Justin Timberlake Meets Killer  12/12/06

Justin Timberlake came face to face with a real-life murderer when he researched his new movie Alpha Dog, because director Nick Cassavetes insisted he met the man his character is based on.

Timberlake's character, Frankie Ballenbacher, is based on a jailed killer responsible for the 2000 kidnap and slaying of Nicholas Markowitz.

The pop star spent time with the murderer and discovered he's just a guy who made a very bad decision.

The singer says, "Nick and I traveled to upstate California and I sat down with him at the prison and spoke to him for a couple of hours.

"You're talking about someone who for four years had been in a penitentiary and was serving a life sentence. I don't think he had any perspective on me playing him.

"He was a person who was very misunderstood and very remorseful, but you get one life to do things right and he didn't."