He ended up with possibly career ending injuries. If he underwent a religious conversion, it was to evil, degradation, filth, and satanism.. (For those of you who are not so into skateboarding, vert skating is skating that involves ramps and pools or some other similar incline.) The former professional skater reportedly made$4,000 and $8,000 per month throughclothing and equipment endorsement deals. (LogOut/ a letter that former executive committee employee August "Augie" Boto sent survivor Christa Brown . However, the actress was not impressed by the way the former skater kissed her during their second date. But the cash didnt end there; he also had his contest winnings and lent his name to a slew of products made by Vision Sport, a skateboard merchandising company. Mark Anthony. That was just Gator., But Brandi would have none of it. Hes our own true father. He is evil incarnate. Gator, along with many others in the courtroom, cried as Bergsten continued in an angry 20-minute monologue. However the Church and its Pastors werent finished moving yet. Shortly thereafter, Superior Court Judge Thomas J. Whelan sentenced Gator to consecutive terms of 6 years for forcible rape and 25 years to life for first-degree murder. Former skateboarding icon Mark Rogowski admitted to raping and killing Jessica Bergsten. There were no other witnesses to her disappearance. There. The ex-skateboarding champion was born Mark Anthony Rogowski on 10th August of 1966 in Brooklyn, New York. Gator dragged her along to Calvary Chapel a few times, but she wasnt ready for the party to end. We go to Pator Tony and Patsy Garcias church, my husband, my son (almost 18) and our future daughter-in-law, all loving the Lord together. I can easily waste away an entire day on Reddit. It was pretty cool to see a bunch of guys from San Diego County at the center of this huge thing. I trust that you all are well. Essentially, I became a victim first, because I turned my back on God in several ways, thinking I could get through it on my own power. 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., promiscuity, premarital sex and cohabitation, the disease of jealousy, and the unhealthy obsession that so often attaches to these. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 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. So that she could join him at competitions, he flew her to Brazil and Europe, says Gators brother Matt Rogowski. 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 . Over the years, Markdeveloped a severe drinking problem. Then wed hang out in his Jacuzzi, get drunk off our asses, and go in and have wild sex all night.. I dont want to mention family members, of course, because I want to protect them. We wouldnt do coke every night, but wed do bong hits, wed go to the Sand Bar at the end of his street and get fucked up. In the form of sex, actual sex with people. While recovering from his injuries, he met a man named Augie Constantino. Despite his ardor for Brandi, when he was alone hed walk up to beautiful women on the beach, say, Hi. $1.99 Add To Cart ^^^ CLICK ABOVE TO LISTEN AND FOLLOW The Opperman Report @ SPREAKER.com ^^^ If you're driving from Vegas to Utah or Cali you can keep listening for 2 hours straight! 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. 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. Jimenez says that Gator took some shit when he was first put in the San Diego County Jail. In 1987, the former pro skaterwas introduced to Brandi McClain and her friend Jessica Bergstenwhile performing at a skate show in Scottsdale, Arizona. 2nd Sunday May 14, 2023 . Is Kelly McGillis' Ex-Husband Fred Tillman Still A Restaurateur? After leaving the party, me and a friend of mine were playing chicken when he hit me head on, doing 45 miles per hour. It was more like an involuntary manslaughter. Subsequently, Rogowski had accumulated a sizable net worth through his professional success and brand deals during his glory days. Furthermore, he also forcibly tried to marry his then-girlfriend Brandi McClain after four years of dating. 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. 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. As she stared at the picture. Like Brandi, Jessica was tall, blond, and beautiful, and her friends remember her as tough, savvy, and adventurous. We prayed for about an hour, asking God what we should do. Please use this form to inform eBiographyPost about any grammar errors or mistakes in any information As of 2021, the former American skateboard champion is incarcerated at Donovan State Prison. He then tied her up so that she could not move and proceeded to take her upstairs and rape her for approximately 3 hours. Gator submitted a remarkable four-page written statement that hinted at the struggle going on in his mind before his crime, during its commission, and afterward. Another step forward came in 1994 when Pastor Augie became a U.S. Citizen. He talked to her friends, he even met with Gator to ask about her whereabouts. What will it take for us to examine ourselves and listen? Constantino Bacela, one of the most successful businessmen of recent times, has been appointed Minister in the President's Office, replacing Adelaide Amurane. Pastor Augie received an AA degree from Agape School of Theology in 1982, and by 1986 he along with Mary and the children pioneered the Victory Outreach church in Hollywood CA. One night at the 7-Eleven, remembers Constantino, Gator and I were witnessing and I saw this young girl with what they call a miniskirt I call them towels. I wouldnt have submitted if I didnt have some weakness, some background desire. Rogowski was charged with special circumstances because, under California law, committing murder during rape warrants the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole. She wanted to have fun and nothing else mattered. Mark had found a new life in Christ., Despite his newfound devotion to Jesus, Gators response to Brandis leaving was decidedly un-Christian, particularly after she started seeing one of the guys she surfed with. He began preaching to other skaters, and anyone else who would listen, and he would cover his skate decks in religious imagery. She could have been involved in drugs, pornography. Mark Anthony in his cell. When police came to question him about her disappearance a couple of weeks later, there was no evidence to be found. They were inseparable. He clasped his hands around her neck and strangled her. There were Gator stories, Gator spreads, full-page Gator ads he was a hero to us. While recovering from his injuries, he met a man named Augie Constantino. Merry Christmas. Curated stories, fun places to hang out and top events. But I got a strange reaction out of Mark. 