Casefile True Crime - Case 126: Johnny Altinger

Episode Date: October 5, 2019

After 38-year-old Johnny Altinger goes on a date with a woman he met online, his friends start receiving strange emails. Things appear to have gone so well that Johnny decided to join the woman on an impromptu trip to Costa Rica. He even sends a resignation letter to his work, indicating that he has no immediate plans to return to Canada. --- Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode researched and written by Eileen Ormsby Creative Director: Milly Raso For all credits and sources please visit casefilepodcast.com/case-126-johnny-altinger

A splash of fresh water will reach the depths of your heart. Those mighty blue waves can propel you forward or they can calm and soothe. Coast to Michigan coast. Simply feel the flow in the moment. And let those vast lakes, rivers and streams create everlasting memories. Jump right in and let fresh wash over you in Pure Michigan. Keep it fresh at Michigan.org. On the night of Friday, October 3, 2008, Canadian couple Trevor and Marissa were out walking their dog in the quiet suburban district of Mill Woods in Edmonton South.

Suddenly, a young, dark-haired man staggered into their path from the direction of a nearby alleyway. He was hunched over, his shirt was torn, and he had a large welt on his sweaty face. He collapsed and rolled around in what the couple thought was an overly theatrical manner, then stood up and screamed, There's a guy attacking me, he's mugging me, please help me. He cried out, that's the guy, as a second hooded man wearing a black hockey mask with gold markings emerged from the alleyway. The man tapped his mask as though to adjust it, then slipped behind a fence. He peered over the top and called out to the injured man, come on Frank, come back. Though he sounded a lot harder than friendly, Trevor and Marissa felt uneasy.

Suspecting this scenario was a setup to mug them, the couple hurried away as the dishevelled stranger cried out, Can you at least help me get to my car? Trevor wanted to help, but couldn't shake his suspicion that it was a trap. He and Marissa rushed home where they called the police. Officers were dispatched to the alleyway, but the two men were gone and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. They monitored the situation over the coming days, but received a note word from the alleged victim, or further sightings of the assailant in the hockey mask. 38-year-old Johnny Altinger lived alone in his small apartment in Edmonton,

where he was employed as a pipeline worker for oil-filled equipment manufacturer Argus Machine. His night shifts were spent in quality control, a job he neither loved nor hated, but which gave him satisfaction. Although they lived in different cities, he remained close with both his mother, Alfreda, and his older brother, Gary, and had a close-knit group of friends, some of whom stretched back to grade school. They described Johnny as good-natured, light-hearted, generous, thoughtful, quiet, and affectionate, with an optimistic outlook that he used to help others adopt a more positive attitude in their own lives. Johnny had a number of hobbies, but the two that drew most of his attention were motorbikes and computers. He owned two bikes, a Honda 500cc and a Yamaha 1200cc sport touring bike.

His free time was spent going on rides, playing paintball, dabbling in new-age spirituality, and enjoying the music of Elton John. At age 12, Johnny begged his mother to buy him a Commodore 64, an 8-bit home computer, sparking what would become a lifelong passion. From then on, he was an early adopter of computing tech, constantly upgrading his systems through the various hardware and software iterations. He was always willing to help out his less tech-savvy friends and family, with his brother Gary Ultinger stating, Countless times he would sacrifice his own responsibilities to rescue me by word-processing term papers, essays, and other important assignments while I was attending university. I owe much of my academic success to John. Johnny made many online friends who eventually became his friends in real life too, and by his 30s he was participating in online dating. He joined the two most popular free sites at the time, Plenty of Fish and Lava Life, and went on several dates of varying success, while remaining optimistic that he'd find his perfect match someday.

On Plenty of Fish, Johnny connected with a 35-year-old woman named Jen, who sought fun times. Her profile pictures depicted an attractive woman in a bikini, although Johnny was aware that photos could be misleading. Banta between the pair indicated they were a good match, and they organised the date for the night of Friday, October 10, 2008. Jen didn't provide a street address for their meet-up, instead giving precise, turn-by-turn directions to a set location a 10-minute drive away from Johnny's apartment. She had written, Although this sounds exciting, I have to make sure you're not some kind of weirdo, and so far you seem to be fairly well put together, but anyone can lie online. Jen instructed Johnny to park in the driveway that looks like a forest, and sneak through a partially open garage door, making sure to press a button to close it behind him. She explained that a blanket would be spread out on the floor, as a friend was using the space as a workshop that weekend.

By following her directions, Jen would be able to see Johnny before letting him into the house. Quote, Maybe this is paranoid on my part, but I have to look after myself. My first instincts about people are never wrong, and I know to trust them. I want to play very much, but I have to be cautious, as I'm sure you can understand. If you're okay with this, let me know. If not, we'll have to miss each other. On a lighter note though, if we really get on, you said you had four days off. How long can I keep you for if I choose?

Maybe you should pack for a few days. Shortly before he left for his date, Johnny phoned his longtime trusted friend, Dale Smith. Dale thought the messages from Jen were suspicious, and joked that Johnny should call him once he got there to let him know he was safe. When Johnny arrived at the garage a short time later, he was met by a friendly and jovial man who explained he was using the location to direct films. He showed Johnny around the set where he was currently making a movie about a serial killer and let him hold a fake gun that was among various prop weapons on a metal table. The man told Johnny that Jen had been held up in traffic and didn't know what time she would be back. Disappointed, Johnny headed home and called Dale, recounting the failed date in his typical light-hearted manner. Shortly after Johnny hung up, Dale received an email message from his friend that read,

She's home now, I'm heading over again. Eager to hear the outcome of the date, Dale left numerous messages for Johnny on voicemail and text, but he didn't respond to any. Dale hoped that it had gone better than expected, and his friend just didn't have time to reply. By Sunday, his enthusiasm turned to concern when Johnny failed to meet for a scheduled motorbike lesson. Friends often quipped that Johnny was so reliable you could set your watch by him, and it was completely out of character for him to simply not show up without explanation. On Monday morning, Dale finally received an email from Johnny that read, I've met an extraordinary woman named Jen who was offered to take me on a nice long tropical vacation.

