Twitchell had attempted to lure another victim to his kill room earlier that month. Adding to their circumstantial case: Twitchell possessing Altinger's car, the "SK Confessions" document and his "Dexter" obsession. No doubt in my mind at all Mark. Johnny Altinger's friends were also able to hand over the directions Johnny had forwarded them before his date. Detective Clark hoped Twitchell would provide the final chapter. Lillebuen said: "He had a kill room set up with plastic sheeting. Something inside my head just gave me red flags and said, "He did it.". In 2007, Twitchell directed Star Wars: Secrets of the Rebellion, a full-length fan film set a few days before Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. 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. Steve Lillibuen: Mark Twitchell wrote to me quite extensively about his interest in "Dexter." A staff writer for All That's Interesting, Kaleena Fraga has also had her work featured in The Washington Post and Gastro Obscura, and she published a book on the Seattle food scene for the Eat Like A Local series. After cursorily shoving aside my human sensibilities, I dealt with his remains in a disrespectful manner that traumatized me forever.". Twitchell even ran a Facebook page where he wrote about the episodes from Dexters point of view. Along the way, Twitchell also seemed to develop an obsession with murder and death. He became especially enchanted with the American TV show Dexter, which follows the story of a blood-splatter expert who kills murderers that avoided prosecution. So, he dragged me back to the garage. And I'm like, "Wow, I I have to go forward now. Twitchell claimed that Altinger's death was nothing more than a publicity stunt gone horribly awry. And to Lillibuen's surprise, even behind bars Twitchell was able to feed his obsessions. filmmaking. 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. Two weeks after the disappearance of Johnny Altinger at a garage film set, police had sharpened their focus on filmmaker Mark Twitchell. DET. Mark Twitchell was nicknamed the Dexter Killer for his methods of emulating the Showtime dramas lead Dexter Morgan, a fictional character played by Michael C. Hall. 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 I believe your husband's got somethin' to do with it and this quite possibly you know, could be a homicide." When not at work, you can find me at the stable. contained a short cameo with actor. Little did they know the case was about to take an unusual turn. And that's when I slipped out of the jacket, rolled underneath the garage door and then got up. Goin', "Yeah, this isn't right. Questions Lillibuen hoped might be answered when he got a call out of the blue from Mark Twitchell himself. Some information may no longer be current. As authorities began building their case, there was one crucial part of "SK Confessions" they wanted to verify about a victim who had survived. Bill Clark: And we first drove to his parents' house where he had been staying. 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. I said- I told myself I'll do it tomorrow. 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, Julia Cowley: I think he identified with Dexter to some degree. And I'm going away with her to Costa Rica and I'll call you at Christmastime.". Totally out out of character. Bill Clark: No, he's uh well he knows not to say anything he's talking to his lawyers. Steve Lillibuen: He was newly married and a new father. Despite Twitchell telling the police that the document was a screenplay, investigators would come to find out it was a detailed account of Twitchell's crimes. Author Steve Lillibuen sold the rights to his book "The Devil's Cinema" to a film company. Right away I'm saying to myself this is a bunch of crap. The next year, Twitchell married an American woman and moved to Illinois. We 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. 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". That's when he grabbed my legs and started pulling me back to the garage. Tetreault was thrown back in the garage, but he surprised himself by rolling out again. Bill Clark: They learned, of course, the garage is rented out to an individual named Mark Twitchell. And in a strange twist, Twitchell's been able to feed that obsession too. Star Wars tribute film titled On the day he disappeared, Johnny Altinger had forwarded the directions of where he was going to friends. His landlord said he and his wife were model tenants, even after they were divorced in late 2004 and Mark Twitchell moved into another unit in the townhouse complex. JUSTICE DONE It was actually he was probably going to kill me. His trial attracted particular media attention because Twitchell had allegedly been inspired by the fictional character Dexter Morgan. He's