mostly nonfiction and bakersfield news | July 25th, 2009
Murder, Suicide Or Accident? Mark Ponder’s Death Conjures Tales Of Lords Of Bakersfield, Dark Secrets
It was the early 1980s when a young teenager rode his bike from his family’s home to the Ted Fritts mansion in the Oleander section of Bakersfield on the corner of Chester Lane and Oleander Street.
“I just went over there to trim some palm trees,” the man said who was that young teen. “He paid us in weed and money.” He was with the brother of one of Fritts’ lovers. And while the issue of Fritts being bisexual came up, he said Fritts reassured the teen not to be afraid of him, that Fritts liked “grown men.”
Fritts, who died from AIDS in the 1990s, was a flamboyant family newspaper businessman. In 2003, his own family published questionable accounts of his activities, once secret urban tales, suddenly exposing the Fritts mansion as a predatory palace of sorts where the one-time publisher had an affinity for boys in the late 1970s and 1980s.
Like some other prominent Bakersfield men at the time, Fritts led a hidden dualistic gay life. In more recent times, Assistant District Attorney Steve Tauzer, who was stabbed to death with a screwdriver by an ex-cop in 2002, was rumored to also have been preying on young men. Tauzer’s killer is Chris Hillis, the father of Lance Hillis, who died in a car wreck during a drug binge. The elder Hillis accused Tauzer of housing the 17 year old and having an affair with the teen, according to reports in the Bakersfield Californian and CBS “48 Hours.”
Both stories have become the fodder of local urban legends many refer to as the Lords of Bakersfield.
While the man denied being bisexual or gay, it’s no great mystery that young gay and bisexual teens grow up in a city where affluent gay and bisexual men appeal to a younger generation because of their posh homes, deep pocketbooks and prominent allure.
Wednesday’s death of flamboyant real estate agent Mark Ponder, 38, whose body was found floating in the Kern River near a known cruising place where men have public gay sex, re-conjures tales of prominent dualistic gay men with a lust for power and prestige.
“He’s the new generation of the Lords of Bakersfield,” said an unnamed source, who described the area near Manor Street as pond-like, where not only fishermen hang out, but gay men have trysts beneath the bridge in an area filled with bizarre graffiti and hobo-like accommodations. A tree-enclosure near a bridge under-hang, which can be accessed from a well-worn trail from a recreational bike path parking lot, can sometimes be found littered with discarded lubricant containers, condoms and feces-covered baby wipes. Sheriff’s deputies on dirt bikes can sometimes be seen cruising through the area as well.
The parking lot to which the worn trails can be found is across Manor Street from Calvary Bible, a well-known local church.
“I’ve never seen Ponder there. But it sure is ironic he was found near there,” the source said, who showed a clear dislike for now deceased real estate agent and even claimed to have dumped a 50-pound bag of fertilizer in Ponder’s T-top car in the 1980s.
“He told me he was bisexual,” a second source said. “We were driving by the Fritts mansion and he asked me if I partied there. He said he did.”
Ponder was 38 when he died, making him around the same age as the man previously mentioned, who was a teen youth often hiding out at Fritts’ sometimes diabolical mansion of boy-hungry men.
Source number one said, “I wouldn’t doubt that he was in Ted Fritts’ home. That would have been the power hungry thing to do. He’s always wanted to be the center of attention and most powerful gay in Bakersfield.”
A third source said Ponder was openly gay in the mid-1990s when he worked in a Valley Plaza Mall jewelry store. A comment on a Face News article by Jean Bowman claimed a Facebook photo showed Ponder with a current boyfriend named Dallas White. It’s unknown if they were dating each other or if White is actually gay.
In a phone call with a local radio station on Thursday, Face News questioned why local media won’t come out and say ponder is gay. A talk show jock responded, “Everyone knows he’s gay. I’ll say he’s gay.” But then the talk show jock pointed to local media news story comments as possible evidence for Ponder being gay. “Just look at some of the comments on Turnto23.com,” he said.
While Face News doesn’t discriminate against gays, unnamed sources have suggested that Ponder may have been predatory and over the top in a power hungry pursuit of young men. “He gives us gays a bad name,” said source number one.
Rumors of Ponder’s possible predatory nature circulated in the 1990s, according to the third source, and still do today.
“He has a reputation for slipping a mickeys in people’s drinks,” source number one said, suggesting that Ponder’s possible sexual affinity for others was often taken to extremes and included possible drug use.
Toxicology test results have not been released in relation to his death, which was ruled an accidental drowning. Until then, it can’t be proven if Ponder was a drug user.
“Ponder did not like to be turned down,” said the first source, who also added the Ponder had a violent streak. “He thinks he is important and special” the source added, suggesting Ponder may have sometimes thought he was above the law.
Ponder’s consistent track record of DUIs, assault and resisting arrest can be found through a simple accessing through the Kern County Superior Court Web site. He was busted twice in 1990, three times in 1991 and two more times in 1993. Ten years later in 2003, Ponder was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and petty theft. In 2004, Ponder had a DUI, failure to appear in court on the DUI, and a failure to appear in court for a vehicle code violation. In 2005, Ponder was busted for a DUI again, for driving with a suspended license and resisting arrest. He had another DUI and driver’s license offense in 2008.
