filmmaking. Detective Bill Clark knew his next move was finding the alleged victim who had escaped from Mark Twitchell's garage. 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. Det. BILL CLARK [interviewing Twitchell]: I'm gonna go get the car ready. Det. Cowley believes Twitchell took pleasure in planning and executing his crimes as if they were romantic trysts. 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. Twitchells film was never released. Twitchell stated that he had caught up on everyDexterepisode that he missed since he was arrested and convicted. Ever. Steve Lillibuen: still is adamant that this was not a planned and deliberate murder and to be frank, he is wrong. Britsh actor Jeremy Tell me about that. Bill Clark[driving]: So, all these manhole covers were pulled off in this alley. And his friend even questioned him on the email. Gary Altinger: When I received that email And this e-mail was completely out of character. The document was retrieved from Marks laptop despite being deleted. Maybe Mark Twitchell wanted to kill like Dexter, and maybe he didnt. So how did this young Canadian filmmaker end up accused of horrific acts? Detective Clark hoped Twitchell would provide the final chapter. She graduated from Oberlin College, where she earned a double degree in American History and French. After cursorily shoving aside my human sensibilities, I dealt with his remains in a disrespectful manner that traumatized me forever.". DET. This is what happened to me. Dexter, which they say Mr. Twitchell idolized on his Facebook page. Steve Lillibuen: Mark Twitchell wrote to me quite extensively about his interest in "Dexter.". He's not gonna admit to anything. ", "SK CONFESSIONS" PASSAGE: "I plunged the knife deep into his neck ", Det. Lourdes Aguiar and Anthony Venditti are also producers. Police allege that around Oct. 10, Mr. Altinger was lured to a south-side residential garage for a blind date arranged online. Chris Heward: My character was killed with a samurai sword. This story is based on true events, Mark Twitchell wrote. Det. Det. DET. Joan Adelman and Michelle Harris are the editors. On October 31, 2008, Mark Twitchell was charged with the first degree murder. Det. However, he abandoned his right to appeal in 2012. Steve Lillebuen exchanged dozens letters with Mark Twitchell during a three-year period. He next tried to dump them into the river but was afraid of being seen. If you want to delve into more details, watch the CBS 48 Hours Season 34 Episode 38: The Dexter Killer here. 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. DET. In 2023, Twitchell will be eligible to apply for early parole. Lillibuen said: "He wrote me probably 30 or 35 different letters - up to about 350 pages like an entire book worth. Writing gives me a sense of freedom and independence. 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. 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. His interest in the show was raised numerous times during his trial. The only witness the defense called was Mark Twitchell and he had one unbelievable tale to tell. Julia Cowley: Mark Twitchell cannot be rehabilitated. What's Mark Twitchell's psyche? And in a strange twist, Twitchell's been able to feed that obsession too. The names and events were altered slightly to protect the guilty. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Gary Altinger: Not a message, nothing. He was sentenced to 25 years to life. Dont worry about neighbors thinking youre a burglar.. 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. Twitchell even posed as Dexter Morgan on Facebook. It's really freaky too And as soon as they called me on the phone I got this weird chill. Twitchell had attempted to lure another victim to his kill room earlier that month. Mark Twitchell tells investigators that he had bought a red Mazda off a stranger for $40 and that it was parked at a friend's house. Twitchell, 31, is on trial for first-degree murder in Altingers death. Mark Twitchell, The 'Dexter Killer' Inspired To Murder By Investigators say Twitchell was obsessed with the fictional serial killer at the center of the TV series "Dexter.". View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. Twitchell began writing to Lillibuen before he was even convicted in 2011. Voluntarily, the amateur filmmaker came down to the Edmonton Police Station to speak with detectives. That profile had caught the attention of a woman named Renee from Cleveland, Ohio. Bill Clark: Gilles Tetreault was online on the plentyoffish.com website Which is a dating site. The once talkative movie director barely uttered a line. 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. I believe the victim entered the garage and was attacked by another male who was wearing a hockey mask . Steve Lillibuen, a college professor and an investigative journalist, was covering the trial for the Edmonton Journal and went on to write a book, "The Devil's Cinema," about the case. Troy Roberts: These weren't ramblings of a crazy man. Twitchell started running a dating website Plenty of Fish in 2008 and that is when the real trouble started. ", "The Dexter Killer:" Inside the mind of a murderer. That's when he grabbed my legs and started pulling me back to the garage. In June 2010, as Mark Twitchell prepared to take the stand at his trial and argue that he had "accidentally" killed Johnny Altinger in self-defense, he decided to finally disclose the location of Altinger's body. They divorced within 4 years. But he claimed Altinger became enraged at being tricked, and he accidentally killed him in self-defense. 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. And I've been cleaning it up over the last couple weeks ", Det. GILLES TETREAULT [police interview]: After this all happened, I realized how lucky I was. We don't know if foul play's happened here. And a few miles away, detectives had been at the Twitchell home where they found Jess Twitchell Mark's unsuspecting wife of two years. When not at work, you can find me at the stable. In 2007, Twitchell directedStar Wars: Secrets Of The Rebellion, a full-length fan film prequel to Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. 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. 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. I just remember reading it all and just was fascinated by this document going, "Holy mackerel.". 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. 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. He lunged at his assailant and grabbed his weapon then realized that he was holding a plastic gun. "I crossed the line and I did something and I liked it". 