Posted on 08/05/2004 12:25:04 PM PDT by 11th Earl of Mar
Hacking Confessed to Brothers, Father Says By PAUL FOY ASSOCIATED PRESS
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -
Mark Hacking confessed to two older brothers that he killed his wife as she slept and then put the body in a trash bin, their father said Thursday.
Hacking, confronted with evidence he had something to do with his wife's disappearance, and overwhelmed by the volunteer effort to find her, made the confession when his brothers Scott and Lance visited him at a psychiatric ward July 24, the father, Douglas Hacking, said.
"He decided the time was right - he had better let authorities know what happened," Douglas Hacking said.
The details of the confession were disclosed Thursday in an interview of Scott Hacking in The Salt Lake Tribune.
Scott Hacking told the newspaper Wednesday that after Mark confessed, "My brother and I sat and hugged him for about an hour, and then we went home."
The information was relayed to police through an intermediary July 25.
"I've never seen him (Scott) hurting so much as that night, struggling with having to make that decision," said Douglas Hacking. "When it was all done, he said, 'I never felt as relieved or miserable at the same time.' It's a terrible dilemma for him to be in."
He said he believed Mark Hacking had a psychological breakdown because his wife apparently learned of his lie about having been accepted to medical school. Both Scott and Douglas are physicians, and the father has said Mark probably felt pressure by the achievements of his relatives.
Mark Hacking, 28, called police July 19 and said his wife had failed to show up for work after going for an early morning jog.
He was arrested Monday on suspicion of murder as he was about to be released from the psychiatric ward where he'd been since being found naked outside a hotel July 20.
Police believe that three days before she vanished, Lori Hacking discovered that her husband had not been enrolled in a North Carolina medical school where the couple was packing to move. It also was discovered that he had lied about graduating from the University of Utah.
Scott Hacking, 33, said he was aware that his brother, if convicted, could face execution.
"I certainly worried about that," he told the newspaper. "My family believes in the justice system. ... If those consequences are the ones he has to face, then again, we will support him through that point, though I hope he does not have to face that consequence."
He said he hopes the information resolves the case.
"My family started this entire process with two goals in mind," he said. "One was to bring Lori back and the other was to discover the truth. And we were determined to do both of those things.
"No brother wants to offer information about his own brother," he said.
Late Thursday afternoon was the deadline for Salt Lake County District Attorney David Yocom to file formal charges, but he has said he might ask the court for an extension.
Yocom has declined to say whether he would seek the death penalty, but did say the wishes of the victim's family are given great weight.
The search for remains at the county landfill resumed Wednesday night after a few days off. The searches have been halted temporarily when cadaver dogs were needed on other assignments and when their handlers felt the animals needed time off.
Large spotlights lighted the area Wednesday night and a backhoe tore out large chunks of garbage that were then spread out for the dogs to go over. The searches are conducted overnight because the dogs work more effectively in the cooler air, authorities have said.
Yeah, really. Poor baby he could have stood out in a family of losers. He couda been a contenda.
Two brothers confront the third, he turns out to be a murderer....
The Brothers Karamazov
He might have thought he could keep the lies hidden...but I think it goes deeper...I don't think he wanted to live with her knowing he was not what he pretended, that her not pursuing her graduate studies was on hold because of his fantasy college attendence, graduation and fantasy med school acceptance...
Her knowing eyes were too much and so he closed them...I read another poster say.. "The sound was too loud and he had to turn off the radio"...His "double life" is yet to be revealed... whether he had other secrets...
He has a personality disorder but he is not insane in the legal sense IMO...In Utah the usual insanity plea is "guilty but insane" with a person serving remainder of sentence in jail if they get well in the psych hospital...I don't think he can plead insanity.
That is probably the very first logical statement that I have read about his "issue".
Thank you.I like to probe the reasons, the psychological makeup armchair style of the murderer...not excuses, just the WHY...Most people cannot imagine murdering their spouse no matter how angry or unhappy...Google narcissism..fascinating!
I'd like to think that 99.99% of people in this world could never kill thier spouse. But to think that would be naive of me. I know myself, I could never do it. But I guess in some people there are "rages" that cannot be stopped.
No one is saying that it's not his fault. His brothers said that he was struggling with telling them.
But he did tell them. The family understands that he could face the death penalty. I'm sure Mark understands that also.
This is a horrible thing for Mark's family, but they are still making sure that justice is served for LORI.
I don't care what happens to Mark, or any of his pain, but this story is being relayed by his family.
We shouldn't respect Mark, but we should at least respect his family and what they are going through.
I can't imagine how horrible it must be to know that your child killed a daughter in law that you adore. From all accounts, that's what the Hacking family is going through.
That's still gotta be one of the most awful things you'd ever have to do, turn in a brother. The right thing surely, but still.
Your assertions in #37 and #45 were inquired about in my #52.You ask for a raincheck in 54..
Have you found time to reread the posts and point out if there was truly any tolerance expressed or bleeding hearts for the accused murderer?
I haven't been able to find such opinion expressed. Perhaps you can enlighten me.
Lori Hacking pinglist--if you want on or off, send me a freepmail!
You don't take time to look before leaping to conclusions..
You are free to say anything you please and I am free to challenge it...
You are right. It will take years for these good people to put their lives back together, if they can. And for what? A lie.
I read an article the other night by Enid Greene. She was the Republican congresswoman from Utah from 1994 to 1996. She married a con man unknowingly. Anyway, she said that Hacking lying about his schooling is just the tip of the iceberg. There's a whole hidden life under there somewhere.
She and her ex-husband have been divorced for 7 years now, but she says she's still discovering things about him. Personally, I think there's a lot more that's going to come out about Mark Hacking and his secrets.
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