We'll be staying in her winter home in Costa Rica, phone number to follow soon. I won't be in town until December 10, but I will be checking my email periodically. Dale was stunned. Johnny would never skip work to take an impromptu holiday, and he didn't like warm destinations, once returning from a trip to Hawaii complaining of the heat. Dale knew if Johnny was truly leaving, it would take a few minutes to call, if only to ask Dale to store his beloved motorbikes. Furthermore, Johnny never signed off emails with his name,

preferring to finish with a wisecrack about his friend. Believing Johnny did not author the message, Dale tested the sender by responding with a query, asking who would pick up Johnny's brother from the airport when he came to visit. Gary wasn't actually coming, and Johnny would know this, but Dale didn't get a reply. Other friends had also received the abrupt farewell email from Johnny, each replied asking him to get in touch, but none heard back. Like Dale, one was suspicious as to who had sent the email, as Johnny usually called her sunshine, and the message was missing his telltale signs,

including the joke or smiley face he ended their correspondence with. That same day, an update appeared on Johnny's Facebook page that read, Johnny is taking off to the Caribbean for a few months, see you all when I get back. His relationship status was also changed to, in a relationship. That evening, Johnny's boss received an email from him that read, Greetings, while I've certainly enjoyed my time at Argus, I have another offer that is just too good to pass up. So this is my notice that I will no longer be continuing my employment with your fine organization. I thank you for the opportunity, and rest assured, I would not be leaving

unless this new path I've chosen was truly life altering. Thank you, John Oltinger. There was no further contact from Johnny over the following days. His boss wrote back to him, John, there are many rumors floating around about what you have run off to do. All I need to know is where to forward your last check. Good luck in your endeavors, wherever they may be. Johnny ignored the message, and his $1,500 final paycheck went uncollected.

Meanwhile, his MSN messenger status changed too, I've got a one-way ticket to heaven, and I'm never coming back. And his Facebook page was updated once more to say, Johnny's wondering why anyone would leave son and surf to come home to snow and stress. Carrie Lynn Sousa was the wife of one of Johnny's friends. Although she had never met him, she decided to reach out to Johnny over Facebook in an effort to assist his friends. In a private message, she wrote,

Hi John, please respond as soon as you get this, or at least call Dale. Everyone is concerned for you. Thanks, Carrie Lynn. Surprisingly, she received a prompt reply that read, No need to be worried, I'm on vacation and loving it. The internet is much easier to use than phones due to terrible reception and cost. I just need to get away for a while, and I'm with someone wonderful. I'll try to get in touch with Dale as soon as possible,

but in the meantime, let him know I'm having the time of my life. Carrie Lynn provided Johnny with a call collect phone number he could reach Dale on, and told him to ring by 6.30pm, or they would be following up with Edmonton City Police. When the call never came, the police were alerted, but they weren't overly concerned. They accepted Johnny's explanation that he had gone on holiday with a woman he had met online. Unconvinced, Johnny's friends decided to break into his apartment to search for clues. They arrived at Johnny's four-story condo, where his motorcycle sat uncovered in the outdoor parking lot of the complex. His red Mazda 323 was missing.

They broke a window to gain access to Johnny's apartment, finding dirty dishes in the sink, a paintball gun resting on his unmade bed, an open CD case on the white leather couch in the lounge room. His motorcycle jacket hung over the back of a kitchen chair and his helmet on the table. The mess itself wasn't unusual, as Johnny was known to tidy up when he expected guests. Yet, the overall state of the apartment did not correlate with a person who had gone on holiday for an extended period of time. Johnny's laptop was missing, and strangely, so was his printer. In a surprise discovery, a desk drawer contained his passport, confirming he could not have gone to Costa Rica. The group returned to the Edmonton Police with the evidence they had gathered.

Realizing the circumstances of his alleged departure didn't add up, police opened a missing persons file for Johnny Ultinger on Friday, October 17, 2008, one week after his last confirmed communications. A search for his car at the airport came up dry, and his name was absent from the passenger lists of all departing international flights. The detailed instructions Jen emailed Johnny for their first date provided the strongest lead. Detective Bill Clark was surprised to learn that Johnny had forwarded the instructions to two friends before going out, including Dale Smith, who recalled his friend saying something like, If anything happens to me, you'll know where to look. There were constant warnings to women on dating sites to exercise caution and to let someone know where they were going, but it was far less common for men to do so.

The directions led detectives to a garage in a laneway in the residential area of Mill Woods in the city's southeast. They arrived close to midnight, finding the building locked with a combination padlock. The windows were covered up, but one constable peaked through a small hole and could see a light on inside. There didn't appear to be anyone in there, and the interior was clean. They knocked on the door to their joining house, but there was no answer. An application for a search warrant was denied, as there was no evidence a crime had been committed. However, police inquiries led to Kirkside Real Estate, who confirmed the garage had been leased to Mark Twitchell, an independent filmmaker. On the evening of Saturday, October 18, police called Mark and told him there was a problem with the garage he was renting.