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. Rogowski had essentially lost everything, and he had an uncontrollable rage growing inside him, and with that rage, a blind hatred toward Brandi. Ride your own wave! By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Auggie Costantino (@auggiecostantino) Instagram photos and videos auggiecostantino Follow 327 posts 281 followers 381 following Auggie Costantino #Jesusfriend #artist #surfer #storyteller #Declassify #truth and #justice. On 20th March 1991, Rogowski and Jessica met for the first time in years. There were a lot of kids in my neighborhood, my protg in skateboarding who would have Bible studies with me. He claimed that he believed that Jesus Christ had spoken to him through the accident. Augie was a surfer and now born again Christian. Jesus Christ spoke to me through that accident, said Gator. Jen takes us back to the 80's when Skateboarding was all the rage. You want all your money back, every necklace, every ring. It was there that Gator, at age seven, discovered skating. Nor does he think it was unethical for him, as a minister, to turn in someone confessing to him. He talked to his family about marrying Brandi and settling down. Brandi and the police suspected Gator. For them to see me with this woman and all that had been going on the wine bottles, the cigarettes upstairs it would have been devastating. Boto could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. Gator, Gator, Gator every issue of Thrasher had Gator doing something, says Perry Gladstone, who owns FL (formerly Fishlips), a skateboarding company near San Diego. In 1991 Pastor Augie demonstrated his leadership in making a decision to move the Church to nearby Glendale CA. Once he was at this point in his career, he landed a spot on the company known as Vision Street Wear. And back then, in the days of 80s skateboarding, any good skate party would be fully equipped with multiple betties, aka skate groupies. At their peak, monthly sales of the Gator board reached 7000, earning him an easy $14,000. He was crying and said he was Judas Iscariot. He took it all back, including the car, says Terry Jensen, an investigator from the San Diego County district attorneys office, to whom Brandi later recounted the story. Archived post. As a result, at the tender age of 12, he was picked up by a local skating team. The National Skateboarding Association was sponsoring contests all over North America, Europe, and Japan, and first-prize money reached $5000 to $7000 per event. augie constantino minister. He mostly hung out in local skate parks and it did not take him long to master his craft. Look, heres an exact explanation of what happened to her. He reaches for his sword a well-thumbed red Bible on his bookshelf. I hope that you remember me, my 4 children (Keith, Arther, Carrie and Marcus). He considered himself a skateboard minister. With Augie in the picture, Gator spiraled further and further into his religious studies. Nevertheless, campers found her dead body in the middle of a desert on 10th April 1991. California state law does not allow video interviews with inmates, therefore Rogowski had to be interviewed over the phone for the documentary. He made me a good baseball player and an athlete in general. 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. According to the nearly 300-page report, former Executive Committee vice president and general counsel D. August "Augie" Boto and James Guenther, who represented the SBC from 1966 to 2021 . Im, like, My mother knows where I am. And he took me back.. 97030 . When the time comes, something inside of him takes over. "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. The Place for Scandals, Politics, and True Crime Stories, ^^^ CLICK ABOVE TO LISTEN AND FOLLOW The Opperman Report @ SPREAKER.com ^^^. Moreover, his story has been immortalized through documentaries and TV shows. Augustine Costantino Stoked: The Rise And Fall Of Gator charts '80s skateboarding legend-turned-convict Mark Gator Rogowski's transformation from local hero to international superstar.As part of an elite crew of top pros, Gator held rank with skate icons Tony Hawk, Steve Caballero, Jason Jessee and Lance Mountain, who in the film recall Skating's biggest decade and the culture shock of teens . 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. comment se passe la formation burger king . Gods richest blessings to you and your children, The Gator claimed that they could not engage in sexual activities without getting married. The police department in San Diego searched extensively but found no clues about Jessica. On one such attempt, she invited Gator to take her out to dinner. 