Post by Anja Nieser on Sept 8, 2006 1:19:36 GMT -5
A Phoenix man was charged Wednesday in connection with 1 of the sexual
assaults that Phoenix police had linked to the "Baseline Killer."
But police declined to link 42-year-old Mark Goudeau, who lives in east
Phoenix, to the 22 other "Baseline Killer" cases.
And family members on Thursday morning argued that the police have the
wrong man.
The "Baseline Killer" is believed to be responsible for a string of
homicides, sexual assaults and robberies that started in August 2005.
Goudeau was booked in connection with the 5th incident in the series, a
pair of sexual assaults on two young Hispanic women at 3100 W. Vineyard
Road in southwest Phoenix.
Goudeau was arrested at 5 p.m. Wednesday during a traffic stop near 28th
Street and Pinchot Avenue, north of Thomas Road, a block from his home,
which police later searched.
The house is a block and a half from the Baseline Killer's last known
crime scene. On June 29, Carmen Miranda was abducted from a carwash near
32nd Street and Thomas Road and killed.
Police have not connected Goudeau to Miranda's murder or any other cases.
They said evidence tying him to the sexual assaults in September is not
the same that links 11 of the Baseline Killer incidents, including the 8
murders.
On Thursday morning, Goudeau's wife, Wendy Carr, asserted his innocence in
phone calls to Channel 10 and the Associated Press.
"This is a huge miscarriage of justice," she told the AP. "They have an
innocent man in prison. This is all a mistake. He shouldn't be in prison
for something he didn't do."
His niece, Ebony Goudeau, was intercepted as she went to the suspect's
home Thursday morning, one of several family members who got together to
meet with attorney Corwin Townsend.
"He's innocent," she said. "They need a scapegoat. He didn't do it."
Townsend said he has not been retained officially to defend Goudeau, but
the family asked him to look into the situation. He said the family was
doing well under the circumstances.
"You can imagine the stress that would be related to this," he said.
Neighbors identified Goudeau as a friendly, low-key construction worker
who has a prison record and is meticulous about his cars and his yard.
"I'm shocked. Unbelievable. I talked to him practically daily," next-door
neighbor Sue-Ellen Bennett said. "There's not a mean bone in that man's
body."
But Sean McGuinness, who also lives nearby, said he had restricted his
children from playing in front of his house because of the Baseline cases.
"It disturbs me," he said. "Anybody who would harm any adult is a very
serious threat."
Bennett said the neighbor, who does concrete work all over the Valley, did
not look like the composite sketch of the killer.
Neighbor Burt Lewin also said the composite sketch did not look like the
man living at the home.
"Would I put two and two together? No. He was a good guy," Lewin said.
Neighbor Randy Reyman said the man looked more like a businessman, an
office worker. "He was a normal-looking guy," he said.
Bennett said the police made a mistake.
"I'm just frightened for him," Bennett added. "He's a sweet guy. And he
paid his debt to society as far as I'm concerned. I consider him my best
friend."
Barbara Holzapfel said the man was a "wonderful guy" and said he'd come
over and talk about the investigation. "He would say, 'There are idiots
all over the world,' " she said.
Bennett said officers interviewed Goudeau for several hours about 2 days
after Miranda's death. Bennett also said Goudeau told her that he thought
police thought he was the Baseline Killer because he was Black and an
ex-convict.
Records from the Arizona Department of Corrections show Goudeau was
released from prison in August 2004 after serving 13 years for aggravated
assault, armed robbery and kidnapping.
The incidents took place very near Goudeau's residence and near many of
the crimes attributed to the Baseline Killer.
He was arrested in August 1989 after beating a woman at 28th Street and
Osborn Road, according to court records. The victim, an Hispanic woman,
told police Goudeau had threatened her with a shotgun, tried to force her
to snort cocaine, raped her and beat her. Goudeau claimed the sex was
consensual.
He was charged with sexual assault, four counts of aggravated assault,
kidnapping and attempted second-degree murder, but was allowed to plead
guilty to kidnapping and just one count of aggravated assault.
Almost exactly a year later, in August 1990, Goudeau robbed a supermarket
at gunpoint at 30th Street and Thomas Road. Goudeau was charged with armed
robbery and 2 counts of kidnapping, and again entered into a plea
agreement with prosecutors. He served 13 years.
Police said they received a tip in mid-July and identified Goudeau this
weekend as a possible suspect in the sexual assault. He was put under
surveillance before his arrest.
Phoenix police Sgt. Andy Hill said there was "definitive forensic
evidence" from the sexual assault.
"This guy is in custody for one case," Hill said.
The arrest drew praise from elected officials.
"His arrest is a good thing," Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon said. "Any
individual who has been arrested for rape and kidnapping is a violent
monster off the street. That's a good day."
The Baseline Killer case is 1 of 2 serial predator cases in the Phoenix
area.
In another, dubbed the "Serial Shooter" investigation, police arrested
Dale S. Hausner, 33, and Samuel Dieteman, 30, early last month.
The 2 roommates have been charged with murder and attempted murder in 16
shootings during the past few months, 2 of them fatal. Both men have
pleaded innocent.
Police believe the roommates took turns shooting random victims throughout
the Phoenix area late at night and early in the morning.
Phoenix police are also investigating Hausner and Dieteman in other
shootings linked to the city's "Serial Shooter" case which includes a
total of 37 random shootings that killed seven people and wounded 17 since
May 2005.