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. Det. We could see what looked like pieces of human torso down there. But police had found a helpful clue during the search of Twitchell's home. And I'm going away with her to Costa Rica and I'll call you at Christmastime.". Mark Twitchell is a real-life killer inspired by the fictional character Dexter Morgan. Bill Clark: They learned, of course, the garage is rented out to an individual named Mark Twitchell. And there's this huge revelation about "Oh yeah, I bought a red car off a guy." Born on July 4, 1979, Mark Andrew Twitchell grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. After a brief scuffle, Tetreault was able to overpower his attacker and escape from the garage. Star Wars - Secrets of the Rebellion. Det. Mark was born in Edmonton, Alberta and always dreamt of making blockbuster films. Gilles Tetreault: I wasn't really afraid of him at that time. They found Mark Twitchell guilty of first-degree murder, and he was sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in prison. The short film featured a killer luring men to a garage and murdering them. News of the arrest shocked friends and family of both the accused and the victim. Mark is often referred to as the Dexter Killer because of his fond love and personal identification with the lead character, Dexter Morgan. Bill Clark: Well, John's friends were concerned. 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. After cursorily shoving aside my human sensibilities, I dealt with his remains in a disrespectful manner that traumatized me forever.". I mean, she was emotional. Police soon discovered that the Twitchell marriage was already fractured. The 29-year-old Canadian man had a wife and a young daughter, and aspirations of becoming a filmmaker. / CBS News. 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. Altinger also informed his friends that he is going to meet this woman with whom hed been chatting. According to "SK Confessions," the killer then broke into Altinger's apartment and sent out those emails about taking an exotic vacation. 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 movie interview]: "The word has gotten around The detached garage had been rented by Mr. Twitchell and had been used by him recently to shoot a short, low-budget movie about a man who is lured online to a garage, trussed up and tortured for his computer passwords, then hacked to bits. It's a rare look inside the mind of a killer. He graduated from a radio and television program at the Twitchell even ran a Facebook page where he wrote about the episodes from Dexters point of view. It was a story without an ending. When Tetreault got home, he discovered the profile on the dating site had been deleted. living in the Midwest before returning to Canada to pursue a career in 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?". Twitchell stabbed and bludgeoned his victim before cutting him up and partially burning the body. No root cause If I really were capable of premeditated murder Normal, healthy, well-adjusted 30-year-old men I once heard the legend of another worthy victim I dealt with his remains in a disrespectful manner that traumatized me forever psychopathic serial killer I quickly grew to resent and hate this man. Mark Twitchell is serving a life sentence for killing Johnny Altinger in 2008. Mark Twitchell was an Edmonton native who wanted to become a filmmaker. Renee was intrigued. 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. Stars Wars stuff all over the unit, but hey, whatever people collect, they collect.". Mark Twitchell worked with a tight-knit group of guys on various film projects. 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. You know, we had a lot in common. Mark directed Star Wars: Secrets of the Rebellion (2007), a full-length fan film prequel which was set a few days before Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Det. She thinks she knows what made Twitchell tick. 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 GILLES TETREAULT [police interview]: I was off balance, I couldn't run I fell down on the gravel driveway and, uh, basically crawling. 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. Moreover, he wore a hockey mask when he attacked his two victims. DETECTIVE: And we end up going to that garage because of a missing person who supposedly went there. Twitchell appeared to be eager to help. ", Renee: He said over the weekend he did something, and he liked it. Julia Cowley: And while he's technically not a serial killer he was headed in that direction if they hadn't have caught him. Gilles Tetreault was at home oblivious to the horror he had escaped when a friend told him to watch the news. Det. DET. Twitchell wrote numerous letters to the journalist, with Lillibuen telling CBS Newsthat he found themurderer of Johnny Altingerto be very responsive to letter writing. Chris Heward: "How much of the blood splatter on the wall was from your filming?" Troy Roberts [outside Twitchell's garage]: What was the most damning piece of evidence that you discovered? Det. In 2007, Twitchell directedStar Wars: Secrets Of The Rebellion, a full-length fan film prequel to Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. This is who he is. Bill Clark: They have a look around and they see somewhat looks like blood. 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. Gary Altinger: I've met a woman named Jen. He worked as a Canadian filmmaker and was convicted of first-degree murder in April 2011. June 10th actually. Troy Roberts [watching interrogation video]: You didn't get much of a reaction, did you? Heward left the garage film set unharmed but rattled. The man who was tricked into that very bad date in Twitchell's garage, Gilles Tetreault, continues to be haunted by the experience. Tetreault decided he wasn't waiting to find out. Police believed "SK" was shorthand for "serial killer. The next year, Twitchell married an American woman and moved to Illinois. And since I was close to the lake, "You rent a boat and dump her out in the middle of Lake Erie. It was actually he was probably going to kill me. Get this over with? But we figured it was something the first victim would key on. 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. Wow, yeah, this is this is the guy. Mark Twitchell was nothing like author Steve Lillibuen expected. Steve Lillibuen: Which, you know, I find quite surprising considering that the way he ended up in prison I believe it's been taken down since then. Renee [reading email]: "There's an enormous missing person, possible homicide investigation going on centralized around a location I've rented for film work. Once you find out the whole story I knew at that point it was not just a mugging. Over the course of almost three years, they exchanged dozens of letters. Something goin' on here.". But as soon Tetreault arrived, someone attacked him from behind. You've got to do something.". But the question remains was Twitchell inspired to kill by the TV show? Gary Altinger: I just thought right away after I had read this, that's gotta be the weirdest message I've ever received. Why didn't I tell somebody where I am?". Twitchell's film has never been released. The garage had plastic sheets covering all the windows, a table with blood spatter, and cleaning supplies laid out. living in the Midwest before returning to Canada to pursue a career in Police say Twitchell was fascinated by the fictional character in the hit Showtime series "Dexter." Renee: And I wanted her dead, at the time. Renee: That he killed somebody.
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