Did Ponder have a violent streak? His arrest record suggests evidence of such. Related to his possible predatory violent nature, source number one said, “He’s a violent guy. He’s broken cell phones, pushed people into swimming pools, and socked people in face when turned down.”
The source also suggested a possible cover-up over a beer-bottle throwing incident that occurred at Ponder’s home around July 19. KGET reported he was accused of throwing a beer bottle at someone, then running down the street in a bathing suit, never to be found by the authorities searching for him.
The source suggested a possible cover-up of a late-night sexual innuendo regarding drugs on genitalia toward an 18- or 19-year-old straight man at the party who attended with a straight woman who was a friend of Ponder’s. The source suggested that Ponder’s entourage covered up party details.
“They don’t want people to know the real him. He’s always been pompous,” said the source. KGET alluded to the idea that Ponder did have some kind of entourage and by mentioning he has a bodyguard.
The following Monday after the party incident, KGET claimed someone purporting to be Ponder wrote to the TV station in a text message: ”Dear KGET, I think it’s important to let you know I never fled anywhere. Never left my home. I was in shorts, that is correct. Never ran …I was threatened in my own home by an uninvited and very intoxicated guest at three a.m.”
Ponder’s attorney told the TV station he expected the case to be dismissed. Bakersfield.com suggested Ponder may have been in a mountain of financial trouble and real estate ethics problems.
Yet, with all the harsh accusations and the Lords of Bakersfield rumors, there is evidence that Ponder built loyal, loving friendships and a successful realty business in Westchester Realty. Although, there are allegations reported by local media outlets that Ponder may have covered up past brushes with the law in order to obtain his realty license.
Ponder has also been getting nothing but praise on his Facebook page since his untimely death.
“I have always considered him a wonderful friend who helped me though a very difficult time when my mother died,” wrote Diana Ryrholm Geerdes on Ponder’s Facebook page. “He helped me sell her home and was a person that I looked forward to seeing during the months I went back and forth from SD to Bakersfield, preparing the home to put on the market.”
Nicholas Tyson Hylton added on Ponder’s Facebook as well: “I can’t believe you are gone! I will always cherish the times we had. One of my favorite times was driving down Union Avenue, with you hanging out of my sunroof and throwing your shoe at Rick Ward’s Volvo and denting it. We all got a huge laugh out of that.”
The Bakersfield gay community appears split as they themselves ponder the death of Ponder. Some wonder if his death is foul play, that he was perhaps attacked because he was gay. Others are in shock that Ponder could be found in the Kern River, dragged with a stick to the river’s edge by the jogger who discovered his lifeless body, that officials said, was in the water from one to three days (One comment on ABC23 claimed three men discovered Ponder’s body and actually dragged it out of the river).
Others, like the unnamed sources, suggest Ponder was an unsavory character, that he may have been attacked in relation to a possible lust for power and perhaps having a temperament that often affected those around him.
ABC23 reported that Ponder’s lawyer, Seth O’Dell suspects foul play in Ponder’s mysterious drowning. He told ABC23 that Ponder was an excellent swimmer who often spent time at the river.
While the Lords of Bakersfield are said to have a lust for power and prestige, could Ponder have sought a life above being a real estate seller as a possible land developer? Having had a feasibility study done is evidence that he was at least looking into some of his assets developed into properties, which could have perhaps launched him into an even higher status in local real estate.
Though if such allegations are true, Ponder himself may have been considering changing his life in some manner. Or covering it up. Charlotte Campbell told KGET “He wanted to start a family, have a ‘normal’ life” which alludes to the idea that Ponder’s life prior to his untimely drowning may have been far from normal.
Source number one said Ponder’s family has maintained he was straight, not gay, and that he was considering marrying an assistant.
KGET said in an early online news report regarding Ponder’s death that everyone they spoke to was shocked about his passing. Gay and lesbian community leader Whitney Weddell was the first included in a sound bite that could be found on their Web site. “He was someone everybody knew. And there were people of course who knew him far better than I did…”
Image from Facebook: Mark Ponder on right
Related article: Flamboyant Real Estate Agent Mark Ponder Found Dead In Kern River
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17 Responses for “Murder, Suicide Or Accident? Mark Ponder’s Death Conjures Tales Of Lords Of Bakersfield, Dark Secrets”
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Nice job N.L.! Poor ponder…I’ve heard all the allegations against him, I’ve
been to his house, Ive heard the stories of what he does to young males in his home. I’m not inner circle by any means, but I know he lived his life to the fullest or atleast what he considered the fullest. Despite the negative that may have surrounded him, nobody deserves to be harmed or in his case…potentially murdered. I don’t know him that well but I’m sure he wasn’t swimming in the river! Why the he’ll would he? It’s dirty and not glamorous at all! He has a pool in his backyard! How convenient that he was near a known male hook up site, convenient because it’s easier to create a lie…I for one dont see how it’s anything but foul play! Come on! This story has just begun. Lords part deux! Shady shady shady! RIP Ponder, no matter what skeletons are in your closet…you deserve justice, this town doesn’t need anymore killers walking around!
