IT STARTED THAT NIGHT WHEN I MET MARK,
AND JESSICA WAS WITH ME.
WE MET HIM AT THE SAME TIME.
WE BOTH MET HIM.
AND, UM...
YEAH, I DON'T THINK WE COULD HAVE EVER IMAGINED
THAT IT WOULD HAVE EVER TURNED OUT LIKE THAT DOWN THE ROAD.
I FEEL SO GUILTY.
I MEAN, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ME.
♪♪
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ME.
I THINK EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT.
♪♪
THIS WAS THE CONFESSION.
"AT THAT POINT, SOMETHING CAME OVER ME.
"I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS, BUT I JUST PHYSICALLY BOUND HER
"AND TIED HER UP SO SHE COULDN'T MOVE.
"I HIT HER. I HIT HER IN THE HEAD WITH A BAR
"SO THAT SHE WAS STUNNED,
"AND SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
"SHE ASKED ME TO LET HER GO
AND I DIDN'T WANT TO LET HER GO."
THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE STATEMENT OF THE TORTURE
AND THE ABSOLUTE HORRIFIC ORDEAL
THAT SHE WENT THROUGH THAT NIGHT.
♪♪
I TACKLED HIM IN THE STREET AND I DON'T KNOW.
IN MY MIND, I WAS JUST SAYING,
"HOW WOULD JESUS TREAT YOU IF YOU DID THIS?"
"HOW WOULD YOU WANT SOMEONE TO TREAT YOU IF YOU DID THIS?"
♪♪
"WOULD YOU WANT THEM TO JUST KILL YOU WITH A GUN?
"WOULD YOU WANT THEM TO JUST POUND YOUR HEAD
"INTO THE PAVEMENT?
OR WOULD YOU WANT TO BE HELD AND LOVED?"
SO I HELD HIM AND I LOVED HIM.
♪♪
Captions by VITAC... www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
♪♪
MARCH THE 30th OF 1991,
A PHONE CALL CAME IN TO THE SAN DIEGO POLICE DEPARTMENT
REPORTING THAT THIS YOUNG LADY
HADN'T BEEN SEEN IN A COUPLE OF DAYS.
♪♪
THERE WAS NOTHING TO TELL ANYBODY WHAT HAPPENED TO HER,
AND THAT WAS THE BIG MYSTERY.
♪♪
SHE LIVED IN ARIZONA AND DECIDED TO MOVE TO SAN DIEGO
TO START A NEW LIFE.
SHE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY FRIENDS IN THE AREA.
THE SAN DIEGO POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS DOING EVERYTHING THEY COULD.
THEY CHECKED HER TELEPHONE RECORDS.
THEY CHECKED HER CREDIT CARDS.
THEY CHECKED WITH EVERYBODY THAT WAS IN HER TELEPHONE BOOK,
CALLING THEM ON THE PHONE,
ASKING THEM THAT IF THEY HAD SEEN HER,
IF THEY KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT WHERE SHE MIGHT'VE BEEN.
THERE'S JUST NOTHING TO TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.
WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO THIS YOUNG GAL?
HOW COULD SHE JUST DISAPPEAR?
THIS IS A PARENT'S WORST NIGHTMARE.
♪♪
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN OUT OF CONTACT WITH JESSICA
- FOR THIS LONG BEFORE? - NO.
WHEN I WAS TALKING TO THE FATHER,
THE FATHER IS ABSOLUTELY HOLDING OUT HOPE
THAT HIS DAUGHTER IS JUST GONE SOMEWHERE
AND HASN'T TOLD ANYBODY.
THEY WANT THEIR LOVED ONE BACK.
I'M SURE IN JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS SHE'LL CALL.
Jensen: THE PARENTS IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE MADE UP FLIERS.
THEY POSTED THEM ON CONVENIENCE STORE WINDOWS.
THEY PLACED THEM IN PLACES THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD SEE.
OBVIOUSLY, LIKE MOST PARENTS,
THEY LOVE THEIR DAUGHTER VERY MUCH.
SO WHEN THEY CAN'T FIND HER,
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT THAT FAMILY IS GOING THROUGH.
♪♪
A NEIGHBOR HAD SEEN AN INDIVIDUAL
WITH JESSICA WALKING OUT OF THIS OCEAN BEACH HOUSE
WITH HIS ARM AROUND HER,
AND THEY WENT OUT AND GOT IN A CAR AND DROVE AWAY.
AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME THAT SHE HAD BEEN SEEN IN SAN DIEGO.
♪♪
MY MOTHER AND I MOVED TO TUCSON, ARIZONA, THE BIG CITY OF TUCSON.
WELL, FROM YUMA, IT SEEMED LIKE A REALLY BIG CITY,
AT THE END OF MY EIGHTH GRADE YEAR.