not gonna admit to anything. So how did this young Canadian filmmaker end up accused of horrific acts? WebJohnny believed he would meet the girl of his dreams, but a Star Wars and Dexter-Morgan-obsessed serial killer wannabe and 29-year-old amateur filmmaker named Mark Andrew Twitchell awaited him in the garages darkness. For detectives in the Edmonton Police Department, the disappearance of Johnny Altinger was a mystery in more ways than one. Twitchell himself admitted to killing Altinger and authoring the document but he stated that he did it in self-defence. He graduated from a radio and television program at the The police, not believing this story, impounded Twitchell's laptop and car, and found Altinger's blood in the car's trunk. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Det. Joss Hnatiuk met Mark Twitchell on a Star Wars fan message board. Lillibuen said: "He wrote me probably 30 or 35 different letters - up to about 350 pages like an entire book worth. 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. Heward left the garage film set unharmed but rattled. Mark Twitchell, a fringe filmmaker accused in a slaying that matched one of his scripts, spent earlier years feverishly hawking and buying Twitcher was inspired to shift from filmmaking to murdering people because of the fictional character Dexter Morgan. Mark Twitchell, 29, had rented the garage space to film his movie "House of Cards." Mark Twitchell tells police about the deal he got on a red Mazda. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Det. Steve Lillibuen: still is adamant that this was not a planned and deliberate murder and to be frank, he is wrong. And for Mark Twitchell, the aspiring filmmaker, there may be one final plot twist. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Then, the Dexter Killer lured his victims in. Police say Twitchell was fascinated by the fictional character in the hit Showtime series "Dexter." Det. Eventually, Twitchell revealed his true identity. 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". Steve Lillibuen: Mark Twitchell had actually been granted access to finish watching the series while he was incarcerated. Twitchell started running a dating website Plenty of Fish in 2008 and that is when the real trouble started. 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. At first, Lillibuen didn't want to push Twitchell away with too many probing questions about his crimes. During questioning, filmmaker Mark Twitchell appeared to be eager to help investigators. It has no bearing whatsoever on what actually happened. Steve Lillibuen: The first time I met him, he actually had me laughing. Hours later, Twitchell even agreed to let officers back into the garage where he had filmed "House of Cards." Driven by this desire and his passion for the TV show Dexter, Twitchell started plotting out a Dexter-like murder. When they found Altingers blood in Twitchells car, they arrested him on Oct. 31, 2008. Police allege that around Oct. 10, Mr. Altinger was lured to a south-side residential garage for a blind date arranged online. Steve Lillibuen: Mark Twitchell testified that this was all a big misunderstanding he had killed Johnny in self-defense . Steve Lillibuen: He just said straight out, "If you're gonna be writing a book about me, you might as well come straight to the source.". Bill Clark: It was just a huge piece of evidence 'cause not only would it verify what was written in "SK Confessions" it would also have a living witness so it was paramount that we find this person. The 29-year-old Canadian man had a wife and a young daughter, and aspirations of becoming a filmmaker. He had an interest in film and graduated from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology with a bachelors degree in Radio and Television Arts in 2000. DETECTIVE [interrogation]: Altinger Does that name ring a bell to you or mean anything to you? Bill Clark: In any homicide investigation you obviously want to bring closure to the family So not only do you want to make that phone call saying, "We got the guy that did this to your loved one," but in this case, we wanted to say to 'em, look, "we found Johnny.". The show follows the adventures of Dexter Morgan, a blood-spatter expert by day and psychotic knife-wielding vigilante butcher by night. Weeks, then months, passed and still no luck. After all, she was an aspiring writer and a friendship with a movie maker could open doors. And if anything happens to me, you'll know where to look.". Updated on: April 26, 2022 / 11:45 AM Bill Clark: I just thought, "That's unbelievable." June 10th actually. He had no history of violence and was hardly a suspect. Bill Clark and "48 Hours" contributor Troy Roberts watch Twitchell's reaction as Clark told him "I now know that you killed John Altinger. Detective Clark was relentless, taking Twitchell on a tour of his old neighborhood. Det. 