The director readily agreed to come and open it up. At around 11.30pm, a maroon-coloured Pontiac Grand AM sedan pulled up outside the garage and Mark Twitchell emerged. He was agitated as he had to pull over twice while on his way over to answer calls from Kirkside Real Estate, from which he surmised that someone had been using the garage without his knowledge and left the lights on. As Mark went to let the police into the building, he expressed surprise at the padlock on the door, explaining it was different from the one he'd been using. His combination padlock was silver on the outside with a black plastic dial in the centre, but this one was pure metal. Mark said he didn't know the combination and allowed officers to break it off.

Mark explained that he rented the garage for $175 a month. The residential space was rented to temporary foreign workers while someone else lived in the basement. Mark didn't have any contact with the other people in the building. As they entered the garage, a strong smell lingered inside indicating something had recently been burned in there. The odor emanated from an oil drum in one corner that had scorch marks and contained charred remains. Mark said he ordered the barrel to use as a garbage can and it had not been scorched when he had last seen it. He also noted that several things were out of place. Most of his roll of duct tape had been used, all his garbage bags were gone and an unopened bottle of cleaner was now half empty.

All the windows were covered from the inside and when the roller doors were closed it was impossible to see in. Mark explained that in late September he had filmed a scene for his short psychological thriller about a serial killer titled House of Cards. As it occurred at night time, he had to block out the daylight that poured into the building. There were a few red spatters about the garage, which Mark clarified were remnants of fake blood. The attending officers decided to call their staff sergeant and while waiting, Mark Twitchell chatted with Constable Christopher Maxwell in a police car preparing his written statement. There was a pleasant conversation, mostly centred on Mark's billmaking and interest in the Star Wars movie franchise. When asked if he would be willing to come back to the station to answer some questions, Mark agreed. It was around 3.30am when Detective Mike Tabla interviewed Mark Twitchell.

He was forthcoming and helpful, though seemed more interested in talking about his film career. He shared how he'd lined up A-list actors and the co-producer who worked on the 2001 Heist film Ocean's 11 for an upcoming comedy and discussed his plans to submit House of Cards to festivals or pitch it to investors in the hopes they would fund a feature-length version or television series. He described the scene in the garage, detailing how the production crew had made large quantities of fake blood using corn syrup and food dye, creating a realistic but messy result. Detective Tabla pointed out the coincidence that Mark was filming a serial killer movie in the very place a man had disappeared from. Mark agreed, stating, I got this weird chill because it just doesn't sit right, so the first thing I start asking myself is, who knows about what we do there and what our schedule looks like. Mark provided a list of people who had worked on House of Cards and others who had accessed the garage.

He said the last time he had been there was Friday, October 10, the day Johnny Altinger's friends last confirmed contact with the missing man. When asked if he knew of someone called Johnny Altinger, Mark was certain he had never heard the name. The detective provided details about Johnny's last known activity and how he had gone to the garage to meet Jen, but instead encountered a man working on a film. Mark appeared baffled, claiming not to know anybody by the name of Jen. A rudimentary background check revealed that Mark Twitchell came from a good home and had no history of violence or criminality, although there was an old bankruptcy that would soon be discharged. After the lengthy interview, Mark was released with instructions to contact police if he recalled anything that may assist in their search for Johnny Altinger. The next day, Detective Tabla received a three-page email from Mark Twitchell, in which he recalled several strange occurrences he believed might be related to their investigation. Weeks earlier, Mark's car was broken into while he was at a show with a friend named Joss, who had worked odd production jobs on House of Cards and designed the film's website.

The offender stole Mark's sunglasses, the loose cash kept in the cup holder, and a bunch of receipts. One was for financial services company Western Union and featured Mark's residential address, while two others related to the garage and listed its address. Then, on the night of Sunday, October 12, Mark returned home after visiting his in-laws to find the front door to his home unlocked. He didn't notice anything missing or any signs of an intruder and chalked it up to paranoia and fatigue. On Wednesday, October 15, Mark had just driven to a petrol station to fill up a jerry can and had pulled over to answer a call when a stranger tapped on his window. The Caucasian man was around 6 feet 2 inches tall, medium-built, with black mid-length hair. Mark rolled down his window and the man asked if he'd like to buy his car, a red Mazda 323, as he was set to receive a brand new BMW from a sugar mama he had hooked up with. The man wanted to get rid of his Mazda before taking off on an all-expenses paid vacation and offered to sell it to Mark for whatever cash he had on him.

Mark replied that he only had $40 and was surprised when the man accepted the small payment. Although suspicious, Mark permitted the man to follow him to the garage. He described in the email to Detective Tabla, quote, He's even killed disposition all but disappeared when we got to the garage and I was getting a weird vibe from him. The man was obviously keen to get going, handing Mark the Mazda's keys, registration and insurance before taking off. Mark quickly realized the car had a manual transmission, which he didn't know how to operate, and had his friend Joss collect the Mazda and store it. Mark finished up his email, writing, I don't mind saying this is all seriously stressing me out.

Identity theft is the first concern. My home being compromised is now another one, and we're strongly considering getting an active security system installed next week. I feel violated and angry that anyone was ruining around in my personal stuff without my knowledge, and now I'm greatly worried that they likely know where I live. My car has a distinctive appearance and an easily identifiable custom plate, and I'm wondering if this fellow who pawned the car off on me had seen mine before and might have been waiting for me or following me. I just don't know anymore. He could have been the person who broke into my car as well. There's a hundred different scenarios rushing through my head right now, and I'm not a fan of any of them. Detective Tabla shared Mark's email with his colleagues.

