Mark Rogowski, a.k.a 'Gator' was a skateboarding prodigy from Southern California. For many in the world of skateboarding, it was a scab better left untouched. A well-known 1980's skateboarder Mark Anthony Rogowski's career and life were in a downward spiral and fell apart after he raped and killed Jessica Bergsten. He was such a great guy, I just couldnt believe it., The violent, anti-authority image of skateboarding symbolized in Thrasher magazines old motto Skate or Die combined with the sex and bondage aspects of the murder, fed the presss sensationalist treatment of the story. Rogowski and McClain hit it off right away, and the two started dating shortly after. Deals and discounts in Pet Parents you dont want to miss. This was an entirely new type of skating. It was a great song and a memorable video with Devon doing a good job as the quintessential California girl.Thanks for posting, Tom. Read More: Where Is Brandi McClain Now? Deals and discounts in Tablets you dont want to miss. I found this hot little blond surfer guy, 6-1. He had bought a ranch in the mountains near Tony Hawks new ranch, which hed equipped with a whole series of wooden skating ramps. The Girl in the Video Epilogue: I Want My MTN! Rogowski did not think he could do well on street skating and saw his lucrative career coming to an end. I just want to make it known that I was led into a sexual situation that I didnt want to have anything to do with. He had the chance of getting off on parole last summer, but he was shot down by California Governor Gavin Newsom. But it is clear from the film's opening minutes that Ms. Stickler's effort is not the feel-good retrospective that was Stacy Peralta's documentary hit, ''Dogtown and Z-Boys,'' a chronicle of the 1960's-70's skate scene in Venice and Santa Monica, Calif. A chilling voice states, ''I have a call from an inmate at a California State corrections facility.'' [3] Entering prison, Rogowski was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Brandi and the police suspected Gator. Revered for his aggressive skate style and slick aerial moves, Mr. Rogowski quickly became one of the biggest names in the sport. "Shattered" The Darkside (TV Episode 2018) - IMDb Jessicas remains were buried in a family plot in Georgia. ''He was smaller than I thought he would be, his hair was thinner and he was wearing glasses that were held together by tape,'' Ms. Stickler recalled. Save up to 50% on Maternity Clothing when you shop now. Save up to 50% on Women's Clothing when you shop now. Augie Constantino takes the credit for Gators metamorphosis. But except for Tony Hawk, none of the old pros could really skate both vert and street, and Gator was stressed out about it. Gator himself once told M.Fo just how stressed out he would get if he had to quit skating. It was, like, quick, were going to have the very best lives, and were going to have them now.. I cant deal with this. Girlfriend: Brandi McClain (former Vision Street Wear model) Born-Again Christian Murder Jessica Bergsten (20-Mar-1991) Running time: 1:20. Then, he drove her body deep into the desert and buried it in a shallow grave. He then placed her in a surfboard bag and strangled her, burying the body in a desert outside San Diego. He was sentenced to 31 years to life in prison and is next eligible for parole in 2023 after previously being denied; still from Mark Rogowski: The Rise And Fall Of Gator. He was calling me up leaving all these freaky messages. August 10, 1966 - Mark "Gator" Rogowski (born August 10, 1966 in Brooklyn, New York), AKA Gator Mark Anthony, was a figurehead of professional skateboarding in the 1980s and very early 1990s. That night, I didnt realize what kind of a purring feline she was. There, he shackled her onto the bed, cut her clothes off with scissors, and raped her for two or three hours. Investigation Discoverys James Pattersons Till Murder Do Us Part features this baffling story of the downfall of a skateboard champ in an episode titled The Darkside. Are you wondering where Mark is currently? In a documentary titled Stoked The Rise and Fall of Gator, writer, director, and producer Helen Stickler shows the rise and fall of Marks career as a skateboarder. Eight months earlier Bergsten had been indicted, along with 44 others, as part of a nationwide drug ring. I believe in the Lord, dont get me wrong, says Rowlett. Mark never had a father to speak of. The comments below have not been moderated. God has changed me, and it was no typical jailhouse conversion, pleaded Gator. Brandi McClain: Former fiance to Mark Rogowski Michelle Chaves: Former high school friend to Mark Rogowski Randy Janson: Former Gullwing Trucks team manager and skater John Hogan: Former Vision skateboard team manager and skater Rich Cook: Former friend to Mark Rogowski, skater Brad Dorfman: Vision Skateboard Company President and Founder Find the best deals on Small Appliances from your favorite brands. Although he never denied that Gator had killed Jessica, he suggested that it was her own fault. She was a close friend of his ex Brandi McClain, Making a run for it: Arquette said it was his aggressive kissing that 'freaked' her out, and she gave him a fake number to get out of a third date, Be safe: She urged fans to 'trust your instincts' when they had a bad feeling about someone, 'Moral to the story Trust your instincts,' she wrote in a follow-up tweet, before adding, 'And my daughter thinks Im overprotective.'