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. His numerous attempts at getting parole have been repeatedly denied. I was in Hawaii out drinking with some other pro surfers, says Constantino. Gator takes a deep breath, sighs, then continues. augie constantino minister And Mark was furious. He raped her and raped her and raped her and then thought, Lets kill her. We couldnt say goodbye to Jessica because that filth left her with nothing but a piece of skin, left her for the coyotes and the goddamned birds to eat her. Fie glared directly at Gator and said in a firm voice. To skateboarders everywhere, he was a hero. There, a handful of teenagers skated the ramps, rolling in and out, doing flips, handstands, board slides, ollies and every once in a while, some daring kid would attempt a lean 360. Its a notoriously difficult move, in which the skater tries to get enough momentum and height to fly vertically out of the bowl with his body almost perpendicular to the ground, spin around once completely, and then land where hed taken off, inside the bowl, but this time rolling backward toward the bottom. Anyway, Im not an ordained minister. Although Gator himself doesnt remember what happened, some of his friends say that he was actually trying to sneak back into his hotel after hours by crawling up a terrace. A Gator skate "deck the board (decorated with his nickname rendered in an op-art vortex or pastel quasi-African design), sans wheels and suspension system would sell for up to $50, of which Gator would receive $2. He says, You know what? Their first child was Vanessa, followed by two boys Eli and Jeremy. There. After the accident, once Gator returned home, he was noticeably a changed person. Augie Constantino Inside Story of Gator Rogowski - The Opperman Report A skateboarder and former professional surfer who lived just two blocks from Gator and Brandi, Constantino had suffered an. Afterward, he handcuffed her and raped her while she was shackled to hisbed. Posts Tagged Stay in the know and top of the action from pro surfer Auggie Constantino. He was a bitchin influence on me. I said to him, Mark, you dont need a lawyer. At one point, he claimed to feel as though he were invisible. ZBC News Online on Twitter: "President Mnangagwa was met by the Vice Five uniformed bailiffs used a hand-held metal detector to screen each observer. At the time, Rogowski was counted among the elite skaters who enjoyed considerable stardom alongside Christian Hosoi, Tony Hawk, Lance Mountain, and Steve Caballero. Skateboarding, like other California phenomena such as surfing and savings-and-loan scams, had a tremendous surge in popularity in the 1980s. But, Gator lost it all in one night when he brutally murdered Jessica Bergsten in a fit of jealousy and revenge. Jesus Christ spoke to me through that accident, said Gator. Everything that I hated about Brandi, I hated about Jessica, Gator later said. No doubt, we were stoked.. 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. In 2002, a documentary by the name of Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator was written, produced, and directed by Helen Stickler. He started covering his boards with religious symbols and preaching to skaters, surfers, and anyone else who would listen about his secret friend, Jesus. Yet something drove Gator to confess his crime. "The SBC Executive Committee rejects this sentiment in its entirety and seeks to publicly repent for its failure to rectify this position and wholeheartedly listen to survivors," read the executive committee's statement on Tuesday. My Favorite Murder - 162 - Prom Queen City Carelessness? Bergsten shouted. We literally had sex five times a day, we were so in love, says Brandi. 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. Markfurther explained that he was concerned that his neighbors would hear Jessica's screams. The same night, he fell from the hotel window and sustained a horrible injury. mentioned in the article. Secondly, pornography and its addictive character. 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. 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 . I introduced Mark to a personal God, a God the father, says Constantino. All rights reserved. The documentary features commentary from some of Gators peers, such as Jason Jesse and Tony Hawk. I sincerely hope that they can accept my apology for my carelessness.. Brandi appeared in Gators videos, and when he appeared in Tom Pettys Free Failin' video, she was in it too. Id feel low, cheap. Nevertheless, campers found her dead body in the middle of a desert on 10th April 1991. It was more like an involuntary manslaughter. So people, we must realize, without reduction, the gripping strength and deceptive subtlety of sin! It was in 1987, in Scottsdale, Arizona, where during a skate convention, Rogowski meets 2 betties: Brandi McClain and Jessica Bergsten. Unable to get a lawyer, he was appointed a public defender, self-described glory seeker John Jimenez, a short, stocky former PTA president who drives a Harley-Davidson. Has it occurred to him that if he was the victim of sexual crime as a child, he might have a propensity to carry out such crimes as an adult? 