♪♪
[ LAUGHS ] OH, MY GOD.
DID YOU SEE ERIC IN CLASS TODAY?
McClain: I MET JESSICA THROUGH A MUTUAL FRIEND OF OURS.
WAS TOTALLY CHECKING YOU OUT.
NO, HE WASN'T.
AND WE JUST IMMEDIATELY HIT IT OFF.
WE WERE SUCH FAST FRIENDS.
SHE WAS FUN AND EXCITING.
WE LOVED THE SAME KIND OF MUSIC.
SHE JUST REALLY HAD IT GOING ON.
SHE WAS LIKE A SISTER TO ME
AND HER PARENTS WERE SO KIND TO ME.
MOM, CAN BRANDI STAY FOR DINNER?
- YEAH, OF COURSE. - THANK YOU.
OKAY, THANKS.
THEY KNEW I WAS A CHILD OF DIVORCE
AND THAT I LIVED WITH MY MOM.
IT WAS JUST MY MOM AND I,
SO I SPENT A LOT OF TIME AT THE BERGSTENS.
THEY KIND OF TOOK ME IN.
- [ LAUGHS ] - [ LAUGHS ]
♪♪
McClain: JESSICA AND I, FOR A WHILE,
WERE JOINED AT THE HIP.
THERE WAS A PARTY, WE WERE THERE.
I MEAN, WE WERE REALLY CUTE.
SO THE GUYS WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE AT THE PARTY,
AND THAT'S WHEN I MET MARK.
♪♪
WHAT'S UP, GIRLS?
- HI. - HEY.
- HOW YOU DOING? - GOOD. HOW ARE YOU?
I'M MARK. EVERYONE CALLS ME GATOR.
McClain: MARK WAS REALLY CHARMING AND CHARISMATIC.
COOL, LET'S GO.
AND HE JUST KNEW ALL THE RIGHT STUFF TO SAY.
HE JUST KNEW EXACTLY WHAT TO SAY.
DOESN'T GET BETTER THAN THIS, HANGING OUT BY A POOL,
HANGING OUT WITH A BEAUTIFUL GIRL.
McClain: AND HIM BEING SO CUTE DIDN'T HURT EITHER.
THE NIGHT THAT WE MET WAS ABSOLUTELY A MAGICAL NIGHT.
♪♪
I KNEW THAT MARK WAS A SKATEBOARDER
BECAUSE I HAD SEEN HIM ON THE RAMP EARLIER THAT DAY,
AND I KNEW HE MUST BE A PRETTY FAMOUS ONE
BECAUSE PEOPLE WANTED HIS AUTOGRAPH,
AND LITTLE KIDS WERE COMING UP TO HIM.
I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW BIG OF A DEAL IT WAS, NO.
I NEVER HAD A CLUE THAT I WOULD END UP IN THE MIDDLE
OF THAT WHOLE SKATEBOARDING SCENE.
I MEAN, I JUST DIDN'T KNOW THAT THAT WAS ON THE FOREFRONT.
♪♪
AND THAT MEETING SPARKED
THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OF MY LIFE.
♪♪
IT'S BEEN, LIKE, WHAT, 27 YEARS?
AND I HAVEN'T REALLY TALKED TO ANYBODY CONNECTED
WITH MY EXPERIENCES BACK THEN.
♪♪
REMEMBER, THE GOSPEL MEANS GOOD NEWS.
THAT'S THE LITERAL TRANSLATION.
SO IF IT DOESN'T SOUND GOOD, IT'S PROBABLY NOT THE GOSPEL.
I WISH THE CHURCH KNEW THAT.
♪♪
I CAME IN FROM SURFING,
AND MY WIFE HANDED ME A BUSINESS CARD
SAYING THAT THIS NICE FELLOW TRIED TO ASK ME OUT
AND FOUND OUT THAT I WAS ENGAGED,
AND HE WAS VERY POLITE AND SAID HE KNEW YOU.
AND I'M LOOKING AT THIS CARD THAT SAID,
"'GATOR' MARK ANTHONY, SKATEBOARD EXTRAORDINAIRE,"
AND I'M LIKE, "IT'S GATOR." [ LAUGHS ]
I'M THINKING, "OKAY, JESUS.
WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO WITH GATOR?"
♪♪
DUDE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING OVER.
MAN, OUR FIRST CONVERSATION,
I DON'T BELIEVE WE TALKED MORE THAN 10 MINUTES
BEFORE HE WAS INQUIRING ABOUT JESUS.
SO, LIKE, YOU'RE REALLY INTO THIS BIBLE STUFF, HUH?
IT SEEMED THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT
HAD PUT IT ON BOTH OF OUR HEARTS
WHY WE WERE IN EACH OTHER'S LIVES, RIGHT AWAY.