The odd stories only served to heighten their suspicions and take a closer look at the director. 29-year-old Mark Twitchell lived with his wife, Joss, and their eight-month-old daughter in a home they had purchased the previous year. Joss had insisted on the move as shared loathe to their previous neighborhood and threatened that their marriage might not last should they remain there. Mark got a mortgage to secure a new split-level home with a white picket fence in the Riverside District of St. Albert. Joss was Mark's second wife. The couple had met through an online dating service and married in 2006. By 2008, their relationship was strained and they were sleeping in separate bedrooms. Joss was unhappy about Mark's filmmaking efforts, which took up a large amount of his time for little financial gain.

It was part of Mark's identity. He was a regular cosplayer dressing up in costumes as Wolverine, Predator, and nearly every major Star Wars character while attending sci-fi and fantasy conventions where he took photos with the stars of his favorite series. One particularly elaborate costume of the Transformer Bumblebee won him over $3,000 in prizes for Radio Halloween Contests. He later sold it for a substantial amount. But his obsession came at the expense of his family, so Joss insisted they start attending couples therapy. Mark also agreed to weekly one-on-one sessions with a psychiatrist, and it seemed as though they were working. Despite their problems, Mark regarded Joss as a wonderful mother to their daughter, whom he believed was exceptionally adorable. On Monday, October 20, Mark Twitchell visited the Edmonton Police Service headquarters for a second interview.

It was performed by the forces star interrogator Bill Clark, known as the Pip Bull, a 30-year veteran detective skilled in the old-school style of grilling suspects. Mark acknowledged his legal right to have a lawyer present, but deemed it unnecessary. Every facet of Mark's story was probed, including his encounter with the unknown man who sold him a Mazda 323 for $40. He recalled the seller had a Celtic knot tattooed on his neck about three inches in diameter. The Mazda was later located in the possession of Mark's friend and crew member Joss, and confirmed to be Johnny Ultinger's vehicle. Detective Clark switched gear and changed his line of questioning, narrowing his focus on Johnny Ultinger. He pressed Mark, asking him questions like, What do you think happened? Do you think somebody has done something to harm him? Do you think he's really missing?

Mark's response to which was that he didn't know. When asked, How do you think the results of this investigation are going to come out on you? He replied, Well, positively, I would think. I've been trying to tell you guys everything that I know. The bombardment of questions continued, leading into the possibility Johnny had met with foul play and Mark's opinions of the person who would carry out such a crime. Mark believed the perpetrator should go to prison with no mercy. When asked point blank if he had any involvement in Johnny's disappearance, Mark responded, No. Detective Clark continued to apply pressure, but Mark remained firm. After a short break at the interrogation's two and a half hour point, Detective Clark explicitly accused Mark of being involved,

stating that detectives had since spoken with residents in Mill Woods, who reported seeing Mark changed the lock on the garage a week and a half earlier. Furthermore, the oil drum he had purchased to use at the site as a garbage can was known in the industry as a burn barrel and contained the charred remnants of a pair of eyeglasses which Johnny was known to wear. Mark appeared rattled, but continued to deny the allegations and eventually asked if he was free to go. With no hard evidence, Detective Clark was forced to release Mark, who shrugged and nodded when told his car was being seized as part of a search warrant. Detective Clark told him, It's gonna eat at you. If you're a normal person, it's gonna eat at you. Mark replied, You'd be surprised what I can live with. After his interrogation, Mark Twitchell finally engaged the services of a lawyer. The following day, police were granted permission to search his home and vehicle.

In Mark's Pontiac, they found a half empty jerrycan of petrol and a Toshiba brand laptop covered in Spider-Man stickers, which appeared to be stained with blood. Similar staining was discovered on the upholstery in the trunk and on an 8-inch long hunting knife. There were cryptic instructions written on post-it notes such as, ship phone wallets on, return address of victim, destroy wallet contents, and kill room clean sweep. And roughly drawn maps, with one marking a path from Mark's home district of St. Albert to the crossroads near Johnny Yoltinger's apartment. In the back seat was a paperback from author Jeff Lindsey's darkly dreaming Dexter book series, which depicts the fictitious double life of Dexter Morgan. In his daily life, Dexter maintained a normal facade as a forensic blood spatter analyst. Privately, he was a vengeful serial killer who targeted individuals that were harmful to society.

He went to great lengths to conceal his crimes, restraining his victims and dismembering their bodies in rooms covered in plastic before dumping their remains at sea. Luminol used throughout the Mills Wood garage exposed a large patch on the floor and several spatters on the wall. Similar spots were found on an open bottle of ammonia that Mark had purchased but denied using, as well as several other incriminating items, including a long metal table, various knives, scissors, and saws, as well as a selection of butcher tools that were part of a heavy-duty carving kit, including knives, shears, forks, and a rib-spreading device. The coiled end of a metal pipe appeared to contain traces of blood and tissue. Detectives spoke with Mark's friends and associates, some of whom suggested the situation might be a publicity stunt to promote House of Cards, describing Mark as someone who would do anything to get noticed.

Others had received an email from Mark, discouraging them from speaking with police. With the evidence mounting against him, a covert surveillance team watched Mark 24-7 and calls to and from his cell phone were monitored. However, nothing in his behaviour aroused suspicion. Motives remained a mystery, as their prime suspect appeared to be an ordinary family man who had no history with or connection to Johnny Ultinger. Meanwhile, investigators searched police records from the Mills Woods area and its surrounds for anything that could be connected to their case. They learned of a peculiar report made earlier that month on Friday, October 3, wherein a couple witnessed a man referred to as Frank, being accosted by an individual sporting a hockey mask. Investigators working the Ultinger case considered the possibility the couple had encountered Johnny, but the incident occurred a week before his date with Jan. The laptop found in Mark Twitchell's car was examined, with experts recovering a deleted text file titled SK Confessions.

