ASPECTS OF SON'S SLAYING TORMENT MOTHER

Grief: She Says She Cannot Reconcile The Apparent Lack Of Concern Among
Those Who Reportedly Saw Him Being Held Before He Was Killed.

WEST HILLS--Still numbed by the loss of her 15-year-old son, Susan
Markowitz said Wednesday she was stunned by reports that two dozen people
may have seen Nicholas Markowitz while he was held captive before his
execution-style killing Aug. 8.

"I have no idea who they are or what they were thinking, or what their
mentality was," Markowitz said. "Maybe they didn't know.

"There are several people, I wonder if there are any ethical values in
their heart," she added. "I honestly believe everyone knows between right
and wrong, and you have to listen to that little voice up there."

Three men--including a Simi Valley resident--and a 17-year-old boy have
pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping and murder in the West Hills
teen's death. The alleged mastermind, Jesse James Hollywood, is a fugitive.

Investigators allege that Hollywood orchestrated the kidnapping in
retribution for unpaid drug debts of the boy's half-brother, Benjamin
Markowitz. Hollywood, however, was not present when the boy was gunned down
in the mountains near Santa Barbara, authorities say.

During his two days in captivity, at least two dozen people became aware
that Nicholas was being held at various locations but did not call police,
the Santa Barbara News-Press reported Wednesday, citing sealed grand jury
transcripts. Prosecutors had earlier confirmed that one of those people was
Hollywood's lawyer, Stephen Hogg.

The transcripts also said that a woman returning from church in West Hills
saw Nicholas being beaten and thrown into a van, and called the Los Angeles
Police Department with a vehicle license number, the News-Press said.

The LAPD did not connect the report to the Markowitz case until a month
later, when Santa Barbara police brought it to their attention, LAPD Cmdr.
Sharon Papa said.

Papa declined to say whether police tried to find the van or its owner, who
turned out to be a friend of Hollywood's. But she confirmed that an
internal investigation had been launched into the department's handling of
the matter.

"At this point, we don't know that it involves any misconduct on the part
of officers, but appropriate action will be taken if warranted once the
investigation is completed," Papa said.

Papa said the department wasn't aware of the connection to the Markowitz
case "until Sept. 5, when the Santa Barbara detectives contacted our West
Valley Division."

"Once we received that information, we immediately began an internal
investigation to find out what happened," she said.

Susan Markowitz, a 41-year-old West Hills resident, said she's having a
hard time moving on, describing herself as "a stay-at-home mom whose job
has been taken away."

She and her 46-year-old husband, Jeffrey, have grown estranged from
Nicholas' half-brother, Benjamin, whose $36,000 drug debt allegedly
prompted the abduction, she said. And though they are alone in the house,
she still anticipates Nicholas' presence when she walks into his room.

She is so despondent over her loss, she said, she has twice tried to commit
suicide.

Despite her grief, she has managed to find some purpose by producing
"wanted" posters for Hollywood and is tacking them up anywhere she can.

"When they killed him, they killed me," she said. "He was a bigger part of
me than anyone will understand, and when I speak of him, I feel like I'm
still alive."