YOU KNOW, I'M SITTING IN HIS CONDO,
AND WE'RE GETTING ALONG GREAT,
AND AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL THESE RICH SPIRITUAL THINGS,
I'M LOOKING AT HIS BOOKSHELF AND HIS LIBRARY.
AND I'M JUST SHOCKED AT HOW MUCH OCCULT
AND HOW MUCH EVIL STUFF THE GUY LIKED.
♪♪
DO YOU WANT ANOTHER DRINK?
♪♪
Costantino: MARK LOVED DEATH.
HE HAD AN INFATUATION WITH IT.
I MEAN, HE THOUGHT IT WAS JUST UNBELIEVABLY ENTERTAINING.
♪♪
IT'S THE VIOLENCE AND...
NONCONSENSUAL SEXUALITY
THAT APPEALED TO MARK IN THOSE MOVIES.
♪♪
McClain: I HAVE SO MANY MEMORIES OF JESSICA.
IF JESSICA AND I GOT TOGETHER,
SOMETHING WAS GONNA GO DOWN, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING FUN.
OUR FRIENDSHIP REALLY TOOK PLACE WITHIN ABOUT A YEAR,
MAYBE TWO, BEFORE I MOVED AWAY WITH MARK.
♪♪
JESSICA AND I STARTED GOING SEPARATE WAYS
'CAUSE I HAD A BOYFRIEND NOW, AND I WAS LEAVING.
WE DIDN'T STAY IN TOUCH THAT WELL.
♪♪
AT THIS POINT, MARK WAS AT THE HEIGHT OF HIS CAREER.
ALL THE SKATEBOARDING GUYS CALLED HIM GATOR,
BUT I CALLED HIM MARK.
IT WAS GATOR, TONY HAWK,
STEVE CABALLERO,
CHRISTIAN HOSOI, LIKE, ALL THE CLASSICS, YOU KNOW?
HE WAS ONE OF THOSE GUYS.
I GUESS, FROM THE OUTSIDE,
IT SEEMED LIKE WE WERE SOME KIND OF GOLDEN COUPLE,
IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT THAT, BUT IT NEVER FELT LIKE THAT.
♪♪
WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?
OUT TO THE MALL, WHY?
McClain: WHEN WE STARTED LIVING TOGETHER,
HE WAS VERY CONTROLLING.
I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T THINK YOU WOULD...
NOPE, NOPE. [ SCOFFS ]
YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE, OKAY?
I SAID, "OKAY?"
OKAY, YEAH.
McClain: I THINK MARK DID HAVE TWO DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES.
I THINK HE HAD HIS SKATEBOARDING PERSONA,
AND THEN HE HAD WHO HE REALLY WAS,
AND WHO HE REALLY WAS WAS VERY DEEPLY TROUBLED.
DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN!
- OKAY. - I CAN'T DEAL WITH...
- YOU'RE REALLY SCARING ME. - ...IT ANYMORE, BRANDI.
McClain: I THINK THE ANGER WAS ALWAYS IN HIM.
YOU'RE DRIVING ME INSANE.
McClain: MAYBE HE WAS SO COMFORTABLE AROUND ME.
THAT HE LET IT OUT.
- I'M... - OH!
WE WOULD GET INTO ARGUMENTS, AND HE WOULD GET EXTRAORDINARILY
OUT-OF-CONTROL MAD FOR SOMETHING SO SMALL.
WHEN MARK GOT ANGRY, HIS EYES WOULD CHANGE.
I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO DESCRIBE IT.
I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYBODY GET MAD LIKE THAT BEFORE.
IT WAS DEFINITELY SOMETHING REALLY DEEP INSIDE OF HIM.
YOU COULD TELL IT WAS REALLY BOTTLED UP
AND GONNA COME OUT LIKE A VOLCANO,
AND I NEVER WANTED TO GET TO THAT VOLCANIC PLACE.
I NEVER WANTED TO GET TO WHERE HE WOULD BLOW IT, YEAH.
♪♪
MARK FLIPPED OUT AND WAS ON A RAMPAGE.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT FOR, SOME STUPID ARGUMENT,
AND I FIND MYSELF LOCKED IN A CLOSET.
[ CRYING ] I'M SORRY. PLEASE LET ME OUT.
♪♪
MARK!
THAT WAS THE POINT WHERE I THOUGHT,
"I GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE. LIKE, I DON'T WANT TO END UP
LOCKED IN THIS CLOSET EVER AGAIN."
PLEASE, MARK!
McClain: I DIDN'T WANT TO SIT AROUND AND SEE WHAT ELSE.
HE WAS CAPABLE OF.
PLEASE.
-I'M SORRY. [ KNOCKING ON DOOR ]
♪♪
Costantino: WE TALKED ABOUT OUR FAMILIES.