(source: Arizona Republic)
assaults that Phoenix police had linked to the "Baseline Killer."
But police declined to link 42-year-old Mark Goudeau, who lives in east
Phoenix, to the 22 other "Baseline Killer" cases.
And family members on Thursday morning argued that the police have the
wrong man.
The "Baseline Killer" is believed to be responsible for a string of
homicides, sexual assaults and robberies that started in August 2005.
Goudeau was booked in connection with the 5th incident in the series, a
pair of sexual assaults on two young Hispanic women at 3100 W. Vineyard
Road in southwest Phoenix.
Goudeau was arrested at 5 p.m. Wednesday during a traffic stop near 28th
Street and Pinchot Avenue, north of Thomas Road, a block from his home,
which police later searched.
The house is a block and a half from the Baseline Killer's last known
crime scene. On June 29, Carmen Miranda was abducted from a carwash near
32nd Street and Thomas Road and killed.
Police have not connected Goudeau to Miranda's murder or any other cases.
They said evidence tying him to the sexual assaults in September is not
the same that links 11 of the Baseline Killer incidents, including the 8
murders.
On Thursday morning, Goudeau's wife, Wendy Carr, asserted his innocence in
phone calls to Channel 10 and the Associated Press.
"This is a huge miscarriage of justice," she told the AP. "They have an
innocent man in prison. This is all a mistake. He shouldn't be in prison
for something he didn't do."
His niece, Ebony Goudeau, was intercepted as she went to the suspect's
home Thursday morning, one of several family members who got together to
meet with attorney Corwin Townsend.
"He's innocent," she said. "They need a scapegoat. He didn't do it."
Townsend said he has not been retained officially to defend Goudeau, but
the family asked him to look into the situation. He said the family was
doing well under the circumstances.
"You can imagine the stress that would be related to this," he said.
Neighbors identified Goudeau as a friendly, low-key construction worker
who has a prison record and is meticulous about his cars and his yard.
"I'm shocked. Unbelievable. I talked to him practically daily," next-door
neighbor Sue-Ellen Bennett said. "There's not a mean bone in that man's
body."
But Sean McGuinness, who also lives nearby, said he had restricted his
children from playing in front of his house because of the Baseline cases.
"It disturbs me," he said. "Anybody who would harm any adult is a very
serious threat."
Bennett said the neighbor, who does concrete work all over the Valley, did
not look like the composite sketch of the killer.
Neighbor Burt Lewin also said the composite sketch did not look like the
man living at the home.
"Would I put two and two together? No. He was a good guy," Lewin said.
Neighbor Randy Reyman said the man looked more like a businessman, an
office worker. "He was a normal-looking guy," he said.
Bennett said the police made a mistake.
"I'm just frightened for him," Bennett added. "He's a sweet guy. And he
paid his debt to society as far as I'm concerned. I consider him my best
friend."
Barbara Holzapfel said the man was a "wonderful guy" and said he'd come
over and talk about the investigation. "He would say, 'There are idiots
all over the world,' " she said.
Bennett said officers interviewed Goudeau for several hours about 2 days
after Miranda's death. Bennett also said Goudeau told her that he thought
police thought he was the Baseline Killer because he was Black and an
ex-convict.
Records from the Arizona Department of Corrections show Goudeau was
released from prison in August 2004 after serving 13 years for aggravated
assault, armed robbery and kidnapping.
The incidents took place very near Goudeau's residence and near many of
the crimes attributed to the Baseline Killer.
He was arrested in August 1989 after beating a woman at 28th Street and
Osborn Road, according to court records. The victim, an Hispanic woman,
told police Goudeau had threatened her with a shotgun, tried to force her
to snort cocaine, raped her and beat her. Goudeau claimed the sex was
consensual.
He was charged with sexual assault, four counts of aggravated assault,
kidnapping and attempted second-degree murder, but was allowed to plead
guilty to kidnapping and just one count of aggravated assault.
Almost exactly a year later, in August 1990, Goudeau robbed a supermarket
at gunpoint at 30th Street and Thomas Road. Goudeau was charged with armed
robbery and 2 counts of kidnapping, and again entered into a plea
agreement with prosecutors. He served 13 years.
Police said they received a tip in mid-July and identified Goudeau this
weekend as a possible suspect in the sexual assault. He was put under
surveillance before his arrest.
Phoenix police Sgt. Andy Hill said there was "definitive forensic
evidence" from the sexual assault.
"This guy is in custody for one case," Hill said.
The arrest drew praise from elected officials.
"His arrest is a good thing," Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon said. "Any
individual who has been arrested for rape and kidnapping is a violent
monster off the street. That's a good day."
The Baseline Killer case is 1 of 2 serial predator cases in the Phoenix
area.
In another, dubbed the "Serial Shooter" investigation, police arrested
Dale S. Hausner, 33, and Samuel Dieteman, 30, early last month.
The 2 roommates have been charged with murder and attempted murder in 16
shootings during the past few months, 2 of them fatal. Both men have
pleaded innocent.
Police believe the roommates took turns shooting random victims throughout
the Phoenix area late at night and early in the morning.
Phoenix police are also investigating Hausner and Dieteman in other
shootings linked to the city's "Serial Shooter" case which includes a
total of 37 random shootings that killed seven people and wounded 17 since
May 2005.
(source: Arizona Republic)