By Tori Richards
November 10, 2006
SANTA ANA, Calif. (Crime Library) — A notary public testified Thursday that she feared for her life and went into hiding after learning that she unwittingly helped provide an alibi for a couple accused of murdering two people at sea and stealing their yacht.
"I was scared to death, I was told I would be killed and my family...my mom put me into hiding," Kathleen Harris testified during a jury trial in Orange County Superior Court against Jennifer Deleon, part of a husband-wife duo accused of murdering Thomas and Jackie Hawks. The Hawkses were overpowered on their yacht, tied to the anchor and thrown overboard alive. Jennifer's husband, Skylar, will go to trial next year.
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| Hawks' yacht |
Harris spent several hours on the witness stand describing how she performed an illegal notarization on a bill of sale and received $2,000 compensation. The document showed the Hawkses selling their yacht to the Deleons. Harris notarized the document that already contained signatures and fingerprints of the Hawkses and then was asked to predate it in her notary log, both actions that are illegal.
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| The Hawks |
The Hawkses were killed on Nov. 15, 2004 during a test run of their yacht with Skylar and two acquaintances on board. The Deleons had posed as prospective buyers and fabricated the bill of sale as an alibi, according to police.
Harris got mixed up in the scenario when friend Adam Rohig asked if she'd perform a notarization that would pay her well. Shortly after the Hawkses died, Harris testified that she received a phone call from a woman who identified herself as Jennifer.
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| Jennifer (Henderson) Deleon |
"She said she wanted something notarized as soon as possible and to meet them in a hotel room in Long Beach," Harris testified.
When Harris got to the hotel, she saw Jennifer, Skylar and a baby in the room with papers spread out on the bed. Jennifer said they were living in the hotel because their fish tank had caught fire, Harris testified.
"I thought it was insurance documents because they were living in the hotel," Harris testified.
Skylar asked her to back date the sale document and Jennifer blurted out the date that was to be used, which was Nov. 15, Harris testified.
Then, as she was walking out, Jennifer said, "When all this goes through, you will be compensated more. I was shocked," Harris testified, because she had already received a large amount of money.
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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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