The 45-page document read like a personal diary and began with the following disclaimer. This story is based on true events. The names and events were altered slightly to protect the guilty. This is the story of my progression into becoming a serial killer. The author explained that his inability to feel empathy had made him an expert at lying and deception. By age 30, he fantasised about being a serial killer who not only got away with murder, but profited financially from his crimes. He initially planned to prey on married men who were seeking to have affairs, stating, In one way, I'd be taking out the trash, doling out justice to those who on some level deserved what they got. But after analysing the risks, he decided to instead target single men in their 30s looking for love, as he believed they would have expendable income and be easily seduced.

Moreover, as these men typically lived alone, their disappearances wouldn't be detected immediately. The author researched and planned each step methodically. He wanted his murder weapon to be simple, elegant and beautiful, and chose a well-crafted hunting knife with an 8-inch blade that he found at a military surplus store. A hunter's game processing kit containing tools designed to butcher large animal carcasses provided him a clean way to dismember bodies. He described finding the perfect location to carry out his crimes. A quote, double-detached garage for rent in the south of the city, tucked away in a quiet neighbourhood on a lot with a house occupied by tenants who couldn't even read English, much less speak it. Once his so-called little workshop of horrors was ready, the killer crafted online dating profiles to procure victims, first downloading an IP blocker so nothing could be traced back to him. He decided to carry out his murders on Fridays when he was supposed to be at a psychiatrist appointment, ensuring his wife would be none the wiser.

Quote, Just not in the way she quite expected. The weekend also provided him time to clean and ensured his victim's disappearance initially went unnoticed as, quote, Most people are not hard and fast expected to be anywhere on the weekend. The author's first victim was a man he referred to as Frank, whom he'd lured to the garage after masquerading as an attractive blonde woman online. His second victim, Jim, arrived while preparations were still underway, forcing the killer to get him to leave. Later that night, Jim messaged his date again, still interested in getting together. Now ready, the killer invited him back to the garage.

In the story, the killer received a call from his wife, Tess, just as he was finishing up dismembering his victim. He told his wife he was at the gym, but had to improvise when she pointed out that it closed an hour earlier, telling her he was at another gym in a different part of town. Investigators noted that the name Tess rhymed with the name of Mark Twitchell's wife. The story concluded with the killer using Jim's keys to access his apartment, which was described exactly like Johnny's. He took cash from a dresser and a few other items of interest, including a printer and a laptop. He was pleased to discover the device was still logged in to Jim's email and social media accounts. Quote, I couldn't have had an easier time.

I changed the auto response on his email to say he had decided to run away with the woman he hooked up with on Friday to go on a two month vacation to the Caribbean. Armed with this new evidence, detectives visited Mark Twitchell's home and confiscated a number of items, including several swords, a box for a stung baton, sales receipts for a butcher knife and handcuffs, an air pistol with baby blue pellets, and draft designs for a metal chair and table. A search of the basement office uncovered a black hockey mask featuring three gold stripes and a cut out chin. It was sitting on a pile of clothes near Mark's computer, which they also seized. There appeared to be blood stains on a pair of his jeans and a sweatshirt. There were also burned DVD copies of the second season of popular television series Dexter based on the darkly dreaming Dexter books. Mark Twitchell's wife, Jess, informed detectives that her husband was having an affair with an ex-girlfriend named Tracy, whom he'd met at college in 1997.

At the time, he had lied to Tracy about his age and background and convinced her to date him, even helping design her three inch Celtic cross tattoo. But she ended the relationship after uncovering his deception. The pair reconnected in the fall of 2008, with Mark concealing their daytime trists by telling his wife he was at work. Jess believed her husband was working through his issues during psychiatrist appointments on Friday evenings. But when she phoned Mark on the night of Friday, October 10, he claimed he was at a gym that she knew to be closed at the time. He clarified he was at their old gym, which stayed open later. She couldn't recall what time he returned home, but spent most of the following day with him, noting his mood was normal and he was, quote, easygoing, kind of relaxed. Jess revealed their marital problems began after a conversation in September, during which Mark revealed that he was unsure if he could feel empathy.

In an effort to understand, Jess told the story of a woman who mistakenly left her baby in the car, resulting in its death. As a mother herself, Jess expressed a great deal of empathy for the woman, but Mark felt nothing. This upset Jess, who suggested he go to therapy. Mark's apathy appeared to be an ongoing issue, as he's first married gendered with divorce papers, citing his extreme and repeated mental cruelty. A document on Mark Twitchell's computer titled, Profile of a Psychopath, appeared to be a self-evaluation against traits listed in the DSM-4, a manual used to help diagnose mental health disorders. In the document, Mark detailed his efforts to deceive those around him, including telling people he was at work when he was really spending his time in cafes. He had falsified documents to obtain a mortgage, which he paid off using money investors had supplied for his films. He described the psychological torture he had inflicted on his wives, manipulating them to believe his infidelity was all in their heads.