. On his way back to the condo, he rented a carpet steamer, and cleaned out every spot of blood he could from the rug. Do not sell or share my personal information. He landed on a wrought-iron fence, impaling his neck, face, and thumb. I, like a lot of people have had some trying times and hardships but knowing God will never give me more than I can handle has made it easier to handle. But one night soon after he was incarcerated, inmates crowded around a television to hear Gators story on Hard Copy. O.K., perhaps the imprisonment of your best friend or relative?, I know the Lord forgave me 2000 years ago on the cross at Calvary. He handcuffed her and carried her upstairs to his bedroom. She fell to the floor, blood gushing from her head, so much so that it soaked right through the carpet. Her experiences in the sex industry helped her identify with Mr. Rogowski, she said. By the time he was finally released from the hospital, Gator had morphed into a passionate Christian, according to the LA Times. All rights reserved, US Readies Second Attempt at Speedy Border Asylum Screenings, Man, 20s, Dies of Heat Exhaustion on El Capitan Trail in Lakeside, New Rules for Short-Term Vacation Rentals in San Diego Start May 1. ), Beautiful girl, Beautiful woman. The National Skateboarding Association was sponsoring contests all over North America, Europe, and Japan, and first-prize money reached $5,000 to $7,000 per event. When he was three years old, his parents divorced, and he moved to Escondido, California. All this was fueled by a handful of San Diego County teenagers who had become the sports superstars, and Gator was one of them. At 2:17. Pleased to see her interviewed here. Despite his ardor for Brandi, when he was alone hed walk up to beautiful women on the beach, say, Hi Im Gator, and instantly have their undivided attention. I was in Hawaii out drinking with some other pro surfers, says Constantino. Mark Rogowski was better known as Gator, his skateboarding persona in the late 1900s. [4] On February 6, 2015, another parole hearing was scheduled, but Rogowski waived his right to a hearing for one year. Mark Rogowski's relationship with former model and aspiring actor Brandi McClain turned his life around. But privately, elaborate tales -- some near truth, some far-fetched -- have festered. Mark Rogowski - Wikipedia With his property in two states seized by the government and his daughter brutally murdered, there was speculation that he had nothing left to lose by killing Gator. It was also a favorite place for Constantino and Gator to preach their message of Christianity to young kids hanging out. He handcuffed her, tied her to his bed, and raped her. This fact is often misconstrued. A Gator skate deck the board (decorated with his nickname rendered in an op art vortex or pastel quasi-African design), sans wheels and suspension system would sell for up to $50, of which Gator would receive $2. I was a social outcast back then, he told Thrasher. Bergsten was a good friend of his ex Brandi McClain, though the two aren't thought to have been in a relationship, contrary to what Arquette said. [3], Rogowski was one of a group of elite skaters who enjoyed significant fame in the 1980s, alongside Christian Hosoi, Tony Hawk, Lance Mountain, and Steve Caballero. You see? Rogowski is currently in prison on a 31-year to life sentence for raping and murdering Jessica Bergsten in 1991. Save up to 50% on Hair when you shop now. ''I couldn't skate for the rest of the day. Slave, victim, but still expressing regret and without deferring the blame for my actions, Gator targeted three things that influenced his state of mind: Firstly, sex outside of marriage, i.e. He told his priest,' the actress replied, though Rogowski's eventual confession was instead to a born-again Christian friend. She was the one I killed. Yet something drove Gator to confess his crime. The screen for King Charles' coronation anointing is revealed, 'You motherf***ers don't understand': Bam Margera details 'turmoil', Russian freight train derails and bursts into flames after explosion, 'We're not your enemies!' Bergsten was Brandi's best friend." Bergsten's skeletal remains were found. "In addition, skateboarding was changing from ramps to the street. Jessica, of course, had no idea about any of this. I feel so bad for both of those women," Arquette commented on Twitter. His luck would change for the worse when vertical skating, his specialty, with its big ramps and aerial maneuvers, was supplanted by street skating, a more grounded version of the sport that relies on flatland obstacles like curbs and park benches. We both sat and cried. [3] Rogowski was a gifted athlete, playing little league baseball in his youth. We would get high every night, says Brandi. There was a Gator clothing line, Gator skate boards, Gator videos. He looked the same, but he sounded completely different. But I got a strange reaction out of Mark. What was cool was that he was stoked that I was skating, too. Anyway, Im not an ordained minister. Months later, she was informed about Jessicas death and Marks involvement in it. SAN DIEGO A San Diego County Parole board granted parole to former professional skateboarder and 1980's skating icon Mark "Gator" Rogowski on June 14 for . Hed growl. Id probably have some suicidal tendencies. Jimenez appealed the rape charge, insisting the decomposed body showed no signs of forcible rape, but the appeal was eventually dismissed. Jessicas father read out a 20-minute long monologue, which clearly showed the feelings of a grieving and enraged father. Find the best deals on Fitness Nutrition from your favorite brands. vez7 - Devon confirmed all photos are her. Skateboarding Legend Mark 'Gator' Rogowski Brutally Murdered His Ex I was getting ready for bed when I answered the door, recalls Constantino. For re-invention, Rogowski changed his name to "Gator" Mark Anthony, explaining "Rogowski" was the name of the father he never knew. I grew up without a father from day one, Gator told Thrasher magazine interviewer M.Fo in 1987, and my