The Murder of Lori Hacking

Lori Kay Hacking

As the case prepares to go to trial, Lori's family, friends and colleagues mourn her death. On August 14, 2004 a memorial service for Lori took place at the LDS Windsor Stake Center in Orem, Utah. More than 600 people attended the service, which included a display of Lori's "wedding dress, a poster-sized photograph of her and a plastic bucket used to gather donations for the search effort," AP reported on August 15, 2004.

Mother leaves memorial service

Members of Mark's family attended the service and his father, Dr. Douglas Hacking, gave the opening prayer, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. He was quoted in the article as saying, "We truly appreciate the influence [Lori] has had in our lives...We've all been touched by her in some way...We hope she can feel our love for her today." Lori's mother, Thelma Soares, was one of several family members who also gave a moving speech that day during the hour and a half service. She spoke of her daughter's life and of the "class and style" for which she was known. It was clear that everyone who knew Lori sorely missed her.

Oprah Winfrey

In remembrance of Lori, Thelma Soares set up a scholarship fund in her name. By mid-September 2004, the fund grew from $12,000 to $81, 000, $50,000 of which was donated by the acclaimed television talk show hostess, Oprah Winfrey, who interviewed Mrs. Soares, Court TV reported in a September 15, 2004 article. According to the article, the scholarship is awarded to a woman that has been "disadvantaged by financial hardship, abuse, family difficulties or other life circumstances" who attends the University of Utah's David Eccles School of Business and needs financial assistance for her junior and senior years.

At around the same time Oprah made her generous donation, Mark announced from his prison cell that he intended to write a book "about everything," the proceeds of which would go to the Lori Kay Soares Hacking Memorial Scholarship Fund. It is uncertain how much of the book, if any, has yet been written or whether there is a publishing deal lined up. What is certain is that we have not heard the end of Mark Hacking.