AND OUR PARENTS AND LACK OF.
WE TALKED ABOUT OUR STRUGGLES AND OUR ADDICTIONS
AND HOW SIMILAR WE WERE.
SO OUR FRIENDSHIP GOT REALLY HUGE AND OUR LOVE EACH OTHER.
♪♪
DO YOU EVER STRUGGLE WITH ANYTHING?
OF COURSE.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS,
AND THE HYPOCRISY IN OUR LIVES CAME UP.
I SHARED WITH HIM HOW I WAS OVERCOMING
MY PORNOGRAPHY ADDICTION.
I STRUGGLE WITH THE TEMPTATION FROM PORN.
MARK'S LIKE, "WELL, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
YOU THINK I SHOULD GET RID OF ALL MY VIDEOS AND STUFF?"
AND I'M LIKE, "WELL, YOU KNOW, YEAH,
YOU NEED TO GET RID OF STUFF."
MARK, I THINK THAT'D BE A HUGE STEP.
YEAH.
SO I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS
AFTER I HAD MET HIM THAT HE'S LIKE,
"HEY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING IT TODAY."
♪♪
- MARK. - AUGGIE, HEY.
- THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. - MY PLEASURE, BUDDY.
Costantino: I WENT TO HIS HOUSE.
AND HE GOES, "I'll BE RIGHT BACK."
HE GOES UPSTAIRS AND COMES BACK DOWN WITH A BIG LOAD,
A BOX FULL OF PORN MAGAZINES AND LITTLE VIDEOS.
HE'S ALL, "DON'T LOOK AT THEM!" YOU KNOW?
BUT CONSEQUENTLY I DID, YOU KNOW?
♪♪
AND THEY WERE VERY HARDCORE.
IT WASN'T, LIKE, "PENTHOUSE" AND "PLAYBOY" AND...
IT WAS SOME PRETTY NASTY STUFF.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE GOT IT.
BUT THERE WAS CLEARLY AN OBVIOUS INFATUATION
WITH THINGS BLOODY
AND THINGS MURDER-Y.
♪♪
SO, IN APRIL, A FAMILY FROM SAN DIEGO IS OUT IN THE DESERT
AND COMES UPON WHAT APPEARS TO BE A VERY MUMMIFIED,
SKELETONIZED BODY.
♪♪
THEY COULD NOT TELL WHETHER IT WAS A MAN OR A WOMAN
BECAUSE OF THE STATE OF DECOMPOSITION ON THE BODY.
♪♪
WHAT THEY TRY TO DO IS MATCH UP UNIDENTIFIED BODIES
WITH MISSING PERSONS REPORTS.
THEY SENT A REQUEST OVER TO TRY TO MATCH WITH MISSING PERSONS,
AND THEY CAME BACK WITH NO MATCH.
♪♪
THE INVESTIGATORS THERE AND THE EVIDENCE TECH
ARE LOOKING AT THIS BODY.
IS IT SOMEBODY THAT IS, PERHAPS,
AN IMMIGRANT THAT HAS BEEN WALKING THROUGH THE DESERT
AND HAS SUCCUMBED TO THE DESERT HEAT?
THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHY THIS PERSON IS
WHERE THEY ARE OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT.
WAS THERE ACTUALLY A HOMICIDE?
♪♪
THAT WAS JESSICA.
LOOK AT THAT SMILE.
♪♪
MM-HMM.
I LOVE THIS PICTURE.
♪♪
I DON'T WANT TO LOOK AWAY FROM IT.
[ SNIFFLES ]
IT STARTED THAT NIGHT WHEN I MET MARK AND JESSICA WAS WITH ME.
WE MET HIM AT THE SAME TIME.
WE BOTH MET HIM.
YOU'LL HAVE TO SHOW US A FEW TRICKS.
AND I DON'T THINK
WE COULD'VE EVER IMAGINED
THAT IT WOULD'VE EVER TURNED OUT LIKE THAT DOWN THE ROAD.
♪♪
THIS SERIES OF EVENTS THAT I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT
IS THE HARDEST BECAUSE
IT WAS SO FORETELLING.
♪♪
I WAS LIVING OUT WITH MY PARENTS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA,
A TOWN CALLED CANYON LAKE, AND HE CAME OVER.
MARK, WHY ARE YOU HERE?
McClain: AND HE WANTED TO TALK.
HE STARTED TELLING ME THINGS LIKE HE COULD REALLY HURT ME,
AND HE COULD TAKE MY BODY OUT TO DESERT,
AND NOBODY WOULD EVER MISS ME.
NOBODY CARED ABOUT ME,
THAT HE COULD DO IT AND GET AWAY WITH IT.
♪♪
AND THAT REALLY SCARED ME.
