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» babble   » current events   » national news   » Life imitates Art: filmmaker allegedly lures man, murders him, steals identity

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Author Topic: Life imitates Art: filmmaker allegedly lures man, murders him, steals identity
Catchfire
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4019

posted 03 November 2008 04:17 AM      Profile for Catchfire   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Accused killer Mark Twitchell was capable of pushing the boundaries as a filmmaker in an effort to capture realism on camera, says a woman he knew in Edmonton's movie industry.

"He was really into the theatrics of everything," the woman, who asked not to be named, said Sunday.

[...]

In the script for House of Cards, Twitchell wrote of a male killer who lured a man to his death on the pretence of a date with a woman.

[...]

Twitchell, 29, was charged Saturday with the first-degree murder of Johnny Brian Altinger in what police believe is a ghastly case of life imitating art.

The accused, who is a fan of the Dexter television show about a vigilante serial killer, will appear in court Monday.

Homicide detectives believe Altinger, who worked in pipeline quality control, showed up Oct. 10 at a garage where Twitchell made his movies. They said he was lured there on the promise of a date with a girl he had set up on the Internet.

It was the last day anyone saw Altinger, police said.

They seized a script written by Twitchell that detailed a plot similar to what they believe happened to the missing man. In the script for House of Cards, Twitchell wrote of a male killer who lured a man to his death on the pretence of a date with a woman.

[...]

In the script police seized, the masked killer forced his victim to reveal personal login information to Internet networking sites.

Lyla Amery received an e-mail sent to a lot of Altinger's friends after his disappearance. It bragged of a sudden trip to Costa Rica with a new woman.

"Johnny's not the type of person to just up and take off. You can set your watch by him," Amery said.

Investigators believe someone other than Altinger logged into his online accounts and sent messages in his name.

[...]

Forensic psychologist Liam Ennis called the case "fascinating."

Most murders are impulsive acts, often committed while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. But in this case, a lot of forethought and planning would have been required to execute such an apparently elaborate scheme as police suggest.

"Across the board, what is described to have taken place is extremely rare," said Ennis.

The allegations of luring the victim via the Internet, eliciting personal information from him and then using it to send e-mails to his friends after he was killed are so unusual, they can't be compared to other cases, he said.

When he read the article in the Journal this weekend, Ennis immediately called a colleague and advised him to look at the story because it was so incredible.

"I don't know what to say," Ennis added. "I'm keeping my fingers crossed that someone asks me to be involved in this case."


Script predicted Edmonton Killing


From: On the heather | Registered: Apr 2003  |  IP: Logged
remind
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 6289

posted 03 November 2008 03:13 PM      Profile for remind     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Wow, other closed already somebody is quick on the closing, and who'da thunk to look in culture for this unbelievable act?
From: "watching the tide roll away" | Registered: Jun 2004  |  IP: Logged
bigcitygal
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posted 03 November 2008 04:34 PM      Profile for bigcitygal     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
This doesn't belong in culture. To add to the confusion I'm moving it to national news.
From: It's difficult to work in a group when you're omnipotent - Q | Registered: Apr 2005  |  IP: Logged
Catchfire
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posted 04 November 2008 03:02 AM      Profile for Catchfire   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
I put this in culture because the alleged killer was a filmmaker and filming his crime (while wearing a custom-made hockey mask), because he was mimicking Dexter and because the wannabe-CSI forensics guy they interviewed would 'give anything' to be part of this case. And now, to add to the pop culture fascination of this case, the garage where the crimes allegedly took place has turned into a tourist attraction.
quote:
A residential garage gaining worldwide fame as the site of an alleged movie-inspired murder has become a drive-by shrine for the morbidly curious.

Rubberneckers in cars and on foot have been inching past the white detached structure in the city's south end since aspiring local filmmaker Mark Twitchell was arrested on Halloween and charged with first-degree murder.

"There are people going by looking in. They're going quite slow," said Lynda Warren, who lives next door to the double-car structure surrounded by junk, a fallen fence and, now, criss-crossed yellow police tape.


In my opinion, the only reason this story has interest at all is because of its cultural impact--otherwise, it's just murder. But I suppose we all make our own assumptions as to what the forums 'stand for'.


From: On the heather | Registered: Apr 2003  |  IP: Logged
bigcitygal
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posted 04 November 2008 03:56 AM      Profile for bigcitygal     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Catchfire: In my opinion, the only reason this story has interest at all is because of its cultural impact--otherwise, it's just murder. But I suppose we all make our own assumptions as to what the forums 'stand for'.

The only reason this story is in the news is because of the profession of the alleged murderer. We have many babblers who regularly post "weird" and "bizarre" news stories, and they all belong in national news, if they happened in Canada.

Catchfire, if you had framed your OP to invite comments and discussion specifically on the profession of the accused, and indicated you were interested in a larger discussion of our North American cult of gratuitous violence, particularly in film, it would fit more appropriately in the culture forum. Or body and soul for that matter.


From: It's difficult to work in a group when you're omnipotent - Q | Registered: Apr 2005  |  IP: Logged
Catchfire
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posted 04 November 2008 04:05 AM      Profile for Catchfire   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Oh, bcg, I'm not criticizing the move at all--if anything, the fact that remind started it in nn and you moved it just means that I'm the odd one out here, operating in my own cultural bubble, which is basically how I move through life in general. I was referring to myself with the 'scare quotes'. I was trying--weakly--to frame it with the quotes I selected, and with the lame 'art imitates life' subtitle.

Anyway, it's a weird--and grisly--story. There's a quote from the CTV story that remind linked to yesterday that's not in mine, even though they're both from the same feed:

quote:
While Altinger's body has not been found, Anstey said the investigation by Edmonton police has produced "enough evidence" to determine that he is deceased.

That is f'n creepy.

ETA: Cripes. Sorry, bcg, I didn't realize that there was another thread open discussing why this thread was moved--I would have explained myself there so that this didn't sound like I was criticizing the move. I guess I'll go over there now and talk. Unless I feel like opening a new thread in the Alberta, SK and BC forum to get the local perspective...

[ 04 November 2008: Message edited by: Catchfire ]


From: On the heather | Registered: Apr 2003  |  IP: Logged
bigcitygal
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posted 04 November 2008 04:09 AM      Profile for bigcitygal     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Yes, the creepiness, ugliness and grossness of this story is agreed upon by all.

Fyi, others do not agree with my decision to move the thread, see the discussion here.


From: It's difficult to work in a group when you're omnipotent - Q | Registered: Apr 2005  |  IP: Logged
remind
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 6289

posted 04 November 2008 09:17 AM      Profile for remind     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by Catchfire:
While Altinger's body has not been found, Anstey said the investigation by Edmonton police has produced "enough evidence" to determine that he is deceased.

That is f'n creepy.


Yes, on last nights Edmonton news feed, they covered a bit of what was found. I.e. blood, tissue, and "perhaps" body parts, along with "perhaps" semen of the accused mingled with said evidence. The police were asked what was found, and they answered that it could be some or all of these things.

Of note, Mark Twitchell and his wife were separated, and living apart when this occured. Which makes one wonder if she knew there were some serious problems going on with him.

Moreover, the second man, or rather the first man, whom Mark Twitchell allegedly tried this on, has come forward. As well as witnesses who saw him being chased by someone in a gold painted hockey mask. This first event happened 7 days prior to when this allegedly occured with Altinger. And Twitchell had received a electronic stun gun from the USA in the mail.


From: "watching the tide roll away" | Registered: Jun 2004  |  IP: Logged

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