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. Troy Roberts: And when did you grow concerned. Gary Altinger: Where is he? I said, "None of the blood splatter was from us.". Bill Clark: I don't think he ever imagined in a million years what would happen to him in that garage. Steve Lillibuen: He blames Johnny, saying it was Johnny's reaction to his attempt at this promotion is what happened. The evidence in The Dexter Killer case and newly revealed letters from police stated that Mark wanted to be like the fictional character Dexter Morgan. ", Renee: He said over the weekend he did something, and he liked it. It read "I went through great lengths to bring my wife over to the comfortable belief I wasn't cheating on her.". 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. Cowley believes Twitchell took pleasure in planning and executing his crimes as if they were romantic trysts. Over the course of almost three years, they exchanged dozens of letters. Mark Twitchell, a filmmaker turned into a killer, is now counting his days in prison in 2022. Police believe that Johnny Altinger was hit over the head with this pipe shortly upon entering the darkened garage. "Mark has way too much in common with Dexter Morgan" read Twitchell's status. contained a short cameo with actor. Heartbroken dad issues warning after son, 13, dies in TikTok challenge, Red flag after possible suspect in missing brothers case made eerie request, Two dead and four injured after 19-year-old 'opens fire at prom after party', $80k reward offered for shooting suspect Francisco Oropesa after five killed, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Cops say killer Mark Twitchell is obsessed with the TV show Dexter, Mark Twitchell was sentenced to life in prison in April 2011. Gilles Tetreault: When I grabbed the gun, I felt the gun was plastic. That profile had caught the attention of a woman named Renee from Cleveland, Ohio. Steve Lillibuen [reading letter]: He writes, "I killed Johnny Altinger in a horrific accident of self-defense. Back at the station, Detective Clark and Mark Twitchell came face to face in the interrogation room once again. Are we parked right on top of the sewer where you dumped the body? 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". First look at Britain's biggest EVER stage for King Charles' coronation concert, Souness fights back tears as he announces emotional retirement on Sky Sports, Sky Sports' Martin Tyler slammed for 'racist' comment about Spurs star Son, Iconic high street favourite to return after 4 years as shoppers 'can't wait', News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. I think he is different than Dexter. What's Mark Twitchell's psyche? Is he takin' another weapon out?". Mark said, Its what it is and Im what I am. The Dexter Killer is still serving his sentence in Saskatchewan Federal Penitentiary and still enjoys watching Dexter. 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. The names and events were altered slightly to protect the guilty. Later, Twitchell insisted that hed lured Tetreault and Altinger to the garage because he thought hed attack them and let them escape so that when his movie came out theyd come forward, thus creating buzz.. I'm dead.". GILLES TETREAULT [police interview]: After this all happened, I realized how lucky I was. Det. Gilles Tetreault: I stuck the key in the ignition and then I just sped away. Twitchell's film has never been released. It has no bearing whatsoever on what actually happened., Twitchell added, There is no root cause no school bully or impressionably gory movies or video game violence or Showtime television series to point the finger at. On Halloween morning 2008, while Twitchell was putting the finishing touches on his Halloween costume at his parents' home, police were busy laying a trap. Police would not say whether Mr. Altinger's killing was filmed or comment on reports that Mr. Twitchell's production company, Xpress Entertainment, had earlier purchased off the Internet a high-voltage telescoping stun baton. WebExtra: Jimmy Siokos on Mark Twitchell. He said he intended to let both men go so they would create a buzz for his film by telling people that this had actually happened to them. I didn't really go into anything more, but I think that was enough. I didnt know what was going on, he said in the documentary My Online Nightmare. On October 31, 2008, Mark Twitchell was charged with the first degree murder. Twitchell appeared to be eager to help. Det. Gilles Tetreault: That's when I was ready to fight I punched him and I felt really weak. That doesnt change the fact that his crimes, and Dexters fictional ones, have obvious parallels. And hypothetically, how would you get away with it? Bill Clark: Detective Murphy goes, you know, and meets him and talks to him. And we have nothing. In 2007, Twitchell directedStar Wars: Secrets Of The Rebellion, a full-length fan film prequel to Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. So of course the police have tossed my house and impounded my car Not fun considering they won't find anything ". Det. 