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Nicholas Samuel Markowitz (September 19, 1984–August 9, 2000) was a U.S teenager who was kidnapped and murdered at the age of 15 after a feud over drug money between his half-brother Benjamin Markowitz and Jesse James Hollywood. Nicholas Markowitz lived in the West Hills, Los Angeles, California area with his mother, Susan, and father, Jeff.

Kidnapping and murder

The feud between Benjamin Markowitz, Nicholas' half-brother, and Jesse James Hollywood, a mid-level drug dealer, began over the alleged debt to Hollywood incurred by Markowitz of $1,200.^[1] On August 6, 2000, Hollywood, Jesse Rugge, and William Skidmore decided to confront Benjamin. On their way to see him, however, they saw Nicholas Markowitz walking on the side of the road, having run away from home. Hollywood and his gang decided to abduct Nicholas in broad daylight in order to hold him for ransom in lieu of Benjamin Markowitz's debt. They chased, assaulted, and abducted Nicholas, escaping in a van.

When Hollywood and his gang informed Nicholas of why they were holding him, he allegedly panicked at first. However, after Hollywood offered Nicholas drugs and alcohol, he felt that he was a part of the group. Hollywood and his gang then picked up Brian Affronti (another one of Hollywood's friends) then they drove their van up to Santa Barbara, California and traveled to various house parties. Reports indicate that many witnesses—parents and teens alike—saw the group together but did not realize anything was going wrong. Although up to 42 witnesses knew he had been kidnapped (even calling him "Stolen Boy") they did not notify police, as Nicholas appeared to be safe and having fun.

Nicholas and Hollywood then traveled to a motel in Santa Barbara, California, the Lemon Tree Inn. While at the Inn the gang held another party in the pool area of the Inn. Nicholas had befriended a 19-year-old girl at the party. After the party, members of Jesse's gang allowed Nicholas to believe that he was heading home soon. Hollywood called Ryan Hoyt, a crew-member of Jesse's gang who was $1,000 in debt to him,^[2] to "take care of" Nicholas, giving him a Tec-9 gun. Two members of the crew, Ryan Hoyt and Graham Pressley decided to commit the murder in the Goleta Hills, north of Santa Barbara, California.

Hoyt and Jesse Rugge bound Nicholas' hands behind his back with duct tape and put tape over his mouth as well. Hoyt then knocked Nicholas into the grave by hitting him over the back of the head with the shovel used to dig the shallow grave. Hoyt shot Nicholas nine times with the Tec-9. The members of the gang then tried to hide the gun by placing it between the legs of Nicholas' body and then covering the body with dirt and branches. The grave, however, was too shallow and close to a popular trail, and Nicholas' body was soon found on August 12, 2000. Ryan Hoyt, Jesse Rugge, William Skidmore, and Graham Pressley were all arrested following numerous leads to the sheriff's office following the death of Nicholas Markowitz.

Legal outcome

There have been several court cases involving criminal trials with the kidnappers and a civil lawsuit.^[3] The criminal trials include:

• Ryan Hoyt, aged 21 at the time, was charged with 1st degree murder. His trial began October 2001 and ended November, 2001. He was convicted on November 21, 2001. The "penalty" phase of his trial began November 2001 and he was sentenced to death on December 9, 2001.^[4] He is currently on Death Row at San Quentin State Prison, San Quentin, California.

• Jesse Rugge, aged 20 at the time of the murder, was charged with aiding in the kidnap and execution of Nicholas Markowitz. Rugge was portrayed in Alpha Dog by Justin Timberlake. He was convicted on the charge of kidnapping in 2002 and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Parole was denied in 2006.^[5]

• William Skidmore, aged 20 at the time of the murder, was charged with kidnapping and robbery. In September 2002, he was sentenced to nine years in a state prison as part of a plea bargain.^[6] Skidmore was released in April 2009.^[7]

• Graham Pressley, aged 17 at the time of the murder. He was tried twice. In July 2002 he was acquitted of kidnapping and the jury hung on the murder charge. In October 2002 he was convicted of second degree murder. Pressley was the member of the gang that dug the shallow grave for Nicholas. Pressley was incarcerated at a California Youth Authority facility until he turned the age of 25 in 2007.^[8] He has since been released. ^[9]

• Jesse James Hollywood, aged 20 at the time of the murder, was not present at the murder, but ordered it. He immediately skipped town, but was arrested five years later in Saquarema, Brazil with his pregnant girlfriend Marcia Reis.^[10] In 2009, he was convicted of first-degree murder and kidnapping and sentenced to life in prison.^[11]

• In addition to the criminal cases, the Markowitz family won a $11.2 million civil lawsuit in 2003 against the kidnappers and killers as well as secondary people including the family friend whose van was used in the kidnapping, the owners of several homes where Nicholas was held against his will, and the Lemon Tree Inn in Santa Barbara.^[12]

Alpha Dog feature film

The feature film Alpha Dog, which was based on the events leading to the murder of Nicholas Markowitz, was released in 2006.^[1] The movie was directed by Nick Cassavetes and Markowitz is portrayed as Zack Mazursky (played by Anton Yelchin). Jesse James Hollywood is portrayed as Johnny Truelove (played by Emile Hirsch).

References

External links

• Memorial to Nicholas Markowitz
• Report about the murder of Nicholas Markowitz from the Los Angeles Police Department
• Case profile at America's Most Wanted
• Jesse James Hollywood, drug dealer orders murder and flees the Crime Library