fish in 2008 and that is when the real trouble started. Twitchell denied knowing anything about a missing man or a red Mazda and he had no problem with the police wanting to search the garage. In 2008, John Brian Altinger, 38-year-old former White Rock, B.C., oilfield equipment manufacturer known to his friends as Johnny, interacted with Mark on the dating website Plenty of Fish. Twitchell claimed that Altinger's death was nothing more than a publicity stunt gone horribly awry. He wanted to say that he planned his death deliberately to create a compelling story. He even talked about driving around with him and pulling up beside people at red lights and looking at them thinking that "they don't know I have a dead body in the trunk of my car.". Michael McHugh is the producer-editor. Troy Roberts [watching interrogation video]: You didn't get much of a reaction, did you? He had no history of violence and was hardly a suspect. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. After a brief scuffle, Tetreault was able to overpower his attacker and escape from the garage. He referred to the document as fiction based on fact. Troy Roberts: Why didn't you go to the police immediately? In October 2008, Mark Twitchell put his dark side into action. I still think about the stun gun. I believe your husband's got somethin' to do with it and this quite possibly you know, could be a homicide." And then in this case because he learned from Gilles that the Taser didn't work, he hit him over the head with a lead pipe. Bill Clark: They learned, of course, the garage is rented out to an individual named Mark Twitchell. Investigators finally had hard evidence they had found Altinger's blood in Twitchell's trunk. Gilles Tetreault: It was dark then I kind of looked around for the door she told me to go through and that's when somebody came out attacked me from behind. Episode 265: In October 2008, 38-year-old Johnny Altinger was looking for love online and, thinking hed found it, was lured to his death in a dingy south Edmonton, Alberta garage. Bill Clark: We know that he lured him to the garage in the same way he lured Gilles Tetreault. Tonights Dateline entitled, Deadly House Of Cards, is a repeat show that was aired in 2014. "I crossed the line and I did something and I liked it". It was actually he was probably going to kill me. Little did they know the case was about to take an unusual turn. Cowley believes Twitchell took pleasure in planning and executing his crimes as if they were romantic trysts. While Twitchell was not initially a suspect, he told cops an unlikely story that Altinger sold his Mazda 6 to him for 40 Canadian dollars. Mark Twitchell worked with a tight-knit group of guys on various film projects. The killer then attempted to burn the remains in a barrel but failed. Mark Twitchell Tetreault fought back in a violent struggle and escaped the horrific scene, but didn't report the attack until seeing the hockey mask at a police press conference following Altinger's death. Troy Roberts: And when did you grow concerned. Weeks, then months, passed and still no luck. Gilles Tetreault: He grabbed my jacket I jerked forward to make sure he had a good hold on it, and I thought it's the perfect time. At that instant, I knew there was no date.. A staffer, who asked not to be named, said he knew him briefly: "I knew he was into movies and directed films, but nothing beyond that.". MARK TWITCHELL [interrogation]: I'm working on a comedy right now. We all have a dark side, some darker than others and youre not the only one to relate to Dexter, Twitchell wrote in one message. The prosecution's case was that Twitchell had turned his House of Cards movie script into a You know, the fight for my life . The show follows the adventures of Dexter Morgan, a blood-spatter expert by day and psychotic knife-wielding vigilante butcher by night. Det. And since I was close to the lake, "You rent a boat and dump her out in the middle of Lake Erie. Susan Zirinsky and Judy Tygard are the executive producers, First published on April 23, 2022 / 11:12 PM. Gilles Tetreault: And I tried to run and all of a sudden my legs wouldn't work I just fell, boom right on the gravel driveway. In May 2013, it was reported by the National Post that Twitchell had purchased a television for his prison cell. Though hes become known as the Dexter Killer, Twitchell himself denies that his crimes have anything to do with the fictional character. Gary Altinger: Where is he? Updated on: April 26, 2022 / 11:45 AM Clark had no hard evidence against Mark Twitchell. These are the words of Mark Twitchell, written to investigative journalist and author Steve Lillibuen: Steve Lillibuen [reading letters]: "It would appear that I'm unique in the world. But what was real and what was fiction? Twitchell posed as a woman on the Plenty of Fish dating site and set up a meeting with John Altinger, 38, on October 10, 2008. MARK TWITCHELL [interrogation]: This guy, uh, taps on my window you know, "Hey buddy do you wanna buy a car? So of course the police have tossed my house and impounded my car Not fun considering they won't find anything ".
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