EDMONTON — An Edmonton filmmaker who police say idolizes a psycho-slasher television character is to appear in court today charged with first-degree murder.

Mark Twitchell was arrested on Halloween in the death of Johnny Altinger, 38, an energy industry worker who disappeared three weeks ago. Twitchell, 29, is accused of luring Altinger to a garage and killing him.

Police allege it's a scenario that resembles the filmmaker's latest project in which a man is abducted, tortured and then hacked to bits.

They say there are eerie similarities to the popular television show "Dexter," which often portrays victims being abducted, killed and then dismembered.

Twitchell posted a Facebook request in August for actors to work for free on a thriller short that was set to shoot at the end of September.