On day two of the trial for Edmonton filmmaker Mark Twitchell, who is charged with first-degree murder in the alleged life-imitates-art murder of Johnny Altinger, jurors got a look at crime scene pictures as investigators testified what they found when they began investigating Twitchell.
At the start of the trial Wednesday, Twitchell entered a not-guilty plea for the first-degree murder charge. He attempted to enter a guilty plea to improperly interfering with a dead body, but the Crown did not agree to that plea. Therefore, the Crown proceeded with the charge of first degree murder.
Police allege Twitchell lured Altinger to a south-side garage in October 2008 and killed him. Investigators accuse the independent film producer of acting out his own film-script storyline.
Altinger mysteriously vanished on Oct. 10.
Forensic investigator Const. Gary Short showed pictures to the court of where they found Altinger's vehicle, as well as images of Twitchell's vehicle where they located a book about a TV show called Dexter, which is about a man who lives his life as a serial killer.
In the trunk of the vehicle, it is alleged they found some blood. Investigators said when they searched Twitchell's home, they located a pair of jeans on the floor with blood on them.
Investigators are opening up about the four days they spent investigating Twitchell's garage, where it is alleged he beat Altinger on the head with a copper pipe, and fatally stabbed him before dismembering his body.
Police allege Twitchell threw Altinger's dismembered body in a city sewer.
Short testified on June 4th, he was called out to 129 Ave. and 86 St. to take pictures of a sewer from the outside as well as down the sewer pipe. He said water was sucked out from the bottom, revealing silt and remains.
"The remains plus the silt was taken from the scene," said Short.
Short said a few days later he was called to the Medical Examiner's Office to take more images of the bones.
Const. Nancy Allen, with the EPS Forensics Identification Section, also took the stand telling the court she was responsible for seizing, numbering and examining exhibits in the investigation.
She said she search Twitchell's vehicle and seized a laptop bag, as well as a knife in a black sheath. She testified the knife had suspected blood stains.
Const. Allen said she also seized a laptop that had two suspected blood stains on the keyboard.
The constable went on to tell the court she found sticky notes in Twitchell's car that read: "kill room clean sweep."
Allen told jurors an invoice was located for a goalie hockey mask, and a duffle with suspected blood stains.
At Twitchell's rented garage, forensic investigators showed images of what happened when a blood identifier called Luminol was sprayed and revealed under a black light. A positive reaction turned blue on large parts of the floor, as well as on a table.
During opening statements on Wednesday, Crown prosecutor Lawrence VanDyke told the court Altinger e-mailed a friend before leaving his home to meet a woman he had met online. The directions led him to a garage rented by Twitchell to shoot his movie.
Altinger's friends later got an e-mail telling them he had met someone named Jenn, and that he was going with her to Costa Rica.
The Crown told jurors through multiple search warrants, investigators found "piece after piece of incriminating evidence against Mark Twitchell."
VanDyke said there was a document found on Twitchell's computer called "S K Confessions". And the Crown claims it's a description of Altinger's murder.
The Crown said a year-and-a-half after Altinger's disappearance, partial skeletal remains of Altinger were found in a city sewer a couple of blocks away from Twitchell's parents' home.
VanDyke told jurors evidence showed the remains were from a body that had been dismembered.
"Medical experts found signs of cutting, breaking, sawing and sectioning, clear evidence of a deliberate dismemberment," said VanDyke.
The Crown said it will call between 50 and 60 witnesses in the case.
With files from David Ewasuk