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. Chances are, Rogowski will never be granted parole, and he will remain behind bars for his crime. Rogowski was originally going to seek out professional help, but was discouraged by Augie, claiming that God was all he needed and not doctors. I was being an example to these impressionable kids. Mark never had a father to speak of. MONSTERS ARE REAL. He claims to take responsibility for the crimes and explains his remorse for the murder of Jessica Bergsten. The following day, Rogowski turned himself to the police and admitted guilt to Jessica's murder. But one night soon after he was incarcerated, inmates crowded around a television to hear Gators story on Hard Copy. So people, we must realize, without reduction, the gripping strength and deceptive subtlety of sin! 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 . As per the former skate champion, he snuck up on Jessica before hitting her head with a metal club and making her semi-conscious. Hed growl, You bitch! 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. So I did! Witt Rowlett, owner of Witts Carlsbad Pipelines, the premier surf shop in Carlsbad, says that everyone was amazed. Tell he whole family hi and Keep praising the Lord!! Gator sneaked up behind her, hitting her two or three times in the head and face with the metal steering-wheel lock. By this point, in the skating world, Gator was one of the best vert skaters in the scene. You know, Give me my high school jacket and my class ring because were not going steady anymore. Well, thats what he did.. Gator claims he leaped from the window, believing he could fly. God always guides one back to where one grew from. His appeal was ultimately dismissed. 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. I told you and you remember, Rogowski what would happen if anyone hurt my daughter. 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. He had taken all the rage, and all the hatred that he held toward Brandi, and he had directed it at Jessica. Facebook gives people the. On April 10, 1991, Jessicas body was found by campers. I just wanted to say hello to you and that I have never stopped thinking of you and how kind you were to me. Ranging from risque public advertising, all the way to hardcore S&M, this dehumanizing of women and men and its dulling of the senses occurs at all levels. But people in the media tried to make it seem as if skating is a threat to the youth of America. The next thing I knew, I look down and shes not breathing and not moving.. All rights reserved. Id feel low, cheap. The initial reaction of the skateboarding worlds street wing was best expressed by Koby Newell, a 15-year-old who skated with Anthony at Carlsbad. He was such a great guy. Afterward, he handcuffed her and raped her while she was shackled to hisbed. He boasted of being a roving ambassador, telling skating magazines how he was going to turn the whole non-skating world on to the sport. They found the bloodstains under Gators carpet and a carpet-cleaner receipt (Gators accountant had instructed him to save all his receipts). If he was a celebrity in Southern California, in Carlsbad, the unofficial skateboarding capital of the world, he was a megastar. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Rogowski, https://murderpedia.org/male.R/r/rogowski-mark.htm, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw8IzWWwTMs. Afterward, Mark made significant changes in his lifestyle and often carried a Bible in tournaments and events. With his looks, youth, and arrogance born of money and fame, in the holy land of skateboarding, Gator was his own god. Markfurther explained that he was concerned that his neighbors would hear Jessica's screams. Rather, his tumultuous relationship with Brandi McClain was the reason behind the downfall of MarkRogowski. You cunt! He bought her two cars. God has changed me, and it was no typical jailhouse conversion, pleaded Gator. That 2006 letter from Bototo Brown symbolizesa long-lasting, systemichostility towards survivors exposed inSunday's report from Guidepost Solutions. Gator returned to the house with tears streaming down his face. I had different cars, a big house on an estate, even girls I had the prettiest, most popular, hah, most voluptuous, most unscrupulous girls. Skateboarders felt that the coverage was turning into an indictment of their sport, not just Gator. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. They were all reporters wanting me to talk about Gator. Liam Adams covers religion for The Tennessean. This influenced Rogowski's look on life and the designs on his boards. In this episode. And Mark was furious. Regardless of how it went down, Rogowski nearly died in the accident. After the accident, once Gator returned home, he was noticeably a changed person. 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. In Carlsbad Mark befriends Augie Constantino. He was a bitchin influence on me. Photo Source: Social Media. 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. After four years of dating McClain, Rogowski suggested "we can't have sex anymore unless we . Vision, the company that sponsored Gator and dozens of other top skaters, was about to file Chapter 11. His career continued to grow. Pastor Augie Barajas immigrated here to the United States from Mexico City as a student at the young age of thirteen years old. His numerous attempts at getting parole have been repeatedly denied. Growing up, little Mark didn't have the privilege of a peaceful and fulfilling childhood. I was a social outcast back then, he told Thrasher. Mark Anthony "Gator" Rogowski (born August 10, 1966) [3] is an American former professional skateboarder who was convicted of murder. They were received by Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga, Bulawayo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Judith Ncube, Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Sekai Nzenza, Women affairs Minister Dr Sithembiso Nyoni among senior Government and Zanu-PF officials. She was an incredibly intelligent, free-spirited girl, recalls Brandi. These guys were so into it, having such a good time, sweatin and laughin and crackin jokes and just snakin each other. Id probably have some suicidal tendencies. Those who visit Gator in prison are struck at first by how truly repentant he seems, sitting in his cell in a loose-fitting navy-blue jumpsuit with SD JAIL stamped on the back, his once wild long hair now shorn and carefully combed as he talks about his fall from grace. Jessica, still conscious, begged him to stop, occasionally screaming. At the January 1992 hearing in which he entered his plea. 