Good piece of writing. Thanks for that.
Comments from Twitter:
@glitzyorbit:how do ppl get to such a point of debauchery that slipping others drugs to make them submit becomes acceptable behavior ? hmm… its a shame and a mystery .. will become legend no matter what happens.
@iEmilem: Gr8 article. Growing up in Bk in the 80’s every1 warned 2 stay away from Beach Park at night. Is Hx repeating itself?
@Mysoulishome: Finally an article on Ponder that explores the mystery and demons surrounding his death. Nice job
@devlzadvoct: He was a very nice guy. We went to him to sell our home. Such a shame. I think everyone does no matter how nice they are. I’m sure that there’s a lot that didn’t like him due to lifestyle.
This article is right on the money as far as putting to print the complete eeriness and mystery in this story. I expect some critics will be thinking “Oh here Nick goes again throwing himself and his ‘Lords’ novel into another story” but myself and many others were thinking this had Lords of Bakersfield weirdness written all over it from the very start. All we’ve seen in the mainstream media is he was found dead, it was an accident, he is missed. Those are the facts but there is so much bizarre energy surrounding all of it that is so very interesting and compelling.
It’s very sad and of course no one takes the death of a human being lightly. This is not fictionalized legend from decades ago, it’s the loss of a member of the community, a son, a friend… Because of this it’s a little morbid to be discussing the kind of rumors and weirdness that creeped everyone out in the original Lords story. If I know Mr. Belardes I know he does not take the publishing of this story lightly…nor do any of us. I know some will not but I applaud the courage to put it all to record.
This is not tabloid fodder, it’s real life…Nick I think you’ve done a great job of balancing that fact while still exploring the profound weirdness of this tragedy.
PS Maybe we (the public) watch too much CSI but it’s very hard to believe this was an accident. I pray for the life was lost that eventually the truth comes out.
Having just read ‘Lords’ I can see the glaring similarities this story has to the book. I agree with Aaron that Ponder’s death is relevant and an eerie comparison to the book. I was disgusted with the characters in ‘Lords’ and to think these atrocities may still be happening on regular basis in Bakersfield is just an abhorrent thought. Hopefully, the truth to this incident is revealed.
The weirdest of all is the picture of the river on his contact page….. Whats really going on.. Check it out for yourself!
http://markponder.com/contact_me.asp
I think the real tragedy is that our town still acts like being gay is something to be hush-hush about. I would certainly hope the rumors of his predatory nature weren’t true because of how they inflame fundamentalist evangelical douche bags into frothing fits of self-righteousness.
sigh…and here I thought he was just a guy who made hilariously smug billboards.
PS: Fantastic piece as usual Nick.
great piece. Man I didn’t know Bakersfield peoples lives could be so interesting and full of mystery. It is a shame that gays are still shunned here in Bakersfield. It would also be a shame if he was killed for being gay. Even if he did some bad things, no one deserves to be killed for reasons like that.
sad
How the heck could Marks family even hint at the fact that Mark was straight. Mark was very gay and there are many many many many many many many many many many many men that could prove that first hand out there. Correction….a few men but many many many many many many boys.
i MET mARK WHEN i WAS 15. I remember he was older and very attractive. Yes I am a gay male. Mark picked me up at my parents house in his Jeep Wrangler and took me to the bluffs where we drank Strawberry Hill wine. Yes, his intentins were to loosen me up, which it did. I remember telling myself after knowing him for a few years after meeting him, :I never want to grow up and be like him”.
I also think that his death was a random hookup out at the Kern River Parkway nearby to where his body was found. I have seen Mark there before and at Gordons Ferry in the 3am hours when bars are closed. I honestly think, someone likely from Oildale who was on foot saw him pull up, recognized his car/jewerly he wears and followed him back in the brush. Leading him into a very private area and away from foot trafic, Mark assumed this was to fool around, but it was either a set-up arrangment by a few guys, or a single act of violence. Either way, I do not think for one second Mark accidently drowned. It’s not like him and does not sound like him.
PS> In case my friends miss me, since I don’t live in Bakersfield, you can see me on Hollywood Squares. Heres the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR_OOuaD_AQ
Not to mention the mystery behind the missing backpack…
I’ve now live in San Diego like so many other gay people who just had to get out of that town because of how it is. When news of Mark came down to us I called a few of my friends who are also from Bako… Yes we all knew him (how could you not). Sadly, for all the money and ambition and hunger for money that he had, in the end none of us were shocked or really upset. This kind of thing shows that one should live a good, clean and open life. And that when you die people will remember you for what you were NOT what you had.
P.S. Hi DON PAUL, I’m glad to hear you are still around out there. You were once my bartender and I used to come in by myself and talk, you even took me home once cause I drank too much! Oddly Ive always run into you here and there (Fresno, malls and even in the forest one time at a hippie house that was hand built) Take care.
are there any updates on tox report for Mark…..murder…suicide????/whats the deal….