♪♪
MARK WANTED ME TO KNOW THAT HE WAS PISSED.
MARK WAS MAD, AND HE DIDN'T LIKE ME ANYMORE.
NOT ONLY DIDN'T LIKE ME, HE HATED ME.
WHICH WAS ANOTHER REASON I WAS SO FEARFUL OF HIM
BECAUSE HERE HE IS
TALKING ABOUT HIS LOVE FOR THE LORD
AND HIS LOVE FOR CHRIST AND FOR JUST BEING SO INTO GOD
AND IN THE SAME BREATH,
TELLING ME THAT HE WANTS TO HURT ME.
GOD SAYS WE SHOULD FORGIVE.
I DON'T THINK I COULD FORGIVE YOU!
SO IT WAS VERY CONFLICTING, AND IT WAS, UM,
HE JUST SEEMED VERY DANGEROUS TO ME.
AND I THOUGHT, "OKAY. THIS IS NOT GOOD. YOU NEED TO GO."
- NO, I'M NOT GONNA GO. - MARK, GO.
♪♪
McClain: A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, I RODE MY BIKE HOME FROM WORK.
AND SO I WENT BACK TO MY BEDROOM,
WALKED INTO MY ROOM AND PICTURES WERE NOT IN THE FRAMES.
MOST OF MY CLOTHES WERE GONE.
THERE WAS, LIKE, TWO THINGS HANGING IN MY CLOSET.
THINGS WERE MISSING.
LOTS OF THINGS WERE MISSING.
SO I WENT BACK OUT, AND I OPENED THE GARAGE DOOR.
MY CAR WAS GONE.
♪♪
IT JUST ALL STARTED TO CLICK.
EVERYTHING THAT WAS GONE WERE THINGS THAT MARK HAD BOUGHT ME.
♪♪
ABOUT A WEEK LATER, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CALLED
AND SAID THAT THEY HAD FOUND MY VEHICLE
ALONG WITH ALL OF MY THINGS,
AND IT HAD BEEN TORCHED OUT IN A FIELD,
OUT IN THE DESERT IN CALIFORNIA.
YEAH, OKAY.
THAT'S WHEN I REALLY STARTED
KIND OF BEING VERY AFRAID OF HIM.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE... AT THIS POINT,
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE WAS CAPABLE OF.
♪♪
I WOULD WALK OR SKATEBOARD UP TO 7-ELEVEN
AND HAND OUT THE YOUTH CRISIS HOTLINE CARDS.
AUGGIE!
OH, HI, MARK.
AND ONE FRIDAY, I TOOK MARK,
AND I TURNED MY HEAD,
AND I LOOK ON THE GLASS WINDOW OF THIS 7-ELEVEN.
MARK, LOOK AT THIS.
AND THERE'S A JESSICA BERGSTEN MISSING POSTER.
♪♪
Costantino: I REACH OVER AND PEEL THE SCOTCH TAPE OFF.
WE'RE GOING TO PRAY FOR HER FAMILY,
HER LOVED ONES, FOR HER.
Costantino: I FOLDED IT UP AND PUT IT IN MY BIBLE.
SO I WOULD REMEMBER TO PRAY.
MARK HAD TO GO.
SUDDENLY, HE HAD TO LEAVE.
AND HE LEFT, NO BIG DEAL.
♪♪
THE BIBLE STUDY THAT NIGHT WAS ABOUT
JUDAS ISCARIOT, THE GREAT PRETENDER,
THE ONE THAT BETRAYED JESUS FOR 30 PIECES OF SILVER.
AND THEN, WHEN HE REALIZED WHAT HE HAD DONE,
HE WENT OUT AND HUNG HIMSELF, COMMITTED SUICIDE.
♪♪
10:30, 11, I HEARD A KNOCK ON THE DOOR, PRETTY HARD KNOCK.
♪♪
Costantino: AND THEN I GOT TO THE DOOR, OPENED IT...
MARK.
...AND I SAW MARK THERE SOBBING AT THE DOOR.
[ CRYING ]
MARK, WHAT'S WRONG?
AND WHEN HE CALMED DOWN, HE MANAGED TO GET IT OUT,
AND HE JUST SAID, "I'M JUDAS."
I'M JUDAS.
"I'M JUDAS ISCARIOT
AND I CAN NEVER BE A CHRISTIAN."
♪♪
Mark: I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID IT.
Costantino: I THINK I SAID, "WHO DID YOU HURT?
"DID YOU KILL SOMEONE? DID YOU RAPE SOMEONE?
YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON?"
AND HE SAID, "WHERE'S YOUR BIBLE?"
AND IT WAS RIGHT THERE ON THE TABLE.
♪♪
I GRABBED IT. HE GOES, "OPEN IT UP. JESSICA."
