By Tori Richards
September 6, 2006
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (Crime Library) — Retired probation officer Thomas Hawks and his wife Jackie were living a life most people dreamed of: sailing around the Pacific Ocean on their 55-foot yacht while mulling over which property to purchase in Mexico. They wanted a land base to spend more time with their children and planned on selling the boat.
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| The Hawks |
Then on Nov. 15, 2004, they made a fatal mistake. The Hawkses agreed to take potential buyer Skylar Deleon, 27, his pregnant wife Jennifer, 25 and a few friends out for a test ride off the coast of Newport Beach, California. But Deleon — a former child actor who appeared in the television series "Power Rangers" — had other plans. Several miles out to sea, the couple was attacked with a stun gun and tied to the yacht's anchor. They were thrown overboard alive and have never been found.
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| Skylar Deleon |
Despite having no bodies, police were able to piece together the complicated case and the Orange County District Attorneys Office have charged the trio and two others with murdering the Hawkses. Today the district attorney announced that he will seek the death penalty against Deleon for committing multiple murders and murder for financial gain. Trial is set for Jan. 29.
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| Jennifer Deleon |
It's reminiscent of the best selling true crime novel "And The Sea Will Tell" by Charles Manson prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi: a group of modern-day pirates attack yacht owners and confiscate their boat. The bodies are never found and detectives are left with the seemingly impossible task of trying to piece together what happened.
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Tom & Jackie Hawks/Skylar Julius Deleon Full Coverage & Breaking News
Discussion Forum: The Killings of Thomas & Jackie Hawks
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