He claimed that she was stunned and did not know what was happening. Later. . He talked to her friends, he even met with Gator to ask about her whereabouts. Wed read about their parties, the girls youve gotta understand, top skaters were like rock stars, traveling all over the world, living the life and Gator was the wildest of them all. But when his daughter stopped calling soon after leaving for Southern California, the panicked father, unsatisfied by efforts of the San Diego police, flew to San Diego to find her himself. The same night, he fell from the hotel window and sustained a horrible injury. Recently Pastor Augie just received his Masters of Divinity. 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. It was hot. An obvious talent, young Gator was picked up by the skatepark team and began winning local contests. God has changed me, and it was no typical jailhouse conversion, pleaded Gator. After four years of dating McClain, Rogowski suggested that the couple become married, as they . He talked to his family about marrying Brandi and settling down. 97030 . His numerous attempts at getting parole have been repeatedly denied. Bergstens efforts were to no avail. In addition to Boto, Guidepost's report criticized other former executive committee staff,SBC elected leaders, and its longtime law firmfor enablinga culture ofinaction on abuse between January 2000 to June 2021. The Gator claimed that they could not engage in sexual activities without getting married. Fast forward to March 20, 1991, and Rogowski receives a phone call from Brandis friend that he had met back in Arizona, Jessica Bergsten. Location 8 NE Hogan Dr. Gresham Oregon . Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. He and his beautiful live-in girlfriend, Brandi McClain, were the skateboarding couple: they starred in skating videos together, they worked as models together, they even appeared together in a Tom Petty video. We literally had sex five times a day, we were so in love, says Brandi. Women's Study 12:00 PM. In 1991 Pastor Augie demonstrated his leadership in making a decision to move the Church to nearby Glendale CA. Brandi was still in party mode, and Gator told her that they could no longer have sex unless they were married, when they had previously been having sex on a regular basis. How big is the family now? The nearly 300-page report has captured national headlines,and shook leaders within the convention, the nation's largest Protestant denomination with more than 13 million members. fucking forging reality, pushing his body up the wall. One of the benefits of this, said Gator, was that its a real productive way of venting some way harsh aggressions. He bought her two cars. Here, we will talk about some interesting facts about this former skateboarding icon who turned into a convicted murderer. President Mnangagwa was met by the Vice President, General (Retired) Dr Constantino Chiwenga, ZANU PF Second Secretary and Vice President, Cde Kembo Mohadi, the Bulawayo Minister of Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Cde Judith Ncube, senior government and party officials. Two years later, he became a national champion and then adopted 'Gator' as his nickname. In addition, he raked in thousands of dollars through merchandise sales from Vision. The American skater had it all; a successful career, a sizable fortune, and a beautiful blonde girlfriend. I had been exposed to pornography since I was a little boy, three years old, he says. As perPatricia, the pairmet through a mutual friend. I am attempting to reach Keith Fergueson and/or his wife Julie ( Keith was in the Ministry of Music). But Brandi became bored with the ranch and a few months later Gator sold it. Most of these girls would hang out and party with the guys and there was obviously a lot of hooking-up going on as well. Mark Anthony Should Die. Mark Anthony "Gator" Rogowski (born August 10, 1966) [3] is an American former professional skateboarder who was convicted of murder. In 1990, Vert skating began to lose popularity, and the skate world was moving its focus to street skating. Southern Baptist Convention leaders respond to historic report on decades of mishandling abuse; SBC Executive Committee staff intend to publish list of ministers accused of misconduct previously . He drove for two hours into the desert, pulled off the highway at a desolate place called Shell Canyon, and buried her naked body in a shallow grave. Kids decorated their jeans jackets with the phrase Free Mark Anthony. He ultimately kept her body all day and then disposed of her that night. A skateboarder and former professional surfer who lived just two blocks from Gator and Brandi, Constantino had suffered an accident similar to Gators four years earlier. Jesus Christ spoke to me through that accident, said Gator. I came home the night he confessed to find 87 messages on my answering machine. Gator was charged with special circumstances, committing a murder