When Jess caught him logged into a dating website, Mark claimed he had been hired to write an article about it and set up an elaborate series of fake email correspondence, and even hired an actor to play the role of the article's editor in an attempt to maintain the ruse. Another document investigators downloaded from Mark's computer was the screenplay for House of Cards. It detailed the story of Roger, a family man lured to a garage under the guise of meeting a woman he had connected with on an infidelity dating website. Once there, he's confronted by a man, quote, dressed in a large black PVC apron with gloves and sporting a black street hockey mask with the yellow streaks across it painted to look like a bear claw scratch with the mouth cut out. Roger is then tortured, murdered and dismembered by the masked man. After the gory kill scene, the script cut to a suburban house in a twist ending that revealed the killer was a writer, quote.

He closes Microsoft Word and a website showing the inside workings of a female profile on a cheetah's dating site is the last thing to shut down. He puts the laptop into his carrying case and leans over to close a duffel bag containing gloves, a stun gun and a black mouthless hockey mask with yellow streaks on it. The screenplay's final line was, It's true when they say the best way to succeed is to write what you know. The actor who played the deranged murderer in Mark's short film was identified as Robert Barnsley, who told police he had fun on set and enjoyed playing a serial killer. Chris Hewitt played Roger and recalled feeling uneasy during filming due to the use of real weapons on set, including a stun baton, knives and a samurai sword. DNA swabs taken from Johnny Yeltinger's cutlery, cups, razors and nail clippers were compared with forensic evidence found on the various items belonging to Mark Twitchell, returning a match. On October 31, the director was arrested and charged with the first degree murder of Johnny Yeltinger.

Investigators believed SK Confessions and the House of Cardscript to be admissions of guilt, but because Mark could argue both were works of fiction, they needed to prove the events outlined had actually occurred. SK Confessions referred to a victim named Jim, who police were certain was Johnny Yeltinger, but had also told of the author's first victim, a man he called Frank. This name was also mentioned in the Mills Wood police report taken on Friday, October 3. Police suspected that Mark Twitchell might have other unidentified victims. This one is for you. We've teamed up with Airbnb to share more about how to be an Airbnb host because you could be sitting in the perfect Airbnb spot right now. If you have a spare bedroom, which also side note is such a fun way to meet new people from around the world, if you're hosting them, why not make some extra money off of it? Or if you're always traveling like I am, it's so easy to just Airbnb your whole place. I was out of town for four months out of the year last year with a vacant condo just sitting there not being used.

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He wrote, My kill room was perfectly prepped. Plastic sheeting taped together and around my table. A large green cloth screwed into the drywall ceiling to shield view of it from my guest's line of sight. And to shield me too, of course. I now stood but a few feet away from the front door which I had locked, of course. The plan was to wait in the shadow of my curtain until he approached the door and shock him with the stumb button followed by a sleeper hold that would sap away his consciousness so that I could tape him up and set him on my table. At the allotted time, Frank entered the garage through the half open roller door. Several pages recounted what happened next, an ensuing scuffle, the wounds the killer inflicted, how Frank managed to break free, and the killer's frustration when his victim flagged down a couple who didn't assist but provided an opportunity for him to escape. This retelling in SK Confessions and the matching statement provided by the couple who happened across the attack indicated that Frank was a real person.

In an effort to find him, investigators went public with the story. Newly separated at age 33, Gilles Tetro was looking for love when he joined plenty of fish. In September 2008, he encountered the profile of a user called Spiderwebs, an attractive girl next door blonde in her 30s who was new to Edmonton and wanted to meet people. Gilles sent her a message and she responded immediately, introducing herself as Sheena. She invited him on a date and the pair scheduled to meet on Friday, October 3 for dinner and a movie. Gilles agreed to pick Sheena up, although she wouldn't provide an address or phone number citing safety reasons. Instead, she gave directions to her home that he could access through the property's detached garage. Gilles didn't tell anyone about their arrangement, making his way to Sheena's Millwoods property as soon as he finished work on the appointed date.

He parked in front of the garage and headed inside, reaching a rear door that led out into the yard. As he touched its handle, someone grabbed him from behind and repeatedly struck his head with a blunt object. Assuming he was being mugged, Gilles turned to face his attacker, who was sporting a black hockey mask with gold markings. The assailant pressed the batten-type weapon against Gilles, causing electrical currents to surge through his body. The taser had little impact and Gilles managed to swipe it away, at which point the masked man pulled a gun from his pocket. He ordered Gilles to get on the ground and fasten to duct tape over his eyes when he obeyed. When Gilles heard a jingling sound similar to that of a belt buckle, he decided to fight back. He staggered to his feet, ripped the duct tape from his eyes and grabbed his assailant's gun, only to discover it was made of plastic.

Gilles scuffled with his attacker, who punched him in the head. Gilles managed to slip out of his jacket, freeing him from his attacker's grasp. He rolled under the garage door and tried to run, but his leg muscles were weak from the taser and he fell onto the gravel driveway. The attacker reached under the door, grabbed his legs, and started dragging Gilles back in. When he let go for a split second to duck beneath the door, Gilles stood and staggered down the alley towards a nearby walking path, where he encountered a couple walking their dog. Although his cries for help caused the couple to flee, Gilles was able to get to his car and escape. His adrenaline wore off on the drive home, so he pulled over and passed out. When he came to 15 minutes later, he continued home where he treated his wounds and rested.