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 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. After having lunch together, the duo went back to their condo. As of 2021, the former American skateboard champion is incarcerated at Donovan State Prison. I was being an example to these impressionable kids. About a week later he came to me and said, Remember that girl in the poster? Gator started calling her mothers house, leaving messages on the answering machine. He had bought a ranch in the mountains, near Tony Hawks new ranch, which hed equipped with a whole series of wooden skating ramps. She wanted to have fun and nothing else mattered. We both sat and cried. He disposed of any remaining evidence in random places all throughout Phoenix, Arizona. Yeah, he was fanatic, but thats just it, he was fanatic about everything, says Gladstone. No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission. However, it wasn't always like that. Boto could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. Raul Conde Biography 2023 - Terror Squad Member, Nikki Lastreto & Swami Chaitanya Biography 2023, Relationships, Career, and More. Auggie Costantino (@auggiecostantino) Instagram photos and videos Once she was in the bag, he placed his hand over her mouth and nose until she was no longer breathing. After four years of dating McClain, Rogowski suggested that the couple marry, as they "can't have . In 1997 after a significant in house fundraising campaign entitled Home of our Own the Church purchased a home of their own in Eagle Rock, CA. 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. When police came to question him about her disappearance a couple of weeks later, there was no evidence to be found. He went on to graduate in 1974 from El Rancho High School located in Pico Rivera, CA. He was always a part of everything. Mark "Gator" Rogowski: Free Fallin' | LaptrinhX / News At the trial, with the bailiffs between them, Gator offered his apologies to Jessicas father, but he only claimed that Rogowski was a coward who would die a thousand deaths. Rogowski has been denied parole at least twice since his conviction. I was getting ready for bed when I answered the door, recalls Constantino. He was still so mad about the guy I was seeing, says Brandi. . On March 6, 1992, Rogowski is sentenced to a 31 year to life prison sentence. 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. It was a terrible event for skateboarding, says Gladstone. Vision, the company that sponsored Gator and dozens of other top skaters, was about to file Chapter 11. Proudly powered by WordPress . We prayed for about an hour, asking God what we should do. My fellow skater friends were all hyped on the surf thing who had what board, the newest O.P.s, and who had a Hang Ten shirt. The ex-skateboarder was heavily influenced by Augie's spiritual values and religious beliefs. 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. It's unknown when they will approve it. The National Skateboarding Association was sponsoring contests all over North America, Europe, and Japan, and first-prize money reached $5000 to $7000 per event. Afterward, Mark and his brother were raised single-handedly by their mom. Over the years, Markdeveloped a severe drinking problem. We were very much alive. Next to the beach, with a pizza shop next door, the convenience store is a favorite hangout for young Carlsbad surfers and skateboarders. He received 6 years for rape and 25 years to life for the first-degree charges. There, he shackled her onto the bed, cut her clothes off with scissors, and raped her for two or three hours. At the age of 3, his parents divorced, and he ended up across the country in Escondido, California. But where is she now? He is evil incarnate. Gator, along with many others in the courtroom, cried as Bergsten continued in an angry 20-minute monologue. ", 'Ignored, disbelieved': Southern Baptist Convention sexual abuse report details cover up, decades of inaction. Kids decorated their jeans jackets with the phrase Free Mark Anthony. Submit a correction suggestion and help us fix it! (LogOut/ There was a Gator clothing line, Gator skateboards, Gator videos. Boto's message to Brown in 2006 is one example of many in which Boto who served successively as executive committee vice president for convention policy, then general counsel and then interim president/CEO ignored reports of abuse, fought proposals for policy reform, and helped maintain a secret list of ministers accused of sexual misconduct. Auggie Constantino Surfer Bio | Age, Height, Videos & Results Mark Rogowski, 5 Facts About The Ex-Skateboarder Who - eBiographyPost Afterward, Mark made significant changes in his lifestyle and often carried a Bible in tournaments and events. Augustine "Augie" Cortez, Jr. . Gator will not be eligible for parole until 2010 at the earliest. He became a cause clbre in San Diego. She screamed that she couldnt breathe. Finally able to express my regret and my sorrow over our loss of Jessica, Gator tried to explain why hed done what he did. Whether Mark fell on his own or was pushed by someone else remains a mystery to this day. Cookie Notice He skated alongside with names like Christian Hosoi and Tony Hawk. He went on to graduate in 1974 from El Rancho High School located in Pico Rivera, CA. He was just kind of blank, silent., Seeing the picture of Jessica, and seeing it in the presence of Constantino, was too much for Gator. Augustine Costantino (@auggiedog3) Instagram photos and videos auggiedog3 Follow 2,505 posts 687 followers 799 following Augustine Costantino Old guy,professional surfer,artist,musician. Please use this form to inform eBiographyPost about any grammar errors or mistakes in any information But Brandi became bored with the ranch. There were no other witnesses to her disappearance. Oddly, his worst investment was the one that bore his name: Fletcher Hills. Nevertheless, one name is always left out when mentioning skateboarding legends of the '80s: Mark Rogowski, alsoknown as Gator. 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. Curated stories, fun places to hang out and top events. 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. Hey, says Jimenez, its like Sam Kinison said, some girls just turn Mr. Hand into Mr. Fist.. She was of the same mold that Brandi was made of. He told the police that he blamed Jessica for his breakup.