AND IN MY MIND, I'M LIKE, "JESSICA?"
"THE MISSING PERSON IN YOUR BIBLE."
THAT GIRL.
♪♪
"AH, BERGSTEN?"
HE SAID, "YEAH. I KNOW WHERE SHE'S AT.
I KILLED HER, AND I BURIED HER IN THE DESERT."
AND I'M JUST...
"OKAY.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?
"WHAT'D YOU COME HERE FOR?
"WHY HAVE YOU WOKEN ME UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT,
"MY WIFE ASLEEP IN THE OTHER ROOM,
"TO TELL ME YOU RAPED AND MURDERED A GIRL?
"AM I SUPPOSED TO JUST GO BACK TO BED NOW, SUPPOSED TO SAY,
"'SEE YOU TOMORROW, MARK'?
"AM I SUPPOSED TO RUN TO MY PHONE AND CALL 911?
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
"IF YOU KNOW WHERE THAT GIRL IS,
"AND IF YOU'RE TELLING ME THE TRUTH,
THEN LET'S GO TELL THE POLICE."
AND THEN YOU HEAR, "DING, DING, DING, DING, DING,
DING, DING, DING, DING, DING! BERP, BERP!"
A TRAIN COMING, YOU KNOW?
AND I'M LIVING RIGHT BY THE TRACKS.
♪♪
HE'S LIKE, "NO, I CAN'T DO THIS,"
[ TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS ]
JUST BOLTED OUT THE DOOR.
♪♪
AND I WAS IN MY UNDERWEAR,
BAREFOOT, AND I SPRINTED AFTER HIM.
MARK, COME BACK! COME BACK!
AND I TACKLED HIM IN THE STREET...
STOP. MARK, YOU GOT TO STOP.
...RIGHT BEHIND HIS CAR.
I HAD HIM IN A STRONGHOLD, THOUGH,
SO I'M, LIKE, VIOLENTLY HOLDING HIM SO HE CAN'T MOVE.
- LET ME GO! - MARK, STOP.
NO! I CAN'T.
- MARK. - NO, GET OFF.
IT'S OKAY.
- IT'S OKAY. - [ CRYING ]
- IT'S NOT OKAY. - IT'S OKAY.
AFTER THE TRAIN PASSED, HIS BODY WENT LIMP.
AND I JUST SAID, "MAN, YOUR WHOLE LIFE IS AHEAD OF YOU."
♪♪
WE ALL KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF MURDER GOING ON IN THIS WORLD.
[ LAUGHS ]
AND EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW HOW DO YOU CHANGE A HEART, YOU KNOW?
♪♪
IN MY MIND, I WAS JUST SAYING,
"HOW WOULD JESUS TREAT YOU IF YOU DID THIS?
"HOW WOULD YOU WANT SOMEONE
"TO TREAT YOU IF YOU DID THIS?
"WOULD YOU WANT THEM TO JUST KILL YOU WITH A GUN?
"WOULD YOU WANT THEM TO JUST POUND YOUR HEAD
"INTO THE PAVEMENT?
OR WOULD YOU WANT TO BE HELD AND LOVED?"
SO I HELD HIM AND I LOVED HIM.
♪♪
WE GOT A CALL FROM THE CARLSBAD POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY TOLD US THAT IT WAS A SKATEBOARDER
THAT WAS A WORLD CHAMPION SKATEBOARDER THAT WAS INVOLVED,
AND THAT HE HAD SUPPOSEDLY KILLED SOMEBODY IN CARLSBAD.
AND HE CONFESSED?
YOU'RE IMMEDIATELY SKEPTICAL BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN
VERY OFTEN THAT SOMEBODY JUST WALKS UP TO YOU AND SAYS,
"I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT SOMEBODY THAT I KILLED."
♪♪
WHEN I FIRST WALKED INTO THIS PARTICULAR CRIME SCENE,
IT LOOKED LIKE NOTHING HAD EVER HAPPENED THERE.
THE CARPETS WERE CLEAN.
THE LIVING QUARTERS WERE CLEAN.
♪♪
IT LOOKED LIKE JUST ANYBODY ELSE'S HOUSE
AND NOT A PLACE WHERE A MURDER OCCURRED.
THEY THEN LUMINOLED THE CARPET, BOTH IN THE UPSTAIRS BEDROOM
AND IN THE MAIN LIVING AREA OF THE HOUSE.
LUMINOL IS A LIQUID THAT REACTS WITH PROTEINS IN BLOOD.
THE PROTEINS, EVEN THOUGH THE CARPET IS WASHED,
DO NOT COME OUT.
THEY REMAIN THERE.
WHEN THEY TURNED OUT THE LIGHTS,
AND THEY TURNED ON THE BLACK LIGHT
AFTER SPRAYING THE LUMINOL,
THE CARPET IN THE LIVING ROOM JUST GLOWED.
