Kill order allegedly in letter

By Matt Pordum (contact)

Wednesday, July 27, 2005 | 10:46 a.m.

In an apparent suicide note, the former treasurer of the Clark County Republican Party accused of killing his ex-wife and her father tells his friend and alleged accomplice to "take out Mom and Grandpa."

In the letter, 36-year-old John Douglas Chartier goes on to repeat the order to 42-year-old David Lee Wilcox and tells him to "burn this (the letter) once you have committed to memory."

Both Chartier and Wilcox face two counts of murder with use of a deadly weapon and one count of conspiracy to commit murder for the deaths of 43-year-old Rachel Bernat and her 65-year-old father, Carlos Aragon.

The letter was presented in court as part of arguments over bail for Chartier and presents one side of Chartier.

The outside of the three-fold note reads "Do not let police get this."

Chartier begins the note saying he appreciates Wilcox's friendship and tells him he will be sending Wilcox two checks and the cash from his wallet under his pillow.

He asks his friend, former roommate and one-time employee to take care of his son and take out his ex-wife and her father.

"If you will assume the responsibility (your decision) and can get custody -- Help my son become a man," Chartier wrote. "Make sure he knows that I love him. Please be his dad. Take out Mom and Dad (Carlos Aragon)."

At the end of the same paragraph, in which Chartier explains where his ex-wife's relatives live, he says writes again "take out Mom and Grandpa -- as I asked."

Chartier hints at suicide as he pleads with Wilcox to watch over his son.

"Make sure nothing happens to him and make sure he knows that the rest of your lives he can come to you for anything,' Chartier wrote. "Let him know -- if there is an afterlife and I can contact him or protect him -- I will !!'

Chartier also gives Wilcox messages to pass on to individual acquaintances, including his daughters, who he says "should have a good family, however, please let them know how to contact you throughout their lives."

Although Chartier never went through with killing himself, he does tell Wilcox in the letter he was going to kill himself because "it's me being tired of my life and the decisions I made."

Chartier goes on in the letter to let Wilcox know he understands how much he is asking of him.

"I have asked a lot of you," Chartier wrote. "So for you -- I can only give you my blood: I think I know what you believe in, if it's true you will know within six months of my death -- if not -- find something different! If I can communicate: you will be my contact."

The letter was submitted to District Judge David Wall as part of the Chief Deputy District Attorney Robert Daskas' motion to respond to Chartier and Wilcox's motion to have bail set.

In the motion filed Monday Daskas said the "conspiracy between Chartier and Wilcox is outlined in Chartier's own handwriting."

Chartier's attorney, Tony Sgro, said he was only provided a copy of the letter on Monday.

But Sgro said because the letter references a "house in California" and that Chartier was working at a sporting goods store, the letter was probably written three years ago.

Letter or not, Sgro said he would hope the judge would grant his motion for bail setting and then ask for $250,000. He did concede that simply "getting a bail on a murder case is a good result" and he would be happy with any amount Wall sets if the judge decides to do so.

Wall was scheduled to hear arguments and make a decision on the bail issue this morning.

A Clark County grand jury indicted Chartier and Wilcox on June 28. Both men remain in custody at the Clark County Detention Center on no bail.

The victims were killed about 4:15 a.m. on Aug. 18, 2004. Police found Bernat and her father stabbed to death in the driveway of their home in the 5800 block of Willard Street near Boulder Highway and Tropicana Avenue. Both were barefoot and wearing pajamas, police said.

Autopsies showed Aragon had been stabbed twice and slashed once. Bernat had been stabbed 14 times -- with most of the wounds in the left chest -- and slashed 11 times.

Chartier had been engaged in a custody dispute with Bernat, according to police records, and he had allegedly threatened to kill her. Chartier and Wilcox were arrested after investigators discovered that blood found at the crime scene matched Wilcox's DNA.

The medical examiner said he felt the attack suggested "personalized rage and/or overkill by Bernat's attackers," the police report says.

Ezekiel Chartier, the 4-year-old boy at the center of the custody battle, is now living with relatives in Southern California, acquaintances have said. Chartier had been given full custody after Bernat's death.

According to grand jury testimony, a Family Court judge granted Bernat permission to temporarily relocate to New Mexico with Ezekiel, with the understanding the move would occur on or about Aug. 20, 2004.

Chartier was granted visitation with his son on July 9, 2004, but ordered to return the boy to Bernat by her scheduled move date.

Bernat and her father were killed just two days before Chartier was to return Ezekiel to her mother.

Prior to Bernat's death, Chartier said he was so "distraught" about Bernat taking Ezekiel to New Mexico that he told Wilcox, and Wilcox's wife, Cindy, that he wished Rachel would "disappear," according to the transcript.