Seven days after Tetreault was attacked, police say Twitchell wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. Tetreault's story matched nearly word for word what was in "SK Confessions. Twitchell's first film project, a "Star Wars" fan film, had received some media buzz back in 2007. Twitchell wrote numerous letters to the journalist, with Lillibuen telling CBS Newsthat he found themurderer of Johnny Altingerto be very responsive to letter writing. Tetreault, who was 33 at the time, was excited to meet the woman who called herself "Sheena.". Mark Twitchell contained a short cameo with actor. Steve Lillibuen: He blames Johnny, saying it was Johnny's reaction to his attempt at this promotion is what happened. Bill Clark: When you you read all the experts' books about these type of individuals is they tend to like the media attention. Bill Clark: It was basically almost like a movie script. Though Twitchell claimed that the death of Johnny Altinger in October 2008 was self-defense and that hed only been trying to film a movie a movie about luring men to a garage and killing them police found a script hed tried to delete describing the murder scene in precise, chilling detail. But Twitchell claimed he could explain everything. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Det. It's the same mask, everything. ", "SK Confessions." Canadian Wannabe Serial Killer Mark Twitchell - Medium Mark Andrew Twitchell was born in Edmonton, Alberta, on July 4, 1979. In May 2013, it was reported by the National Post that Twitchell had purchased a television for his prison cell. 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. 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. And he was stunned that I got up and started yelling at me to back down on the ground. Talking to CBS, the author called Twitchells insistence that Dexter had nothing to do with his crimes ridiculous and a logical disconnect.. WebMark Twitchell IMDbPro Starmeter See rank He graduated from a radio and television program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) and later gained a small The names and events were altered slightly to protect the guilty. Twitchell's film has never been released. DET. Renee: I thought it was gonna be like a working relationship, a working friendship. He graduated from a radio and television program at the Det. Mark, on the other, hand used media for his appeal. No root cause there is no school bully or impressionably gory movies or Showtime television series to point the finger at. He didn't have to. 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 So, I thought, "Oh, well, you know, I'll be friends with him.". After cursorily shoving aside my human sensibilities, I dealt with his remains in a disrespectful manner that traumatized me forever.". Twitchell posed as a woman on dating site Plenty of Fish and arranged to meet John Altinger, 38, on Det. The story begins in October 2008. They were now convinced it was no screenplay, but rather a diary of murder. Steve Lillebuen authored the book The Devils Cinema which focussed on the complete case. Three weeks after Altinger's disappearance, police charged Twitchell with first-degree murder. DETECTIVE: And we end up going to that garage because of a missing person who supposedly went there. It has no bearing whatsoever on what actually happened. 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. Both Lillebuen and police say that Twitchell's fascination with the TV killer Dexter Morgan carried over into his real-life crimes. A week later, the masked man would find his next target, Johnny Altinger, who wouldn't be as lucky as the first victim. Twitchells film was never released. But we figured it was something the first victim would key on. But the police were more interested in Twitchell's latest production: a suspense thriller called "House of Cards," where a hockey masked serial killer lures a man to garage via the internet and kills him. Ever. Det. MARK TWITCHELL movie interview]: "The word has gotten around that I'm making a 100 million dollar movie for 60 grand, and some production and directing jobs have already come my way.". MARK TWITCHELL [interrogation]: This guy, uh, taps on my window you know, "Hey buddy do you wanna buy a car? He is still in Saskatchewan Federal Penitentiary. ", Lillibuen read one of Twitchell's letters: "I killed Johnny Altinger in a horrific accident of self-defense. Following the narrative, police believe Altinger was then stabbed and dismembered on a makeshift autopsy table. Susan Zirinsky and Judy Tygard are the executive producers, First published on April 23, 2022 / 11:12 PM. DETECTIVE [interrogation]: I mean it's kinda odd that you're filming that kind of thing. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Gary Altinger: They found his passport. Mark Twitchell Altinger also informed his friends that he is going to meet this woman with whom hed been chatting. Who is Mark Twitchell? of the Rebellion (2007), a fan film for the Star Wars franchise that Det. Renee: He said, "You cut her up in little pieces. Gary Altinger: Where is he? In fact, he seemed guilty of nothing more than wanting to brag about his film career. I believe the victim entered the garage and was attacked by another male who was wearing a hockey mask . Over the course of almost three years, they exchanged dozens of letters. His trial attracted particular media attention because Twitchell had allegedly been inspired by the fictional character Dexter Morgan. MARK ANSTEY [to reporters]: To date we do not know who this victim is. Renee: That he killed somebody. Det. The names and events were altered slightly to protect the guilty. This is who he is. Gary