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. At that instant, I knew there was no date.. WebCheck out this great listen on Audible.com. DET. And then, not showing up for work? But police had found a helpful clue during the search of Twitchell's home. Part of the report included a return trip by Tetreault to the garage in which the incident had taken place. Get this over with? She thinks she knows what made Twitchell tick. We could see what looked like pieces of human torso down there. Cops arrested Twitchell on October 31, 2008, and charged him with first degree murder. In 2017, he was allowed to join an online dating website for inmates. There was actually some substance in these letters? 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. Which is a it's actually a full-blown feature that's actually gonna have a decent budget in the neighborhood of about three-and-a-half million . No warning signs that something like this was on the horizon. Twitchell stated that he had caught up on everyDexterepisode that he missed since he was arrested and convicted. Steve Lillebuen authored the book The Devils Cinema which focussed on the complete case. They said they would have a mannequin or a dummy to run the sword through, and when I got there, there was none. Twitchell graduated from the Radio and Television Arts program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in 2000. Though hes become known as the Dexter Killer, Twitchell himself denies that his crimes have anything to do with the fictional character. "There was In letters, Twitchell clung to his defense that he had no choice but to kill Johnny Altinger and then dismember him. Troy Roberts [outside Twitchell's garage]: What was the most damning piece of evidence that you discovered? This is who he is. 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. When Gilles Tetreault went to meet his online date named "Sheena" at the set location of Twitchell's garage, he was attacked by Twitchell in a hockey mask. The closer police looked, the more the lines blurred. The "Dexter" garage. 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. In May 2013, it was reported by the National Post that Twitchell had purchased a television for his prison cell. MARK TWITCHELL [interrogation]: I'm working on a comedy right now. OFFICER [to Twitchell outside garage]: Bring back any memories? So anytime I'd seen one I'd always have my flashlight with me and would get out and actually take a look. Det. Concerns for Altingers safety were raised when friends and family received an email claiming to be from him, saying his date had taken him on an extended trip to Costa Rica. Renee [reading Facebook message]: "We all have a dark side, some darker than others and you're not the only one to relate to Dexter. Who is Mark Twitchell? Chris Heward: "How much of the blood splatter on the wall was from your filming?" We we don't have a body. In the end, the jury took just five hours to find Mark Twitchell guilty. He wasnt everybodys friend. I just remember reading it all and just was fascinated by this document going, "Holy mackerel.". View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. The killer then attempted to burn the remains in a barrel but failed. Bill Clark [in car in front of Twitchell's house]: What I said was, "We're investigating a missing persons. Yet Twitchell continued to make excuses. Bill Clark: It just doesn't make sense. Gilles Tetreault: She said "I'll just leave the garage door open for you. 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. Bill Clark: His red Mazda was missing. Fortunately, it took police far less time to catch up with Mark Twitchell than it took their fictional counterparts to catch up to Dexter Morgan. ", "The Dexter Killer:" Inside the mind of a murderer. Troy Roberts: And what were you thinking when when you heard this? 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 Writing gives me a sense of freedom and independence. Bill Clark: It's a missing persons case. DET. But Mark Twitchell also had an urge to kill. Here's a few words from the director Mark Twitchell. After reading about Mark Twitchell, the Dexter Killer, discover the story of Pedro Rodrigues Filho, Brazils Dexter-like serial killer. He had no job. He had no history of violence and was hardly a suspect. "SK CONFESSIONS" PASSAGE: "Please stop hitting me oh my skull.".
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