Lori Kay Hacking

UPDATE!

Mark Hacking pleads guilty to his wife's murder

Published April 16, 2005

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH -- A man accused of killing his wife after she found out he lied about getting into medical school pleaded guilty to murder Friday, making a simple declaration to the judge: "I intentionally shot Lori Hacking in the head with a .22 rifle."

Prosecutors say Mark Hacking carried out the attack while his wife slept last July and then threw the body of the 27-year-old woman in a trash bin. Volunteers scouring a landfill found her decomposed remains about three months later.

The victim's father, Eraldo Soares, said hearing Hacking admit guilt in court "was just like a knife going right through my heart."

Prosecutors said the sentencing range will be from 6 years to life for Hacking, who appeared in court Friday with his hands cuffed behind his back and with a look of resignation. Prosecutors said they will push for the maximum sentence, and the possibility of Hacking getting the low end of the sentencing range was extremely remote. Sentencing was scheduled for June 6.

"Under this charge, there is no possibility of probation. He will be going to prison," prosecutor Bob Stott said.

Friday, August 06, 2004

Memorial Service for Lori

A memorial service for Lori will be held on Saturday, August 14, 2004, at 11 AM at the LDS Windsor Stake Center at 60 E 1600 North, Orem, Utah. A display honoring Lori's life will be in the Relief Society Room of the church from 9:30 AM until 11 AM. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Lori Hacking Memorial Fund at any Wells Fargo Bank or by mail to Thelma Soares 1501 N Canyon Road, Provo, UT 84602.

( No audio, video, photography or recording of any nature is permited at the memorial service. )

Thursday, August 05, 2004

Statement From The Hacking Family

Our family would like to take the opportunity to express gratitude to the public for their understanding and support during this difficult time. We appreciate all who have kept us in their thoughts and prayers throughout the past weeks.

As recently reported in the media, over the weekend of July 24th Mark provided information to family members to assist in finding Lori. At that point, steps were taken to relay this information to the proper authorities as quickly as possible and to halt the majority of search efforts until further information was available.

Please be assured that our primary goal has always been to find Lori. Throughout this process, all decisions have been made in consultation with the Salt Lake City Police Department and with consideration for the time and safety of volunteers and search teams.

Our family is deeply saddened by this situation, and we again express our love and regret to all members of the Soares family. We too will continue to grieve for Lori until the day we die.

Please be advised that the family expects privacy and will direct all further media inquiries to Gil Athay and to the Salt Lake City Police Department.

Tuesday, August 03, 2004

Lori's Family Statement by Thelma Soares Lori's Mother

My family and I are profoundly anguished to lose Lori, our precious daughter and sister. Our lives will never be the same and we will grieve for her and miss her until the day we die. But when that day finally arrives, we know with absolute certainty that she will be there with open arms to greet us and our reunion will be glorious. Until then, we know where she is and who watches over her.

To the wonderful Hacking family who has shared this double tragedy with us, may Heavenly Father strengthen you in the difficult days ahead. You know of our love for you.

To the Elizabeth Smart family, you have been an unending source of guidance, support and love, both in organizing the volunteer search effort and on a very personal level.

To our dear extended families, kind neighbors, personal friends, church congregations, work colleagues and the multitudes of people near and far who have prayed for Lori and for us, God heard your prayers and the comfort we have derived from them has enabled us to endure this ordeal.

To the thousands of volunteers who have given your time to search for Lori, your sacrifice and dedication have overwhelmed us.

To Lori's many friends, former roommates and work colleagues, please know that you are part of our lives because Lori knew and loved you. You are welcome in our home.

To those who have sent or quietly slipped money into our hands or pockets, we are humbled by such generous caring. We consider these funds sacred and every dollar that was not used to search for Lori will be used to establish a scholarship or other type memorial to honor her name.

To all the mothers who have written their love to me personally, I thank you. We share a mother's heart.
We thank all of the corporations and individuals who so generously donated goods and services.

We are truly grateful to the Salt Lake City Stake for offering the use of its stake center for use as our search headquarters.

The letters and pictures written and drawn with crayons, along with the little handmade gifts sent to us from children have touched our hearts and strengthened our faith in the rising generation and the goodness of people everywhere.

We thank the Salt Lake City Police Department for their diligence in this investigation.

And finally, we especially thank the media who have kept
Lori's beautiful little face before the public and wept with us off camera.

Mere words cannot begin to express our gratitude to everyone. You hold a very special place in our hearts and always will.

God bless you all for your outpouring of love and support. Now, please let us mourn for our little Lori in private.

Family Statement:

The Soares and Hacking families are grateful to the many individuals who joined them on Friday in faith and prayers to help find Lori.

The families understand that Mark Hacking has provided information that makes it unnecessary for individuals or groups to continue the volunteer search.

At this time, the families ask that all efforts from volunteers cease and that anyone with information that they feel might be helpful contact the Salt Lake City Police Department directly. The families remain supportive of the police investigation.

As in any situation of this nature, the help from the public has been invaluable, and the families are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and support they have received.

Any further inquiries from the media concerning the search or investigation should be directed to Mark's attorney, Mr. D. Gilbert Athay, or to the Salt Lake City Police Department.

We ask that the media respect the privacy of both families in this very difficult time. The families will not be making any additional public statements and will make it known if they desire to make any statements in the future.

Thursday, July 29, 2004

How You Can Help

The Soares and Hacking families have received many inquiries from the public asking how they can be of help. As part of the continuing effort to find Lori, the families request that individuals join with them in a day of fasting and prayer on Friday, July 30th.

Tuesday, July 27, 2004

To All Parties, Groups, Or Individuals Desiring To Help Search For Lori:

We are overwhelmed by the number of offers from specialized teams and individuals to assist in the search. So that we can best utilize these volunteers, we are coordinating our efforts with police, who will direct us in focusing these resources in areas where they will be of best use. Please do not initiate any searches until you are specifically contacted and assigned.

If you would like to volunteer and are qualified or have experience for this type of search please send an email to findlorisearch@yahoo.com . Please include in the email your specialty/expertise, availability and your contact information. As needed we will contact you and let you know how you can help.

Search Command Center Closed

The search command center located in the church at 142 W. 200 N. is now closed. We ask volunteers not to go to the command center. In the next few days, volunteers with specialized equipment and skills will be able to go to the findlori.com website and send in their information to be involved in specialized searches.

We want to again thank all the volunteers and people that have donated time, effort and resources to the search for Lori. Both families have been overwhelmed with the goodness and love from the community. Look shortly on the website for more information on how to continue the search. Thank you for all of your support!

Monday, July 26, 2004

Gratitude, Gratitude, Gratitude

Both families want to express their deepest gratitude and heartfelt thanks for all of the support, effort, time, resources and prayers that have been given. The efforts of the community to help us find Lori has been overwhelming and has lifted our spirits and has brought us to tears. Thousands have come out to help in the effort and we are so grateful for it! There are so many wonderful people who have sacrificed in the search. We pray that we may have a resolution and hope that we will find Lori.

Saturday, July 24, 2004

Candlelight Gathering Sunday Changed To 9:00 pm

The time for the candlelight gathering for Lori, this Sunday at Memory Grove, has been changed from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm . Please join us at 9:00 pm to support the efforts in finding Lori. Thank you for all of your help and support!

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