during rape, which under California law can warrant the death penalty or life imprisonment without possibility of parole. Stay in the know and top of the action from pro surfer Auggie Constantino. Arquette's reply to a Twitter prompt about bad dates led to the internet finding out about her short-lived affair with Mark. Other executive committee member seats are currently vacant. His numerous attempts at getting parole have been repeatedly denied. I should take you out to the desert right now, I should drive you out right in the middle of the night and beat the shit out of you and leave you there. He was always a part of everything. Augustine Costantino (@auggiedog3) Instagram photos and videos auggiedog3 Follow 2,505 posts 687 followers 799 following Augustine Costantino Old guy,professional surfer,artist,musician. She could have been involved in drugs, pornography. Thus was born the man known as the skateboard minister. In his stone-washed jeans, cowboy boots, and bolero jacket, he stands out from his fellow Calvary Chapel parishioners. This is also the time when Gator dropped the Rogowski from his name and started calling himself Mark Anthony because he wanted no association with his real father, who he felt had abandoned him and his family. (LogOut/ (LogOut/ Men's Study 8:30 AM. 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. She tells him that she is moving back to California and wants him to show her around the San Diego area. What about that girl? I said. Mark never had a father to speak of. Then he met Augie and started saying, We cant have sex anymore unless we get married. And Im like, Wait a minute. At their peak, monthly sales of the Gator board reached 7000, earning him an easy $14,000. . Jessica, of course, had no idea about any of this. He plastered the entire county with posters that read MISSING PERSON with a picture of a grinning Jessica, her vital statistics (5-8, 115 pounds, blond hair, blue eyes, fair complexion), and the telephone numbers for the San Diego police department. Proudly powered by WordPress . Cookie Notice If you believe that it was a revenge killing and that it was prompted by Brandi, I would say yes, he replies, and suddenly youre listening to a dramatically different Gator than the one at whose sentencing a Catholic priest testified, Never before have I encountered a person so clearly open about his responsibility. Youre listening to a man skating away from the idea that the murder was really his fault. I had it all, he says today, sitting in his prison cell. Markfurther explained that he was concerned that his neighbors would hear Jessica's screams. In 1982, he won his first big contest in the Canadian Amateur Skating Championships, and his second notable contest in 1984. He was mainly prominent in the 1980s and early 1990s. On March 21, 1991, Jessica went to visit Rogowski, and they essentially spent the day together. When police came to question him about her disappearance a couple of weeks later, there was no evidence to be found. A skateboarder and former professional surfer who lived just two blocks from Gator and Brandi, Constantino had suffered an accident similar to Gator's four years earlier. Gators sentencing took place on March 6. The police were astonished that someone was turning himself in for a murder that they didnt even know had happened. Gator shook his head and told him, no, he didnt know where Jessica was. Copyright 2015-2019 - Opperman Investigations, All Rights Reserved. Everything that I hated about Brandi, I hated about Jessica, Gator would later tell the police. The Church also began to grow from the 50-60 member congregation in Hollywood to a 150 member congregation proving a wise and strategic move. I got a lot of ideas. Brandi McClain. She was a gold digger, but when they were together, they were absolutely in love and you could see it. The couple did modeling jobs together. He clasped his hands around her neck and strangled her. Brandi and the police suspected Gator. Gator gave tips to beginners in Sports Illustrated for Kids. When they went into the bowl, their expressions changed to a going into battle expression, going for it, no holds barred. The next morning Gator led detectives to where hed buried the body. He landed on a wrought-iron fence, impaling his neck, face, and thumb. As a result, at the tender age of 12, he was picked up by a local skating team. He told a reporter that Jessica was a slut, claiming to have a long list of people with whom shed had sadomasochistic sex, including the entire University of Arizona basketball team and a handful of pros their names, however, were off the record. His appeal was ultimately dismissed. He says hes undergone a religious conversion. Pastor Augie Saucedo. At one point his case was up for parole but was ultimately reversed. There, he shackled her onto the bed, cut her clothes off with scissors, and raped her for two or three hours. Former professional skateboarder Mark