This post was written from inside the Baseline Killer's courtroom as the sentencing was happening, in real time.
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This sketch circulated for months before Mark Goudeau (r) was arrested in 2006
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Mark Goudeau, convicted as the "Baseline Killer" who terrorized Phoenix in 2005-2006, has just been sentenced to: Georgia Thompson-Death, Tina Washington-Death, Romelia Vargas-Death, Mirna Palma Roman-Death, Chao Chou-Death, Liliana Sanchez-Death, Kristin Gibbons-Death, Sophia Nunez-Death, Carmen Miranda-Death.
Mark Goudeau has shown no reaction whatsoever.
It's a clean sweep. For every capital charge, Goudeau has received the death penalty. These death sentences were delivered by a 5 woman/7 man jury. He will face the judge again to be sentenced for a multitude of non-capital charges. The jury will not be there for that, they have been formally excused. A few have agreed to talk to the press but have directed they will not give their names and do not wish to be photographed.
ADD: All of them spoke to us. You will see no pictures on TV, due to their instructions, but I will write more about their fascinating discussion with me and a few other reporters soon. Please check back.
A lot of press has gathered, the court having arranged for an overflow press room. I am in the real courtroom, directly behind Mark Goudeau by about 20 feet. Goudeau tried to waive his presence for this sentencing, but Judge Warren Granville wouldn't allow it. Goudeau wore a dust-brown suit, his hair still cut short as in the above photo at right.
Goudeau was already serving a sentence in excess of 400 years for the sexual assaults of two women who testified against him in an earlier trial. An appeal of these death sentences is automatic, he couldn't get out of the years of appeals ahead of him he wanted to. He did try to get out of being present for the jury's verdict today, but Judge Granville told him Arizona law is airtight, "you can waive many things, but you cannot waive being present for your sentencing."
The Baseline Killer is often confused with the Phoenix Serial Shooter. It's an easy mistake to make and even at the time, many citizens living through it felt the same confusion. But the two sets of crimes were very, very different. The Baseline Killer targeted women, often two together, and made his crimes very personal. They often began when he approached the women and asked for the time or directions and soon escalated into a kidnapping, rape, and murder. The victims saw his face, heard his voice, knew what he wanted. Some of them survived and gave a description to police, resulting in the above sketch which was released to the media and widely circulated. With the constant use of the fishing hat and through other details, police suspected the braids were a wig. In fact, when Mark Goudeau was arrested, his hair was short.
By contrast, the Serial Shooter shot anyone and anything, in stealth mode. People, men and women, died or were maimed without ever knowing why it had happened to them or who had done it.
For the Serial Shooter crimes, Dale Hausner, and others, were arrested on August 4, 2006. Mark Goudeau and Dale Hausner have never met. The two series' of crimes were completely unrelated other than, in the later stages, a possible competition for headlines as each terrorized the city at an increasing pace.
The story was a highly unique one. And it was my privilege to tell as much as could fit in one book, which is A SUDDEN SHOT. It's available at any bookseller. The special Sudden Shot community gathers at the FB page you can visit and join by clicking the FB badge to the right on this page. For a small excerpt of the book, click
here. Many extra photos and and samples are on this blog as well. Check the cloud at left for appropriate tags.
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| Dale Hausner was arrested several weeks before the Baseline Killer |
(click on a title below to buy)
Coming soon: Masters of True Crime-Chilling Stories of Murder and the Macabre
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