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. Jessica Bergsten. I am still here, still loving God and raising my family in Arizona. 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. It's unknown when they will approve it. After only 2 years of skating parks and other local skate spots, Rogowski was added to a skate team in 1978. This story first appeared in New York's Village Voice. 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. He survived and was patched up in Germany, but upon returning home he spent months in San Diego with plastic surgeons trying to save his modeling career. Once she was in the bag, he placed his hand over her mouth and nose until she was no longer breathing. On his way back to the condo, he rented a carpet steamer, and cleaned out every spot of blood he could from the rug. 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. Men's Study 8:30 AM. Whatever the cause, the result nearly killed him. The fall of your favorite celebrity? Shortly after his birth, the Rogowski family moved to Escondido, California, where he spent most of his childhood alongside his older brother. Later on, Markmade a move and asked her out on a date. The accident that ensued is a skateboarding legend a drunken Gator, partying with a bunch of other skaters, leapt out of a second-story window, convinced that he could fly. THE OPPERMAN REPORT airs on KSHP AM1400 radio Las Vegas, Monday to Friday 9pm. Golden Hills 1910 Ed Fletcher Spec House a notable one-off, Yoga studio meets wine bar at Vinya: vino + vinyasa in Clairemont. He says, You know what? The American skater had it all; a successful career, a sizable fortune, and a beautiful blonde girlfriend. At the time these remarks were made, the San Diego Metropolitan Homicide Task Force was investigating the murders of 44 women whose bodies had been dumped in isolated places around the county since 1985. Little did Gator know that one such occasion would change his life forever. He was often considered among the top skateboarders across the globe. 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. The Gator who emerged from the hospital shocked his friends and admirers. 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. Eight months earlier Bergsten had been indicted, along with 44 others, as part of a nationwide drug ring. And although I attempt to forgive myself daily, wrote Gator, the struggle over his ultimate culpability still raging in his head, I havent quite been able and may never be able to do so.. Whether Mark fell on his own or was pushed by someone else remains a mystery to this day. 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. mentioned in the article. Use of this web site constitute acceptance of the Terms of Use and Privacy PolicyGDPR | User published content is licensed under a Creative Common License. For years Gator was skateboardings biggest star. Gator then drove to the Shell Canyon desert and left her body to rot. #Bodyposition #boardspeed #Trim #fulldisclosure Posts Tagged 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. He landed on a wrought-iron fence, impaling his neck, face, and thumb. Reach him on Twitter @liamsadams. Privacy Policy. There were no witnesses, no one heard her screams, and the murder weapon was never found. He had always been active in sports, including playing little league, but after being in California for a few years, it was not surfing that caught his attention, but skateboarding. Crude videos were slapped together featuring the latest moves. You see? Others say he was instead climbing a terrace to get back into his hotel room after curfew. Then he met Augie and started saying, We cant have sex anymore unless we get married. And Im like, Wait a minute. View the profiles of people named Augie Constantino. Other executive committee member seats are currently vacant. It was a terrible event for skateboarding, says Gladstone. TWO FEMALE TRUE CRIME ENTHUSIASTS DISCUSS THIS DARK REALITY WITH THEIR OWN UNIQUE TWIST. Proudly powered by WordPress . To further his education Pastor Augie received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theology from Facultad de Teologia, an Associate of Arts degree from Victory Education Training Institute, and a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies from Azusa Pacific University. It was quite a spectacle for a suburban courtroom. I cant deal with this. In the mid-1980s, skateboarding pioneers like Tony Hawk, Stacy Peralta, Mark Gonzales, etc., helped popularise the sport among younger generations. Street skating is a form of skating that does not require ramps, but simply skating the streets and using what you have around you to perform tricks. That list will become public, executive committee staff and lawyers announced Tuesday. In typical Gator fashion, he spent the night getting sloshed, wandering from party to party. 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 takes a deep breath, sighs, then continues. Brandi was scared enough to flee to New York, not telling anyone but her family where she was going. Two months went by without any leads. He says hes undergone a religious conversion. As a result, he became a born-again Christian under Augie's guidance and started following Evangelicalism. Consequently, he began participating in various skating events and tournaments in the neighborhood.
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