brother kinda filled that gap. Youre gonna fry in hell from your toes! Weird shit like that.. So of course that appealed to Mark. It was around this time that Gator started calling himself Mark Anthony instead of Mark Anthony Rogowski, because, as he later said, I didnt want to be associated with my father at all., When Gators wounds healed, he joined Constantino. Perry Gladstone had just signed Gator to endorse a new line of skateboards for Fishlips, which ironically featured a takeoff on the 7-Eleven logo. Brandi just didnt get it. One of his clients was under investigation by an Arizona drug task force, while rumors were rife that he himself was being investigated for money laundering. . We were very much alive. Mr. Rogowski, with his dark, boyish good looks, wild hair and palpable rock-star charisma, would be the pinup boy to take skating mainstream. She is alive and well. She didnt even tell her best friend Jessica in Tucson about the incident, so when Jessica showed up in San Diego a few weeks later, she called Gator asking him to show her the sights. Brandis hope to reconcile with him was shattered by a dinner where Mark threatened to beat her and leave her in a desert. Bergsten was Brandis best friend.". Gator Mark Rogoeski/Anthony, and Brandi McClain. I didn't know this. I was scared Id be discovered with this wayward woman. Mark Rogowski - Murder of Jessica Bergsten | Murder Jessica Bergsten Porn is a consuming beast , Thirdly, closing the ears and heart to Gods counsel, including partial or non-repentance and disobeying and ignoring the Bible So people, we must realize, without reduction, the gripping strength and deceptive subtlety of sin! ''What you're making your money off of and what people are coming to you for is ticking away by the minute, and when you're done all you have is a blank piece of paper for a rsum,'' she said. Best wishes, Rob. He admitted to coming up behind her and hitting her in the head with a Club (a metal auto anti-theft device). They caroused all night in Carlsbad bars, made the scene at all the San Diego parties. Gavin Newsom. Gator spared no expense on Brandi. In 1987 Rogowski was introduced to 15-year-old Brandi McClain and her close friend Jessica Bergsten while skating at a show in Scottsdale, Arizona. '', https://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/21/movies/a-skateboard-king-who-fell-to-earth.html. The behind-the-scenes look at my books, from research adventures to promotion gambles. The Untold Story of the Tompkins Square Murder, Paranoid Notes on the Strange Death of Bruce Lee. Jimenez says that Gator took some shit when he was first put in the San Diego County jail. I said to her, Go and put some clothes on and when you come back, Id like to talk to you about Christ. And she said, Ive got nothing to worry about, Ive got no problems. I pointed to the poster. "Our office argued strongly against releasing this violent defendant. During a skating party in West Germany, Gator drunkenly jumped out of a two-story window and landed face-first onto a wrought iron fence. Brandi moved in with her mother and stepfather, who had recently moved to San Diego. Its really hard for me to say these things about Jessica, we lost her and I dont feel good about that. Thank you for your understanding, much Love Always & Forever, Devon Kidd. Bergsten's skeletal remains were found buried in a shallow grave in a remote part of the desert in Imperial County. Also: Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, "Fast pacedfunimpressive and fascinating. The Gator who emerged from the San Diego hospital shocked his friends and admirers. They ended up in Escondido, a sun baked, middle-class suburb in northern San Diego County. I did lay upon her with a steering lock at one point, but that was part of the S&M, he says. As she stared at the picture, Gator snuck up behind her, hitting her two or three times in the head and face with the metal steering-wheel lock. Bergsten was a good friend of his ex Brandi McClain, though the two aren't. American convicted murderer and rapist, former skateboarder, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Mark "Gator" Rogowski, Skaterboarder: Jessica Bergsten's Killer", "Legendary 80s skateboarder Mark 'Gator' Rogowski raped and murdered Jessica Bergsten - Shattered", "Skateboarding star convicted of 1991 murder denied parole", "Transworld Skateboadring Magazine October 1987 Gator cover Gonz Vallely Miller | #1827717777", "Rock Promoter Silva is Really on a Roll", "Mark "Gator" Rogowski, Former Pro Skateboarder, Denied Parole for 1992 Calif. Murder-Rape", "Parole Denied For Local Skateboarding Legend", "State of California Inmate Locator: CDCR Number H27508", California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, "Ex-Skateboard Champion Could Get Parole in Brutal 1991 Rape and Murder in San Diego County", "Parole grant reversed for 'Gator,' former skateboard superstar convicted for 1991 rape, murder", "DA fighting parole granted to former skateboard star convicted of 1991 Carlsbad rape, murder", "Shattered | Watch Full Episodes & More! Its kind of like a typical young teenage stunt. (Sounds like the name of an '80s song, or album, or band! Brandi McClain Now: Where is Brandi McClain Today? Update - The Cinemaholic If he underwent a religious conversion, it was to evil, degradation, filth, and satanism.. [7][8] At a 1987 skate show in Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S., Rogowski was introduced to Brandi McClain and her good friend Jessica Bergsten, an aspiring model. On Wednesday, March 20, Jessica and Gator had lunch at an Italian restaurant in La Jolla, then returned to his condo with some movies and a few bottles of wine.
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