The latest. Kind of a rehash.
Police Search Landfill in Hacking Investigation
Investigators on the Lori Hacking case spent another night searching the county landfill. They won't say what they are finding or even what they are looking for, but they do say they have several promising leads.
Investigators are also awaiting results of forensic tests from possible evidence that's been collected.
Police are still treating this case as a 'missing persons' case and not a homicide investigation. As investigators continue to look for clues, forensic tests may yield some valuable evidence.
Sifting for clues in the Salt Lake County landfill is a long process. Crews are covering acres of land, and areas as deep as 45 feet. It's day four and so far the search has come up empty.
Det. Phil Eslinger, Salt Lake City Police Dept.: To my knowledge, at this point in time, nothing of consequence has been found out there.
But police remain optimistic in this case. And they're talking to other people who they're not identifying as either possible witnesses or suspects.
Det. Phil Eslinger: "The leads that we are following right now are very promising, and we feel very confident of the case that we are currently putting together."
Investigators say numerous items have been sent to the state crime lab, including samples from a garbage can containing brown fluid. Neighbor Devan Hite called police last week to report it.
Devan Hite: "There was a very strong, abnormal smell in the garbage pail that is sort of reeking from it. When I opened it up, there were hundreds of maggots all along the side of it."
The results from the sample and other tests could take weeks. Still, Forensic Services Director Stu Smith says, in a mystery like this, police don't always know what they're looking for.
Stu Smith, Director, Bureau of Forensice Services: "In a case where no arrest has been made, no victim has been found, and it's been a true whodunit case, it becomes much more complex, because it's hard to know what's evidence."
The state lab is a relatively small agency - - another reason testing can take a while. However, Smith says cases like this may take priority because of certain circumstances - - for example, if there's a risk to the community or if a victim is still missing and there's a chance that person can still be saved.
They concentrated on a trench in the west end of the landfill, focusing their lights on one particular area, and set off some flashes, possibly from a camera. But we haven't yet confirmed if they were taking pictures.
Yesterday, police told us that they are also working on a timeline that would show the events leading up to Lori's disappearance.
Investigators think Mark Hacking knows more than he's telling, but also say he may not even know where Lori is.
Police have called Mark Hacking a "person of interest" in the case, but not a suspect. KSL NewsRadio reports this morning that police may have more than one "person of interest" in the investigation.
Investigators are looking at some theories that don't involve Lori's husband Mark. Police won't name the other persons they're questioning, but say it's more than routine.
They're also questioning people that know the Hackings and are doing lab tests on evidence they've already collected.
They say it could be weeks, or months, before they get the results of those tests.
Det. Phil Eslinger/ Salt Lake City Police Dept.: "It's a fairly long process to make sure it's done properly, and that any evidence that is retrieved is admissable in court."
Police are also denying reports that Lori died in a rage killing.
Police also are not sure Lori ever made it to Memory Grove Park to jog the morning she was reported missing.
Detectives says police have found nothing to indicate she was ever there.
After the woman was reported missing by her husband who said she never returned from a jog at the park July 19, thousands of volunteers helped scour the area and nearby City Creek Canyon for the woman.
As for their search of the landfill, they haven't found any key evidence.
Detectives also say this case is like any other. Despite the fact that it's high profile, they are taking their time, doing everything thoroughly and properly.
Thanks for the update!