accumulated enormous fame for his wild skating style and cocky attitude between the 1980s and 1990s. That list will become public, executive committee staff and lawyers announced Tuesday. Gator returned to the house with tears streaming down his face. Many believe that Rogowski also looked at Augie as a kind of father figure in a literal and a religious way, as if he were a God himself, in a way. So, I decided that I would give it a go, and I also decided that I wanted it to be a local case that is not often talked about. Hey, says Jimenez, its like Sam Kinison said, some girls just turn Mr. Hand into Mr. Fist.. The executive committee manages denomination business when the full convention isn't in session during the SBC annual meeting. Gator then drove to the Shell Canyon desert and left her body to rot. I dont want to defame Jessica at all. It was rad, more amped, and all the kids wanted to be a part of it. Their first child was Vanessa, followed by two boys Eli and Jeremy. Change). Then, in October 1989, after a competition in West Germany, the party animal in Gator reared up and bit him. Around 5am, Rogowski started to clean up, and still had not decided what he was going to do with Jessicas body. According to various reports, he even barged into her house to steal the gifts he gave her. Oddly, his worst investment was the one that bore his name: Fletcher Hills. Photo Source: Social Media. Later on, Markmade a move and asked her out on a date. One night, after a Bible study at Constantinos house. Hes vague about his official role at the church, where, he says, he is a lay minister who runs a youth hotline, but he adds that officially he is a church custodian. Im Gator, and instantly have their undivided attention. (June 16), intend to publishalist of ministers accused of sexual misconduct, Southern Baptist Convention sexual abuse report details cover up, decades of inaction, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy, Southern Baptist Convention leaders respond to historic report on decades of mishandling abuse, SBC Executive Committee staff intend to publish list of ministers accused of misconduct previously secretly kept. Gator boasted to friends that while touring the South he would walk into liquor stores and 7-Elevens stark naked, rob them, then get drunk in the cornfields while police helicopters searched for him overhead. He had bought a ranch in the mountains, near Tony Hawks new ranch, which hed equipped with a whole series of wooden skating ramps. After the accident, once Gator returned home, he was noticeably a changed person. As such, began the turbulent and long-term relationship between the couple, which would later be the very reason for Jessica's death. He became a cause clbre in San Diego. Im, like, My mother knows where I am. And he took me back.. When the police searched his home, they found evidence of blood that had soaked through the carpet and into the floorboards. No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission. He says he doesnt think hell ever ride a skateboard again but hopes that someday hell be free so he can learn to fly a kite. What do you need a lawyer for, if you answer to a higher power? That being said, Ive never once done my own write up on a case, as I mostly spend my time following true crime cases. Hes our own true father. Crude videos were slapped together featuring the latest moves. All at once the plague of vile visions and wicked imaginations and the daily battle to suppress them was overwhelming. He was really worried about becoming a dinosaur, says Perry Gladstone, to whom Gator confided. Jessicas body had been found in the desert by some campers on April 10, but the body was so badly decomposed that it could not be identified. Because despite all he had, on March 20, 1991, Gator beat 21-year-old Jessica Bergsten over the head with a steering-wheel lock called the Club and raped her for nearly three hours. It was during this time when Mark Rogowski, better known to fans & fellow boarders as "Gator," was . Uncuffed, standing under the hot desert sun, Gator watched as they dug around for more evidence, photographed the site, and talked to the local police. Moreover, he went to lengths and threatened her new boyfriend as well as Brandi herself. After befriending Augie Constantino, an ex-surfer turned born-again Christian who also became his "spiritual advisor", Rogowski converted to a strict Evangelical form of Christianity that influenced Rogowski's attitude and skateboard deck designs. In January 1992, Rogowski submitted a four-page written letter in which he accepts responsibility for Jessicas death, and blamed himself for having sex outside of marriage and for not following the word of the bible. In 1975 Pastor Augie and Mary, his girlfriend of three years, were invited to Victory Outreach where they encountered the Lord and gave their lives to Christ. Constantino Alberto Bacela is a discreet businessman who in recent years has