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Showing posts with label Mark Goudeau. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mark Goudeau. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Baseline Killer Sentenced Today (Mark Goudeau)

This post was written from inside the Baseline Killer's courtroom as the sentencing was happening, in real time.
http://www.desertlivingtoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Baseline_Killer_Phoenix.jpg
This sketch circulated for months before Mark Goudeau (r) was arrested in 2006




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.

Dale Hausner was arrested several weeks before the Baseline Killer


(click on a title below to buy)
Camille Kimball's books:
                 **A Sudden Shot** as seen on TV!
Coming soon: Masters of True Crime-Chilling Stories of Murder and the Macabre

Thoughts on this or any article at this site? To the next person whose comment I use for a post I will send a free signed book!  (If you post as "anonymous" for convenience, try to include an identifying website or name in your remark so no one else can claim your prize!)  For an example, please click here. 

Monday, October 31, 2011

Baseline Killer Completes A Sudden Shot Story

People who read A SUDDEN SHOT often want to know more about the "Baseline Killer" because he was attacking Phoenix at the same time as the Serial Shooter was.  Today, Mark Goudeau has been convicted and can now be officially considered the Baseline Killer.
http://www.desertlivingtoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Baseline_Killer_Phoenix.jpg
Composite sketch--Mark Goudeau
This composite sketch, based on survivor accounts, appeared on billboards and newscasts at the same time that the Serial Shooter was also dominating the news. But there was no composite sketch of the Serial Shooter because no one had ever seen him and survived.

Dale Hausner and Sam Dieteman were arrested on August 4, 2006. But the Baseline Killer was still at large for several more weeks.


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Sam & Dale, both have dyed hair in this booking photo.


With the conviction of Mark Goudeau, this horrible nightmare has reached a conclusion.  For the hundreds of people affected by these crimes, there will be no "closure." But getting the conviction is an important moment. A feeling of relief descends on the heart. The terrible tension of fearing the monster might escape justice can subside.  
This book is featured on TV!
A Sudden Shot
The story behind the headlines is here...


Mark Goudeau will go into an "aggravation" then a "mitigation" phase before he will receive his sentence. But he is already serving a several hundred year sentence and will undoubtedly get several hundred more.  Expect multiple death penalties, too.


(click on a title below to buy)
Camille Kimball's books:
**A Sudden Shot** as seen on TV!
The Mammoth Book of Tough Guys
Coming soon: Masters of True Crime-Chilling Stories of Murder and the Macabre

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Wicked Attraction -- airs this week!

Detective Ron Rock gets miked up for his interview by audio man Rusty, director Darin Wales oversees



Man, woman, or beast, no one was safe...

June 15 the show Wicked Attraction airs the episode based on my book, A SUDDEN SHOT (Penguin 2009). Here's the trailer for the show (my soundbites come toward the end). Check your local listings for exact times (on the Investigation Discovery Channel, right next to the Science Channel).

The city of Phoenix was under siege....two separate serial killers were attacking the city at the same time...A SUDDEN SHOT is about the one who shot stealthily in the dark hours at anything that moved.....the other killer, the Baseline Killer, is on trial right now!
After you see the show, why not stop by the A SUDDEN SHOT page on Facebook? Many more photos there. Just click on the link above right, showing the blue book cover. Scroll through and see what the families and detectives have been saying about the case, the book and the show.

A SUDDEN SHOT is available anywhere books are sold, here's an easy one, Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sudden-Shot-Phoenix-Shooter-Berkley/dp/0425230198/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_2

Many of the visitors to this site are from across the sea! Glad to have you! May I suggest The Poisoned Pen bookstore? They will ship internationally. http://www.poisonedpen.com/products/trucrime/9780425230190




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