♪♪
IT WAS OBVIOUS THIS WAS A FAIRLY LARGE CRIME SCENE,
AND THERE WAS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF BODILY FLUID
THAT HAD BEEN TRANSFERRED ONTO THIS CARPET.
♪♪
YOU REALIZED THAT THIS PARTICULAR VICTIM
WAS SUBJECTED TO QUITE A VIOLENT ORDEAL
OVER A CONSIDERABLE PERIOD OF TIME.
♪♪
IMPERIAL COUNTY NOW HAS A NAME TO PUT WITH WHAT WAS A JANE DOE.
THEY HAVE THE NAME OF JESSICA BERGSTEN.
I CAN'T POSSIBLY IMAGINE WHAT THAT PHONE CALL WAS LIKE,
AS THAT WE HAVE A SKELETONIZED BODY FROM THE DESERT,
AND WE NEED YOU TO GIVE US THE INFORMATION
ABOUT YOUR DAUGHTER.
I DON'T THINK THAT A PARENT EVER LOSES HOPE
UNTIL THAT TERRIBLE CALL COMES OR THAT CONTACT COMES.
[ Voice breaking ] EXCUSE ME.
I CAN'T BELIEVE I GOT A LITTLE CHOKED UP OVER IT.
BUT I KNEW THE BERGSTENS FROM TALKING TO THEM,
AND I KNEW HOW MUCH THEY FELT
AND HOW MUCH THEY LOVED THEIR DAUGHTER.
AND THEY WANTED HER BACK.
I DIDN'T THINK I WAS GONNA DO THAT.
THAT'S OKAY.
♪♪
HELLO? HEY.
McClain: I'll NEVER FORGET THE DAY THAT THE PHONE RANG,
AND IT WAS MY FRIEND.
SORRY FOR WHAT?
AND HE SAID TO ME, "I'M SO SORRY, BRANDI.
I'M JUST SO SORRY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY."
I SAID, "FOR WHAT? WHAT ARE YOU SORRY FOR?"
I JUST REMEMBER HIM SAYING,
"I'M NOT THE FIRST ONE TO TELL YOU, AM I?
YOU DON'T KNOW?"
AND I SAID, "KNOW WHAT?"
AND WHEN HE TOLD ME THAT MARK HAD CONFESSED
TO KILLING JESSICA...
♪♪
...I JUST REMEMBER FEELING, LIKE,
ALL THE BLOOD HAD GONE OUT OF MY BODY.
I JUST REMEMBER STANDING AGAINST THE WALL
WITH THE PHONE IN MY HAND AND JUST SLIDING DOWN THE WALL
AND NOT WANTING TO BELIEVE THAT THAT WAS TRUE
AND BEING REALLY ANGRY
BECAUSE I WAS ANGRY.
I WAS SO MAD AT MARK.
♪♪
[ CRYING ]
I WISH THAT SHE WOULD'VE CALLED ME
SO THAT I COULD'VE WARNED HER
NOT TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH HIM.
AND IF SHE WOULD HAVE SAID THAT SHE WAS GONNA
EVEN HAVE LUNCH, I WOULD'VE TOLD HER NO.
I WOULD'VE TOLD HER TO RUN THE OTHER WAY.
HE WAS SO DANGEROUS.
♪♪
[ CRYING ] TOUGHEST PHOTO TO LOOK AT.
THIS IS THE HARDEST ONE TO LOOK AT.
WE WERE READING OUR BIBLES
AND WORSHIPPING, SINGING SONGS,
AND WE WERE STANDING IN A STAIRWELL,
AND I SAID, "LET'S JUST DOCUMENT THIS MOMENT, MAN."
"I MEAN, THIS IS WHY WE BELIEVE,
TO TAKE US FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT."
BUT I KNEW THAT DARKNESS WANTED TO CONSUME HIM.
♪♪
Jensen: MARK WAS SET ON A COLLISION.
COURSE WITH HIS OWN FATE BY HIS CHOICES.
♪♪
HE WAS ANGRY AT HIS GIRLFRIEND, AND THE RESULT OF THAT ANGER
HAD FINALLY GOT TO HIM WHEN HER FRIEND,
JESSICA, HAD CALLED MARK ON THE PHONE AND SAID,
"HEY, MARK. I'M IN TOWN."
THEY BOUGHT SOME WINE, AND THEN THEY WENT TO HIS APARTMENT.
ACCORDING TO HIM, THEY SMOKED SOME MARIJUANA
AND THAT, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT,
HE MADE THE DECISION THAT HE JUST WAS GONNA TAKE HER HOME,
BUT ON THE WAY, SOMETHING CHANGED.
