09-16-2011, 02:22 PM
Thanks Kip! sounds good, i'll be watching.
One of the most gruesome and bizarre Alberta murder cases in recent memory is the focus of Dateline NBC Friday night.
Titled "Deadly House of Cards," the two-hour show will focus on the murder of Johnny Altinger at the hands of amateur filmmaker, Mark Twitchell.
Show host, Keith Morrison, a former CTV news anchor, says the Twitchell case was just so extremely unusual and odd that it deserved following.
The show doesn't talk with Twitchell or any of his family, but does interview several former friends of the convicted murderer.
victim
![[Image: 2973828916_bc47343b42.jpg]](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3229/2973828916_bc47343b42.jpg)
killer
![[Image: twitch1%20MySpace.jpeg]](http://www.inews880.com/Pics/2011%20News/2011%20March/twitch1%20MySpace.jpeg)
April 2011
EDMONTON - Accused killer Mark Twitchell took the witness stand at his first-degree murder trial Wednesday and tearfully admitted he killed and dismembered Johnny Altinger.
However, the aspiring Edmonton filmmaker then told the jury a story that appeared to point towards self-defence.
Twitchell, 31, admitted luring Altinger to a Mill Woods garage he rented for a movie set by pretending to be a woman from an Internet dating site and setting up a date.
Once there, Twitchell testified he told the 38-year-old city man the Oct. 10, 2008, date was a hoax and part of a multi-media format psychological thriller he was producing.
He told jurors Altinger then became "angry" and they exchanged hurtful words. He said Altinger then kicked him in the back and they began fighting in the garage.
Twitchell said Altinger grabbed a pipe lying against a wall, and took a couple of swings at him, which he said he dodged, before snatching the pipe away from him.
He said he then hit Altinger on the head with the pipe several times and they got into an "intense altercation."
Twitchell testified he then struck Altinger multiple times on the head with the pipe before the other man angrily grabbed it back away from him.
At that point, he said he put his hand on the handle of a hunting knife that was in a sheath attached to his belt.
And when Altinger came at him swinging the pipe, he said he believes he stabbed him with the knife.
"It all happened so fast," he said. "I just remember a wet sensation on the hand holding the handle and I just let go. Then I saw it sticking out of him."
After seeing the knife sticking out of Altinger's chest, Twitchell said he"froze" for five to 10 minutes, during which Altinger "staggered back" and fell to the ground.
Twitchell told the jury he realized then "it was over" and Altinger was going to die, and he described a war being waged in his head as to whether or not he should call 911.
The twice-divorced father began crying as he admitted not doing anything to help Altinger and recounted realizing how stupid he had been with his planning.
Twitchell said he then figured out a plan and, after mentally blocking out all his feelings, he lifted Altinger's body and put it onto a large metal table in the garage.
After using tissues to wipe his face, Twitchell admitted he then dismembered the body, put the parts into garbage bags and placed the bags in the back of Altinger's car.
His testimony continued with him explaining the things he did to cover his tracks and his eventual disposing of the remains down a sewer near his parents' home.
Twitchell agreed he lied to police about what had happened in various statements and interviews.
He ended his testimony by talking about telling police in June where the remains had been dumped.
One of the most gruesome and bizarre Alberta murder cases in recent memory is the focus of Dateline NBC Friday night.
Titled "Deadly House of Cards," the two-hour show will focus on the murder of Johnny Altinger at the hands of amateur filmmaker, Mark Twitchell.
Show host, Keith Morrison, a former CTV news anchor, says the Twitchell case was just so extremely unusual and odd that it deserved following.
The show doesn't talk with Twitchell or any of his family, but does interview several former friends of the convicted murderer.
victim
killer
April 2011
EDMONTON - Accused killer Mark Twitchell took the witness stand at his first-degree murder trial Wednesday and tearfully admitted he killed and dismembered Johnny Altinger.
However, the aspiring Edmonton filmmaker then told the jury a story that appeared to point towards self-defence.
Twitchell, 31, admitted luring Altinger to a Mill Woods garage he rented for a movie set by pretending to be a woman from an Internet dating site and setting up a date.
Once there, Twitchell testified he told the 38-year-old city man the Oct. 10, 2008, date was a hoax and part of a multi-media format psychological thriller he was producing.
He told jurors Altinger then became "angry" and they exchanged hurtful words. He said Altinger then kicked him in the back and they began fighting in the garage.
Twitchell said Altinger grabbed a pipe lying against a wall, and took a couple of swings at him, which he said he dodged, before snatching the pipe away from him.
He said he then hit Altinger on the head with the pipe several times and they got into an "intense altercation."
Twitchell testified he then struck Altinger multiple times on the head with the pipe before the other man angrily grabbed it back away from him.
At that point, he said he put his hand on the handle of a hunting knife that was in a sheath attached to his belt.
And when Altinger came at him swinging the pipe, he said he believes he stabbed him with the knife.
"It all happened so fast," he said. "I just remember a wet sensation on the hand holding the handle and I just let go. Then I saw it sticking out of him."
After seeing the knife sticking out of Altinger's chest, Twitchell said he"froze" for five to 10 minutes, during which Altinger "staggered back" and fell to the ground.
Twitchell told the jury he realized then "it was over" and Altinger was going to die, and he described a war being waged in his head as to whether or not he should call 911.
The twice-divorced father began crying as he admitted not doing anything to help Altinger and recounted realizing how stupid he had been with his planning.
Twitchell said he then figured out a plan and, after mentally blocking out all his feelings, he lifted Altinger's body and put it onto a large metal table in the garage.
After using tissues to wipe his face, Twitchell admitted he then dismembered the body, put the parts into garbage bags and placed the bags in the back of Altinger's car.
His testimony continued with him explaining the things he did to cover his tracks and his eventual disposing of the remains down a sewer near his parents' home.
Twitchell agreed he lied to police about what had happened in various statements and interviews.
He ended his testimony by talking about telling police in June where the remains had been dumped.