Altinger: When I received that email And this e-mail was completely out of character. living in the Midwest before returning to Canada to pursue a career in I mean look at this profile.". In 2007, Twitchell directed Star Wars: Secrets Of The Rebellion, a full-length fan film prequel to Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. But police had found a helpful clue during the search of Twitchell's home. He spoke to them about his career in filmmaking, his wife, Jess, and his 8-month-old daughter, Chloe. Armed with the directions, police were led directly to that garage. And then, in a search of Twitchell's belongings, police found his laptop. Weeks, then months, passed and still no luck. So of course the police have tossed my house and impounded my car Not fun considering they won't find anything ". Mark Twitchell, The 'Dexter Killer' Inspired To Murder By This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. 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. So, he's not crazy. Bill Clark: It's a missing persons case. Bill Clark[driving]: So, all these manhole covers were pulled off in this alley. Twitchell appeared to be eager to help. Mark, in the meantime, had prepared his kill room set up in his garage-turned-film-studio. And if anything happens to me, you'll know where to look.". 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. What led to this happening? Mark Twitchell, a low-budget filmmaker in Edmonton, Alberta, was obsessed with Star Wars. 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. Twitchell stated that he had caught up on everyDexterepisode that he missed since he was arrested and convicted. 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. Det. small following among sci-fi fans when he directed Star Wars: Secrets Bill Clark: It just doesn't make sense. I I've shacked up with this really rich lady She's even gonna buy me a new car so I'm just looking to unload mine how much do you have on 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. "He had this kind of processing kit that was very similar to what Dexter uses.". Gilles Tetreault: When I grabbed the gun, I felt the gun was plastic. In a twist, a man came forward after the arrest to say he was lured to the garage a week before Mr. Altinger disappeared. And that's when I slipped out of the jacket, rolled underneath the garage door and then got up. Two weeks after the disappearance of Johnny Altinger at a garage film set, police had sharpened their focus on filmmaker Mark Twitchell. Steve Lillibuen: He has very much that salesman slick behavior, he knows how to put it on to get people to like him. Bill Clark [in car in front of Twitchell's house]: What I said was, "We're investigating a missing persons. 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.". Mark represented himself as a woman and allured Johnny into meeting him. Who is Mark Twitchell and why is he called the Dexter killer? And you can write it all down. Mark Twitchell - IMDb He was now obsessed with the TV show Dexter. So, he dragged me back to the garage. Clark listened while Twitchell told him how he came into possession of a red car a detail he failed to mention when he spoke with police earlier. Det. That identical strange message had gone out to all of Johnny's friends as well. What's he gonna do? He had taken his vehicle; it couldn't be found. ", Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell case: A timeline of events, Lamar Johnson: "I am a freed man and a blessed man", Chad Daybell's kids claim he was "fooled in worst, most deadly way possible", Moms chatting at a water park help crack a cold case murder, Letters from Mark Twitchell: Inside the mind of a killer. Then, the Dexter Killer lured his victims in. Such a Nice Boy Serial Killer - Mark Lasswell, Commentary Magazine He rented a garage, found potential victims on dating apps, and set the scene with plastic sheeting, a table, and different kinds of weapons. The Dexter killer, whose real name is Mark Andrew Twitchell is a Canadian filmmaker who is convicted of the first-degree murder of John MICHAEL C. HALL (audio): it is horrifying to entertain the notion that something you did inspired that. So, investigators called Twitchell again. Something inside my head just gave me red flags and said, "He did it.". But he claimed Altinger became enraged at being tricked, and he accidentally killed him in self-defense. His interest in the show was raised numerous times during his trial. From having a kill room to using plastic sheeting Twitchell, a self-proclaimed Dexter fan, killed like the character did. This story is based on true events, Mark Twitchell wrote. The next year, Twitchell married an American woman and moved to Illinois. But he maintained a core 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, 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. His friends, having broken into his condo and finding no evidence he had packed for a vacation, alerted the police. And it was a little taste of his own medicine, I guess. The media even fought an application to lift bans on covering his trial. Inside The Story Of Sawney Bean And His Clan Of Cannibal Killers That Inspired 'The Hills Have Eyes', What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. Marks fetish for Dexter did not rest in peace even after his conviction. "I wanted the weapon used for the deed itself to be simple, elegant and beautiful.". living in the Midwest before returning to Canada to pursue a career in Twitchell Gilles Tetreault: I really thought it was a mugging at the time. Steve Lillibuen: I learned really quickly that he preferred to talk through writing. BILL CLARK [interrogation]: So, as you know Mark, we're just here trying to find this John fellow. 