♪♪
I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE IS A WAY TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT JESSICA WENT THROUGH.
♪♪
THIS IS THE FIRST PART OF MARK'S CONFESSION.
"SOMETHING CAME OVER ME. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS,
"BUT I JUST PHYSICALLY BOUND HER
"AND TIED HER UP SO SHE COULDN'T MOVE.
"SHE ASKED ME TO LET HER GO, AND I DIDN'T WANT TO LET HER GO.
I HIT HER IN THE HEAD WITH A BAR SO THAT SHE WAS STUNNED."
HE THEN BEGAN, OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS,
COMMITTING EVERY SEX ACT THAT HE COULD THINK WITH HER.
♪♪
SOME TIME DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT,
MARK DECIDED THAT SHE WAS MAKING WAY TOO MUCH NOISE.
HE TOOK HIS SURFBOARD OUT OF THE SURFBOARD BAG
AND PUT JESSICA IN IT AND ZIPPED IT UP.
♪♪
THE PROBLEM FOR JESSICA AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME
WAS THERE WAS NO AIR IN THERE,
OR WHAT AIR WAS IN THERE WAS VERY LITTLE.
SHE STARTED GASPING FOR AIR,
AND SHE STARTED SCREAMING LOUDER.
MARK BECAME MUCH MORE CONVINCED SOMEBODY WAS GONNA HEAR.
SO HE PUT HIS HAND OVER HER MOUTH
AND ESSENTIALLY SUFFOCATED HER TO DEATH.
♪♪
I'M WONDERING IF THE TERM LONG AND TORTUROUS DEATH
IS ADEQUATE TO DESCRIBE WHAT SHE HAD TO BE GOING THROUGH.
♪♪
MARK DEFINITELY WAS TAKING OUT HIS ANGER
ON JESSICA VERSUS BRANDI.
HIS NEXT BEST PERSON WAS JESSICA BECAUSE THEY WERE FRIENDS,
AND MAYBE THAT WOULD THEN GET BACK AND CAUSE BRANDI PAIN.
♪♪
IT MADE NO SENSE.
THERE IS NO LOGIC.
MARK HAD ABSOLUTELY NO REASON TO KILL JESSICA.
JESSICA HAD DONE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO MARK.
♪♪
I STOPPED TO LOOK AT THIS CASE AND REALIZED
THAT MY DAUGHTER WAS ABOUT THE SAME AGE
AS JESSICA AT THAT TIME.
YOU KNOW, YOU TRY VERY HARD NOT TO INTERJECT YOUR FAMILY
BECAUSE WHEN YOU COME HOME AT NIGHT,
YOU HAVE TO SEE THAT FAMILY.
BUT I WOULD BE A FOOL TO TELL YOU THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
♪♪
I HAD NO ANGER TOWARD MARK,
EVEN AFTER HE CONFESSED,
BECAUSE I AM ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE
THAT IT WASN'T HIM THAT DID IT.
I'M ABSOLUTELY SURE OF THAT.
IT MADE ME NOT AS ANGRY AT HIM,
BUT MORE ANGRY AT THE DEVIL.
♪♪
[ CRYING ] I HATE WHEN PEOPLE LOSE SIGHT OF GOD.
IT SADDENS ME, YOU KNOW?
♪♪
SOMEBODY ONCE ASKED ME, INTERESTED,
HE SAID, "WELL, MARK'S GONNA BE PAROLED"
"AND RELEASED FROM PRISON SOON.
WILL YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH HIS RECOVERY?"
I SAID, "BE A DREAM COME TRUE.
I'D LOVE TO."
♪♪
I DON'T THINK ANYONE IS BEYOND SAVING, NOBODY.
♪♪
McClain: I CAN NEVER, EVER FORGIVE MARK.
JESSICA DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO MARK.
SHE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING.
SHE DIDN'T KNOW. [ SNIFFLES ]
SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE HAD TURNED INTO.
HOW COULD SHE HAVE?
I'VE NEVER, EVER FORGOTTEN HER.
AND THERE'S NOT A DAY THAT GOES BY THAT
I DON'T THINK ABOUT HER AND HER FAMILY,
AND I FEEL, LIKE,
MAYBE THEY DID BLAME ME,
AND THAT'S OKAY,
BUT I JUST REALLY WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT
I'M SO SORRY THAT THIS HAPPENED TO THEIR DAUGHTER.
AND I'M SO SORRY THAT I KNEW THE PERSON WHO DID IT.
I'M SO SORRY FOR ALL THOSE THINGS.
AND I REALLY WISH THAT I COULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO TELL THEM THAT IN PERSON, AND I NEVER HAVE BEEN ABLE TO.
AND I JUST WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT I NEVER,
NEVER STOPPED THINKING ABOUT HER OR ABOUT THEM.
♪♪