won many tenders for the supply of goods and services to the Mozambican state, from vehicles to public works . It was a full soul session, everybody was just shralpin it up. Merry Christmas. Mark Anthony Gator Rogowski was born on August 10, 1966 in Brooklyn, New York. Although he only started staking as a recreational activity, Rogowski soon realized he was pretty good at it. She fell to the floor, blood gushing from her head, so much so that it soaked right through the carpet. MONSTERS ARE REAL. Join Facebook to connect with Augie Constantino and others you may know. Tell he whole family hi and Keep praising the Lord!! The Nashville-based SBC's annual meeting is scheduled for June and delegates will likely vote on measures related to the report and elect a new SBC president. Here's something you might be interested in. Reach him on Twitter @liamsadams. Gator was completely devoted to Brandi, and he showered her with gifts regularly, including buying her 2 cars. His voice got all deep and, you know, he sounded like the devil. It was more like an involuntary manslaughter. "I think the weight of seeing all of it in one place, minus no details, I think is reason why it is impactful the way it is," Pittman said. He started covering his boards with religious symbols and preaching to skaters, surfers, and anyone else who would listen about his secret friend, Jesus. THE OPPERMAN REPORT airs on KSHP AM1400 radio Las Vegas, Monday to Friday 9pm. Boto could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. Initially introduced in the 1940s, skating did not get much attention from the crowd until much laterin the form of vertical skateboarding. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Posts Tagged I told you and you remember, Rogowski what would happen if anyone hurt my daughter. Mark Gator Anthony, who has finally broken up and out of the half-pipe of his guilt, will be 43 years old before he is eligible for parole. Gator was still trying to milk vert skating for all he could. The National Skateboarding Association was sponsoring contests all over North America, Europe, and Japan, and first-prize money reached $5000 to $7000 per event. She had nothing to worry about. Gator takes a deep breath, sighs, then continues. (For those of you who are not so into skateboarding, vert skating is skating that involves ramps and pools or some other similar incline.) He mostly hung out in local skate parks and it did not take him long to master his craft. A week later, Jessica's father, Stephen Bergsten, filed a case for Jessica's missing. As she was getting ready to leave, Gator went to his car, ostensibly to see if his drivers license was there. Later on, in 1982, Mark made his mark on the professional scene after winning the Canadian Amateur Skateboarding Championships held in Vancouver, British Columbia. Some of the last words that Gator had ever spoken to Brandi McClain were that he should beat her and conduct every degrading sexual act that he could on her, and that he would toss her body in the desert. Jessicas father, Stephen Bergsten, a Tucson lawyer, had enough to worry about without his daughter disappearing. The former professional skater reportedly made$4,000 and $8,000 per month throughclothing and equipment endorsement deals. Southern Baptists vote to debate sex abuse probe, More than two-thirds of the delegates attending the Southern Baptist Convention have voted to debate a proposal to investigate leaders' handling of sex abuse claims. The charismatic and flamboyant persona of the skater made Brandi fall in love with him. The statement and decision about the list were immediate actions from the SBC Executive Committee following the release of a historic report on Sunday about . Gator spared no expense on Brandi. With his looks, youth, and arrogance born of money and fame, in the holy land of skateboarding, Gator was his own god. But they started arguing as soon as they pulled out of her parents driveway. I dont want to mention family members, of course, because I want to protect them. You can go down the street to Coronet bookstore in Oceanside and buy a vast array of S&M bondage magazines, pictorials, descriptive pictorials, paperbacks that are step by step about how to lynch somebody sexually. In 1977 they were married and soon began their family. For Constantino, he was terrific bait for young skaters willing to listen to just about anything to meet Gator. View the profiles of people named Augie Constantino. The Place for Scandals, Politics, and True Crime Stories, ^^^ CLICK ABOVE TO LISTEN AND FOLLOW The Opperman Report @ SPREAKER.com ^^^. He went on to graduate in 1974 from El Rancho High School located in Pico Rivera, CA. Whatever the cause, the result nearly killed him. Born Mark Anthony Rogowski in Brooklyn, he moved with his mother and older brother to San Diego at age three, following his parents divorce. That was just Gator., But Brandi would have none of it. Its likely the skateboarding world will be placed under a microscope in the media, warned Thrasher. He went on to graduate in 1974 from El Rancho High School located in Pico Rivera, CA. 4th Saturday April 29, 2023. 