Upon waking a few hours later, Gilles logged into his plenty of fish account to download the communications between himself and Sheena, only to discover her profile and messages had been deleted. The only evidence he had of their interactions were the directions she provided to the garage, which he had copied and pasted into a separate document. Gilles called his ex-wife and told her about his ordeal. She urged him to report it to authorities and he agreed, but by the next morning he felt embarrassed and ashamed. Over the following days, Gilles' pain subsided and he convinced himself the incident was likely just a botched mugging and nothing more serious. Friends and co-workers who heard about the incident and saw his injuries implored Gilles to speak to police, but he just wanted to move on. The following month, on Sunday, November 2, Gilles read an article about the murder of Johnny Altinger in the Edmonton Journal newspaper. In it, police appealed for the accused's first victim to come forward, and recognizing the similarities to his own ordeal, Gilles went to the Edmonton police station. His story matched the attack on Frank as described in SK Confessions, almost word for word. Gilles Tetro later wrote in his memoir, The One Who Got Away.

I realized that I should be the one that was killed. Worse, I started to think that if only I would have gone to the police, John Altinger might be alive. If I had just gone like I said I would, nobody would have been killed. Guilt overwhelmed me. Two days later, on November 5, Edmonton police received a series of chat logs from a woman named Renee from Cleveland, Ohio. She had been interacting with a Facebook account that featured an image of fictional killer Dexter Morgan as his profile picture. As a fan of the show, Renee hoped the profile belonged to actor Michael C. Hall, who portrayed the character in the television series. She came to learn it was actually run by an indie filmmaker called Mark, and their conversations grew sinister over time. When Renee shared her fantasy about cutting up her ex's new wife and drawing circles in her blood, Mark gave her detailed instructions on how to carry out the act and get away with it. He told her to build a kill room lined with plastic, just like Dexter, then lure her target in and disable her with a stung baton.

He advised Renee to wrap her victims' remains in duct tape, place them in extra-strength garbage bags, and incinerate the body. He also suggested pulverizing the jawbone and removing teeth and fingertips to avoid identification. In a message sent on October 5, two days after the botched attack on Jill Tetrow, Mark informed Renee that a stung baton was ineffective and a sturdy pipe would work better. He also told her, A hunter's game processing kit comes with everything you would need to cut the body into nice manageable pieces. On October 10, hours before Johnny Altinger disappeared, Mark wrote, Sorry this is so short, but I'm juggling six things right now, and it's time to shift down to five. Four days later, he explained,

This weekend I made the rounds to two family thanksgiving events, and I've also had something else keeping me busy. I'm really concerned about telling anyone because of the implications. Suffice it to say, I crossed the line on Friday, and I liked it. She last heard from him on October 27 via an email informing her there was a missing person's investigation, possibly a homicide, centered on the garage he used. However, he was confident police wouldn't find anything, and told her not to ask about the details. Adding, Of course, all my recent delves into the darker fiction don't look good in all of this. After police confirmed that the victim Frank in SK Confessions was Jill Tetrow, they were more certain than ever that Jim was Johnny Altinger, with the document revealing his fate on Friday October 10, 2008. The author disclosed that when Johnny returned to the garage later that night to meet his date, he cheerfully announced,

I guess I'm just a glutton for punishment. To which the author replied, You have no idea. The story continued, describing how the killer violently struck Johnny to the back of the head with a pipe. Quote, I could feel my predator self take over. That one single motion was the end all be all. I had committed now, and there was no going back. After enduring hours of beatings, Johnny offered money in exchange for freedom and the promise not to go to police. Instead, the killer removed his hunting knife from its sheath and stabbed Johnny multiple times before placing his body on the custom made metal table. He dismembered him using the Hunter's Game Processing Kit, an act he considered a relatively unexciting event that he made fun by talking and singing to himself.

He explained how he would have purchased an incinerator to destroy Johnny's remains, but the high cost forced him to make do with a steel barrel and a jerry can of gasoline. The killer placed the drum in his car and took it to his parents place in North Edmonton, where he set it alight in the centre of the yard. The story ended abruptly after the author realised that the body wouldn't completely burn. However, a file found on a desktop computer at Mark Twitchell's parents home appeared to be a continuation of the writings. The new text began. The sewer, of course, how obvious. No one ever goes down there. Following this revelation, police and city workers combed Mark's parents' property and inspected the surrounding sewer system, but found no evidence of Johnny alting his remains. Over the next 18 months, Mark remained in prison as his trial loomed, drawing pictures and writing stories to pass the time. The investigators had all but given up on recovering Johnny alting his body when shortly after 6pm on Thursday, June 3, 2010, homicide detectives were called to meet Mark and his lawyer at the Romance Centre.

During the meeting, Mark passed the detectives a piece of paper that contained a map of North Edmonton and the words, location of John alting his remains. The map directed officers to an alleyway just one block from where police had carried out their search in November 2008. There, they peered through a sewer grate at what appeared to be two pieces of human remains below. Less than half of the bones of a human body were recovered, later confirmed to be those of Johnny alting her. Mark Twitchell's trial began the following year on Wednesday, March 16, 2011. The prosecution presented their case that Mark had lured strangers to his specially designed kill room, where he attacked them by replicating methods used by fictional serial killer Dexter Morgan, whom he was obsessed with. The SK Confessions document was an integral part of the prosecution's case, with detective Mark Anstey going through the document line by line and identifying 301 passages that likely occurred in real life. Many witnesses took the stand, including Trevor and Marissa, the couple who had interrupted the attack on Gilles Tetreux. Following their testimony, they met with Gilles to apologise for not assisting him, and he forgave them. The defense's major witness was Mark Twitchell himself. His responses were mostly dry and concise, but he became animated and excited when discussing his film projects. He described House of Cards as an ambitious and interactive project he called multi-format psychosis layering entertainment, or maple.

