Despite mounting evidence and the unusual stories surrounding him, Mark Twitchell denied any knowledge of the disappearance of Johnny Altinger during a police interview, shown to the jury Friday.
The police interview was played during the St. Albert man's first-degree murder trial and was originally recorded Oct. 20, 2008, as police began to suspect Twitchell knew more than he indicated.
During the lengthy interview, Twitchell recited his story of buying Altinger's car from a man named "Mark" for just $40. Edmonton Police Service homicide Det. Bill Clark stated very clearly the version of events didn't make sense.
"There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that you are involved in the disappearance of Johnny Altinger," Clark said in the videotaped interrogation.
Twitchell appeared briefly dumbfounded by the suggestion, before asking "Why?"
Clark told Twitchell the story he told police made little to no sense.
"You haven't told us the truth, you haven't told us close to the truth."
Watch part of the interview
Twitchell was largely unresponsive to Clark's questions, at one point muttering "wrong tree," implying Clark was off track.
Clark said he thought there could be an explanation for what happened to Altinger, but stressed Twitchell had to tell him about it.
"If something went wrong in that garage then you need to tell me."
At one point, Twitchell asked if he was being charged with anything and if he was free to leave.
Clark replied that charges would be inevitable, and told Twitchell leaving the interview would not end the investigation.
"We will be coming back to charge you. It is just a matter of time."
Clark opened up the possibility Twitchell had been acting in self defence or was provoked in some encounter with Altinger, but stressed it was important to come out with that information right away.
"I don't know exactly what did happen, but what I do know is that you are involved."
Clark hinted to Twitchell that Altinger might have had a rough character and had "skeletons in his closet," but later told court he knew nothing about Altinger at that point in the interview and only used it as a tactic.
In a chilling moment, Clark told Twitchell he had to tell the truth or he could never live with himself.
"You would be surprised what I could live with," Twitchell responded.
At one point during the video Twitchell indicated he was suicidal. When Clark asked why, Twitchell said it appeared his whole life was going to unravel.
"What's the point? I mean, if everything that I've been working for is just suddenly going to end?"
While watching the interrogation in court, Twitchell became emotional, wiping tears from his eyes. At one point near the end he was slumped over with his head just inches above the defence table.
Twitchell left the police detachment after the interview wrapped, but his car was seized and impounded.
After taking Twitchell's car they went to his St. Albert home and briefly spoke to his wife while they waited for a search warrant, Clark testified.
He also said that between Oct. 21 and 31 Twitchell was under round-the-clock surveillance.
The $40 car
Earlier in the week, the trial focused on a bizarre story Twitchell told friends and police about how he ended up with his alleged victim's car.
Twitchell said he paid $40 for a red 2005 Mazda 3 after a stranger approached him and offered to sell the vehicle for whatever cash Twitchell had in his pocket.
In his version of events the mystery man, Mark, told him he had a wealthy new girlfriend and he didn't need the car anymore.
Police eventually recovered the vehicle at the home of one of Twitchell's friends. The car was identified as belonging to Altinger.
Joss Hnatiuk, a friend of Twitchell's who worked on several film projects with him, told the court Twitchell called him about the vehicle. He said Twitchell needed his help to move the vehicle because he couldn't drive a standard.
Twitchell told the same story to police four times, first in an email to a detective, then in person to another detective, in a formal witness statement, and finally in the interview with Clark.
Twitchell admitted to Clark it was odd, but said the man showed him paperwork.
"I thought if he is going to show the insurance and registration it had to be legitimate," Twitchell said in the video.
Clark pressed him on the issue and said taking the car was practically "willful blindness."
"You are not some young 16-year-old kid here."
Twitchell countered the man seemed normal and there was no damage to the vehicle to indicate it was stolen.