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. Goin', "Yeah, this isn't right. Edmonton JournalDexter Killer Mark Twitchell was an aspiring filmmaker whose scripts bore a striking resemblance to his crimes. Right away I'm saying to myself this is a bunch of crap. Then, read up on historys most infamous serial killers. And since I was close to the lake, "You rent a boat and dump her out in the middle of Lake Erie. "There was Sheena had refused to tell Tetreault her exact address, giving him only driving instructions. Det. The closer police looked, the more the lines blurred. Twitchell even posed as Dexter Morgan on Facebook. 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. Heward left the garage film set unharmed but rattled. This is the greatest feeling I ever felt in my life, because then I knew I had a fighting chance to get away. Lillebuen wrote a book about the case titled "The Devil's Cinema: The Untold Story Behind Mark Twitchell's Kill Room.". Det. Driven by this desire and his passion for the TV show Dexter, Twitchell started plotting out a Dexter-like murder. Det. Lillebuen said: "He had a kill room set up with plastic sheeting. But where was Johnny Altinger's body? Twitchell began writing to Lillibuen before he was even convicted in 2011. I have to come forward.". star ", "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. WebHe was found guilty during a jury trial in 2011 and sentenced to life in prison. Julia Cowley: Mark Twitchell cannot be rehabilitated. DET. An initial search of the garage uncovered what appeared to be blood spatter, which Mark Twitchell told police came from the "House of Cards" execution scene he was filming. 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. And I'm like, "Wow, I I have to go forward now. I still think about the stun gun. 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. Mark Twitchell worked with a tight-knit group of guys on various film projects. He wanted to say that he planned his death deliberately to create a compelling story. For the first time on television, Lillibuen is revealing the contents of Twitchell's letters. In October 2008, Mark Twitchell put his dark side into action. Cops arrested Twitchell on October 31, 2008, and charged him with first degree murder. KILLER Mark Twitchell has become known as the Dexter Killer due to his obsession with the TV show. But the question remains was Twitchell inspired to kill by the TV show? It was actually he was probably going to kill me. Investigators followed it to an alleyway just a half block away from where they had stopped the search. The film still hasnt been released to date. Steve Lillibuen: So, the motive is the mystery, the why did he do this. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Gilles Tetreault: And then he starts punching me on the side of the head. Troy Roberts: How do you get away with it? The "Dexter" garage. One passage about a knife read: "I thrust it into his gut. You have entered an incorrect email address! Bill Clark [with Roberts at sewer]: And he had marked an "X," "X" marks the spot, and took us right to this sewer cover here. Joan Adelman and Michelle Harris are the editors. This article was published more than 14 years ago. ", "SK CONFESSIONS" PASSAGE: "I grabbed him by the leg as if to drag him back into the garage caveman style.". He's not gonna admit to anything. Troy Roberts: And what were you thinking when when you heard this? Troy Roberts: You guys were driving around and there was a camera trained on him in the back of the police car. You know, we had a lot in common. But Twitchell had underestimated the police. Soon after the divorce, Mark Twitchell returned to Edmonton to spearhead a low-budget $60,000 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. Gilles Tetreault: I can't do this, I gotta fight back so I got up and I ripped the tape off my eyes. The episode chronicles the tale of one of the strangest copycat killers in history. ", "SK CONFESSIONS" PASSAGE: "I plunged the knife deep into his neck ", Det. He is lucid. Gilles Tetreault was at home oblivious to the horror he had escaped when a friend told him to watch the news. I think he is different than Dexter. What was the release date of "Star Wars: Secrets of the Rebellion": GILLES TETREAULT [police interview]: I was off balance, I couldn't run I fell down on the gravel driveway and, uh, basically crawling. Bill Clark: Ultimately Mark Twitchell drove around with it, according to the "SK Confessions" document. And Mark Twitchell's explaining, "Oh, no, that's my movie prop. 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. Det. 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. 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". He next tried to dump them into the river but was afraid of being seen. Det. They were interested in speaking with anyone who had worked on "House of Cards," where actor Chris Heward's character meets an untimely, bloody end in the film. I am a keen observer and an ardent reader. At the time, Renee was upset with her ex-husband's new wife. He also talked about some Star Wars fan fiction films hed made in the past, and how he was now funding his films through investors. He had no history of violence and was hardly a suspect. 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. As authorities began building their case, there was one crucial part of "SK Confessions" they wanted to verify about a victim who had survived. But it was Twitchell's Facebook page comparing himself to TV's fictional serial killer Dexter Morgan that really raised eyebrows.
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