Accused Killer Denies ‘Project’ Link to Slain Youth

Jurors at Mark Radke’s murder trial Wednesday heard a tape recording of him telling police that he knew nothing about a “project” or “mission” that Jeffrey Rudiger told friends about before his death.

Radke’s statements were made to homicide investigators Jan. 22, 1988, the day after Rudiger was brutally murdered.

San Diego police detained Radke, 24, for questioning the day Rudiger’s body was found and after a number of people mentioned his name in relation to a project the slain 16-year-old said he was working on.

Previous testimony in the trial indicated that Rudiger told friends he received wine coolers for participating in the first phase of the project. In the interview with police, Radke dismissed any connection.

“He gave me money, and I bought him alcohol,” Radke said. “He asked for it. That was it.”

During the interview, Radke gave detectives details about his whereabouts the day Rudiger was killed. He said he did not see Rudiger.

Radke is charged with murder in the stabbing and bludgeoning death of Rudiger, who was a co-worker at the Chuck E. Cheese pizza restaurant in Mira Mesa.

Rudiger’s partly clothed body, with broken handcuffs attached to the wrists, was found in an alley near the restaurant.

About half of the one-hour interview with Radke was played for the 10-man, two-woman jury before a technical-glitch stalled Wednesday’s proceedings.

On the tape, Radke said he was playing video games at two arcades the night Rudiger was killed.

However, an acquaintance of Radke testified Wednesday that he went to the Malibu Grand Prix on Miramar Road and was near a second arcade that night, but he did not see Radke.

Keith Harding, now a student at California State University, Long Beach, said he had known Radke for two years and would have remembered seeing him that night.

The jury is expected to hear the rest of the police interview today, when the trial continues.