He wanted to build on the kind of buzz created by other experimental films such as The Blair Witch Project, which was marketed as being genuine-found footage rather than a professionally produced movie. Mark hoped to expand his serial killer short film into a feature, and after its release, he would pen a novel told from the perspective of the film's producer. The idea was to sow seeds of doubt as to whether the film was real or not. He began writing the novel, calling it SK Confessions, as a homage to horror and supernatural fiction author Stephen King. The third step would be to harness social media, creating posts from people who would allege to have almost been a victim of the hockey-mask killer themselves. Using a photo of a woman he had stolen from another plenty of fish profile, Mark searched for someone to serve this purpose and found Gilles Tetreux. Mark arranged the time for him to come to the garage, which he designed to resemble a kill room to provide the desired effect. He said he planned to fill Gilles in on his elaborate plan, but decided to switch it up by genuinely scaring him into thinking he was about to be murdered. He donned the hockey mask and used the stumb baton, claiming he knew the implement would not cause significant harm.

The plan was always to let Gilles go, so that when the House of Cards movie and book were released, his experience with the hockey-mask killer would be convincing. Mark said he kept the mask, hoodie, baton and handcuffs because he figured it would be best to come clean if Gilles did report what had happened. The following week, he used the name Jen and scheduled a date with his next target, Johnny Altinger. Mark arrived at the garage at around 6pm on Friday, October 10, 2008, using his laptop to continue messaging Johnny, who showed up earlier than expected. Mark threw up the smokescreen that Jen was stuck in traffic and wouldn't be able to make it for at least 30 minutes, so Johnny left. He wondered whether he should reveal the truth to Johnny over email or in person, and ultimately invited him back, still posing as Jen. When Johnny returned, Mark informed him that there was no Jen and tried to explain his psychosis layering idea. Johnny was unhappy at having been duped and the two got into an argument.

Mark claimed that as he turned, Johnny kicked him in the lower back before grabbing a pipe and swinging it at him. Mark dodged the first couple of swings, but the third came down on his elbow. He wrestled the pipe from Johnny and hit him on the top of the head with it. As the fight continued, Mark grabbed a knife hoping Johnny would back off. Instead, he rushed forward and Mark stabbed him. Quote, It was just the sickest feeling ever. I just started to feel this wet sensation around the hand still holding the handle and I let go instinctively, and then I saw it sticking out of him.

Upon realizing Johnny was dying, Mark said, It's one of those things when I'm just stuck there and can't decide what to do. I'm just frozen by inaction. There's a war going on between screaming out in my head, call 911, but at the same time, how bad does this look? Take a look around. Look at what this place looks like. Mark said he panicked and decided to use his film set to, quote, Do things that had never been designed to do.

From this point on, he agreed that the dismemberment, failed cremation and disposal of Johnny's body, as well as using his social media and email accounts to cover up his crime, had occurred as written in SK Confessions. However, he said the feelings described when cutting up the body were exactly the opposite of the truth. He felt weaker, not stronger, like he was carrying a heavy burden he would never be able to share. As for the messages Mark sent his Facebook friend Renee four days after Johnny's murder, in which he wrote, Suffice it to say, I crossed the line on Friday and I liked it. He insisted this was in reference to his affair with ex-girlfriend Tracy. In summary, Mark's attorney maintained that Johnny's death was accidental and in self-defense,

adding that SK Confessions was a work of fiction, or at best, a fictionalized version of real events. The prosecution pointed out that Mark Twitchell's entire life was built on fantasy and lies, and that his testimony should be taken with a grain of salt. He lied to his wife, his girlfriend and friends, as well as Jill, Johnny, and the police. The prosecutor remarked that Mark's assertions that he only aimed to recruit strangers to help create an online urban legend were as ridiculous as the story about the $40 Mazda. On Tuesday, April 12, 2011, the jury found Mark Twitchell guilty of the first-degree murder of Johnny Altinger. In her victim impact statement, Johnny's mother, Alfreda, explained that Johnny's telephone company hadn't yet reassigned his number,

so she constantly rang it just to hear his voicemail greeting. Quote, He was a pure joy as a child. It was an amazing journey watching him grow in every way and make his way through life. There are no words to describe the pain and feelings of horror one goes through. I can't imagine the fear, desperation and pain Johnny must have endured. As a mother, I feel I can't think about it without going over the edge. There is no joy in life. It has been ripped away from me. I fear this nightmare and my grief will continue until my dying day.

People have asked me if I wish there was still the death penalty and I must answer no. My wish is for the perpetrator of this unforgivable and terrific act to reflect on his actions and die a slow death every day of his life. In his statement, Gary Altinger wrote, I know my baby brother is never coming back. For justice to prevail, it would only be right that Mark Twitchell never see the light of day again. Mark Twitchell was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 25 years. Following the trial, Gary told the media of the grief his family had been exposed to over the previous weeks and years, stating that it was something no human being should ever feel.

Alfreda added that although there will never be closure, we will move on to the next step I think, start to heal, if that's possible. Mark Twitchell attempted to appeal his conviction on the grounds that extensive media coverage ruined any opportunity for a fair trial, but the appeal was abandoned in 2012. In May 2013, it was reported that Mark had purchased a television for his prison cell, which he used to catch up on every episode of Dexter that he had missed since his incarceration. Detective Mark Anstey believed the precautions taken by Johnny Altinger prior to his date with Jen had ultimately saved others. By sharing his plans and whereabouts with friends and emailing them the directions to the garage,

he enabled police to swiftly identify Mark Twitchell as their prime suspect, ensuring he didn't have an opportunity to claim more victims. Detective Anstey told Johnny's mother, your son in a roundabout way was a hero. He definitely saved a lot of grief for other families. .