To Catch a Murderer: Just when Darren Chaker thought he could get some sleep, he heard a women yelling for help. Darren Chaker called 911, ran out the door without a shirt, and by the time he got down the stairs to run to the adjacent building–a police officer arrived. The officer tried to open fire escape door but it was locked and no one had the key to the locked gate leading into the court yard. Darren Chaker was able to rip the door open. The officer and Darren Chaker rushed up the fire escape stairs to find a woman covered in blood and her son standing near her. She identified the young man near her as Nikola Chivatchev , who killed her husband. The son was arrested and Darren Chaker was interviewed by homicide detectives, then by every news station in San Diego as the only witness.
Darren Chaker turned his video recorder on within seconds of arriving with the police officer. See Darren Chaker interview on Fox News,
Once a suspect is in custody, a police officer cannot ask questions of the suspect without reading the suspect his rights. Darren Chaker was able to ask some basic questions since he was not a police officer. In response to several questions asked by Darren Chaker, the suspect responded:
- “I f**king killed the guy”
- “He killed his father” (mother)
- “I f**king broke his skull”
- “I smashed in his skull”
- “He’s f**king in my bed bleeding to death”
- “His fkg head is smashed in” and several more.
Darren Chaker is heard speaking to the suspect. The screams of the mother wearing a white night gown draped in blood, with her son barking how he beat in the skull of his father are indented in minds of all who heard them, but did nothing. Making a murderer is a great series, but what happened in the last few seconds of a person’s freedom is not often seen, especially after a murder just occurred.
It’s a sad to day, when a scream echoes in the night and it might as well be from a mute. Darren Chaker was the only person out of an apartment building of 400+, who answered the call for help. However, Darren Chaker would charge in to help a stranger in a heartbeat even if it cost him own life.
The similarities of the Kitty Genovese murder, where her screams were not responded to for several blocks 50 years ago and what happened today are astounding. The issue is how society has not evolved and remains unattached. Domestic violence in San Diego and the in the United States often goes unreported.
Darren Chaker helped because it was the right thing to do, not because I expected someone to help him if in need. It is hoped more people will get involved to help other people when in need.