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. And I would get away with it, because everybody would know that you deserved it., I started crying and begging him to take me home right now. As of 2021, the former American skateboard champion is incarcerated at Donovan State Prison. In the mid-1980s, skateboarding pioneers like Tony Hawk, Stacy Peralta, Mark Gonzales, etc., helped popularise the sport among younger generations. Characterized by the sound of boards smacking against the pavement, it was louder, more dangerous, decidedly anti-establishment and, therefore, more appealing to the kids. 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 would often drink too much and lose consciousness while partying with friends. For the past 13 years Pastor Augie has been a Regional Pastor overseeing one of the Los Angeles Regions. When he first started skating, 15 years ago, his moves were so creative, so aggressive, so theres no other word for it radical, that he was able to turn pro at the tender age of 14. Let me just start by letting you all know that I have been a Reddit user for years, and I absolutely love it. We would go to Mexico together, and she would, say, get so drunk that she would leave me there. At the time, he was heavily drunk and barely holding on. Executive committee staff and attorneys are exploring if they can revoke Boto's retirement benefits. There is a virtual catalogue of PRAISE REPORTS that I have to share with you because you and Victory Outreach made a big difference in my path back to the throne of GOD. It was there that Gator, at age seven, discovered skating. Brandi appeared in Gators videos, and when he appeared in Tom Pettys Free Failin' video, she was in it too. Augie Constantino takes the credit for Gator's metamorphosis. Gator flipped over his mattress to hide the blood that was there, then put Jessicas body, her cut-up clothing, the bag, the handcuffs, and the Club in the trunk of his car. Rogowski says they spent the night at his place, watching movies until midnight or later. The ex-skateboarder was heavily influenced by Augie's spiritual values and religious beliefs. Riding on his popularity, Markalso appeared in Christian Slater's 1989 film Gleaming the Cube and Tom Petty's music video Free Fallin'. On top of his other surgeries, he also had plastic surgery to try and salvage his looks for any future ad possibilities. If it werent for my submission to her wiles and the temptation of having such sex with her.. So, when I remembered a case that was not only local, but also involved murder and skateboarding, it was not difficult for me to choose the topic of my first true crime write up. I did lay upon her with a steering lock at one point, but that was part of the S&M, he says. Jessica, still conscious, begged him to stop, occasionally screaming. Thats crazy.. In the form of sex, actual sex with people. If he was a celebrity in Southern California, in Carlsbad, the unofficial skateboarding capital of the world, he was a megastar. Skateboarding, like other California phenomena such as surfing and savings-and-loan scams, had a tremendous surge in popularity in the 1980s. Others say he was instead climbing a terrace to get back into his hotel room after curfew. This influenced Rogowski's look on life and the designs on his boards. Brandi was not on board with the lifestyle that Gator had chosen, and she decided to leave him shortly after for a surfer she had met. Chances are, Rogowski will never be granted parole, and he will remain behind bars for his crime. I was getting ready for bed when I answered the door, recalls Constantino. While recovering from his injuries, he met a man named Augie Constantino. Heads of major SBC affiliated agencies, including presidents of Lifeway, the North American Mission Board, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, and three seminaries, expressed similar sentiments. In 1975 Pastor Augie and Mary, his girlfriend of three years, were invited to Victory Outreach where they encountered the Lord and . . After only another 2 years of continuing to skate for his team locally, he turned professional in 1980 at the age of 14. But Brandi became bored with the ranch. Gator got his chops down at a local skateparks half-pipes, moguls, and pool in the shape of a bra dubbed the 42D Bowl. Lets just hope that we can all remain strong.. He did multiple ads for Vision which helped him land a line of Gator skate decks and other merchandise for the company. Golden Hills 1910 Ed Fletcher Spec House a notable one-off, Yoga studio meets wine bar at Vinya: vino + vinyasa in Clairemont. Think: Vision, Santa Cruz, Powell, all the popular brands in skate culture at the time along with home-made plywood ramps, skate parks & rebel attitudes.
