Skylar Deleon
Encyclopedia
Thomas and Jackie Hawks were a couple from Prescott
, Arizona
, United States
, who were murdered in 2004. , Skylar James Deleon, Jennifer Henderson, and John Kennedy were convicted of charges relating to their murders.
Skylar James Deleon (born John Julius Jacobson, Jr.) is a former American
child actor
. The son of a convicted drug dealer, Deleon began acting in bit parts in commercials as a child. At age 14, he appeared in the series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
as a very minor character in the episode Second Chance. As an adult, Deleon struggled to remember lines, and his career faltered as a result. At age 20, he joined the United States Marine Corps
, but he went on Unauthorized Absence (UA)
fifteen days later. He was later given an other than honorable discharge.
and a bodybuilder. He owned, with his second wife Jackie Hawks (formerly of Mentor-on-the-Lake, Ohio), a 55-foot yacht
, the Well Deserved, which they treated as their permanent home and on which they sailed for two years around the Pacific Ocean
and the Sea of Cortez. In 2004, they decided to sell their yacht and set up home in Newport Harbor
, to be closer to the child of Mr. Hawks' son from his first marriage. Jackie had helped raise the boys since their early teens, and she considered the new baby her grandson.
Their advertisement of the sale of the yacht was answered in November by Skylar Deleon. The couple was initially cautious of Deleon, but they became more receptive when he brought his then-pregnant wife Jennifer and their other child to a meeting. The Hawks were last seen alive on the morning of November 15, 2004, heading out of the harbor. The yacht returned, but they did not. Their bodies have not been found.
. The family was notified and filed a missing person report with the Carlsbad
police department.
On November 29, 2004, the police interviewed Skylar Deleon. He told them that he bought the boat from the Hawkses and showed them proof-of-purchase documents. He stated to police that the Hawkses left in their car with his money, denied being in their car, and named Alonso Machain (a former correctional officer that Deleon met while in jail for burglary
) as witness to the purchase. The reason that he bought the boat, he claimed, was that he intended to launder money related to an armed burglary in 2002 for which he had been convicted.
In March 2005, Machain confessed to the crime and was arrested in connection with the couple's disappearance, along with Deleon, Deleon's wife Jennifer, and Kennedy. Kennedy pleaded not guilty, and Skylar Deleon initially maintained his innocence as well, claiming that he was not present at the time and that the couple were killed over a drug deal gone bad.
in Newport Beach Harbor a few days after meeting the Hawkses, Deleon and his accomplices — Alonso Machain and John Kennedy — bound and gagged the couple and threw them overboard, tied to the yacht's anchor. Deleon allegedly masterminded the plan to kill the couple for financial gain and enlisted Kennedy (who once served time for attempted murder) and Machain to help.
Deleon's wife, Jennifer, was found guilty on two counts of first degree murder on November 17, 2006, after only four hours of jury deliberation. In October 2007, Jennifer Deleon (now calling herself Jennifer Henderson, since her divorce from Skylar Deleon) was sentenced to two life terms without the possibility of parole.
While awaiting trial in jail, Deleon was also charged with soliciting
another inmate to murder his father and cousin. He was also accused of killing John Jarvi, a resident of Anaheim
who was found dead in Mexico
in 2003. Deleon's father and cousin (who was charged as an accessory
to the Jarvi murder) are considered "important witnesses" in both murder cases. On March 13, 2008, Deleon partially severed his penis with a razor blade while being held in jail. After receiving medical attention, he was returned to jail the following day. In an interview with ABC's 20/20, Deleon indicated that he attempted to cut off his penis
because he wanted to be a woman. In fact, defense lawyers claimed that Deleon's need for money to finance a sex-change operation was the motivation for the Hawks' murders.
On September 22, 2008, jury selection began in the case against Skylar Deleon. In a consolidated case, DeLeon was jointly tried for the murders of Thomas and Jackie Hawks as well as the murder of John Jarvi. Despite Deleon's earlier protestations of innocence, once his trial began, Deleon's attorney conceded that Deleon had indeed committed all three murders. The attorney said that he had taken the case to trial only to argue to a jury that Deleon should not be sentenced to death. On October 20, Deleon was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder and special circumstances for financial gain and multiple victims, and on November 6, 2008, the jury recommended the death penalty. Sentencing was originally scheduled for January 16, 2009, but was then rescheduled to March 20 on request by Deleon's attorney. On March 13, it was announced that sentencing would again be rescheduled, to April 10, so that the family of the victims could attend. On April 10, 2009, Deleon was sentenced to death by Orange County Superior Court Judge Frank Fasel. Deleon is CDC inmate #G56028 and is currently awaiting execution at San Quentin State Prison
.
Prescott, Arizona
Prescott is a city in Yavapai County, Arizona, USA. It was designated "Arizona's Christmas City" by Arizona Governor Rose Mofford in the late 1980s....
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, who were murdered in 2004. , Skylar James Deleon, Jennifer Henderson, and John Kennedy were convicted of charges relating to their murders.
Perpetrators
Skylar Deleon and his former wife Jennifer Henderson have been convicted of murder. Deleon and Kennedy were sentenced to death, while Henderson was sentenced to two terms of life in prison without parole. A fourth person, Alonso Machain, accepted a plea bargain after testifying for the prosecution in the trials of Deleon, Henderson, and Kennedy. He was sentenced to 20 years and 4 months in prison.Skylar James Deleon (born John Julius Jacobson, Jr.) is a former American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
child actor
Child actor
The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting in motion pictures or television, but also to an adult who began his or her acting career as a child; to avoid confusion, the latter is also called a former child actor...
. The son of a convicted drug dealer, Deleon began acting in bit parts in commercials as a child. At age 14, he appeared in the series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is an American live-action children's television series based on the 16th installment of the Japanese Super Sentai franchise, Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. Both the show and its related merchandise saw unbridled overnight success, catapulting into pop culture in mere months...
as a very minor character in the episode Second Chance. As an adult, Deleon struggled to remember lines, and his career faltered as a result. At age 20, he joined the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, but he went on Unauthorized Absence (UA)
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
fifteen days later. He was later given an other than honorable discharge.
Disappearance
Thomas Hawks was a retired probation officerProbation officer
Parole officers and probation officers play a role in criminal justice systems by supervising offenders released from incarceration or sentenced to non-custodial sanctions such as community service...
and a bodybuilder. He owned, with his second wife Jackie Hawks (formerly of Mentor-on-the-Lake, Ohio), a 55-foot yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
, the Well Deserved, which they treated as their permanent home and on which they sailed for two years around the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
and the Sea of Cortez. In 2004, they decided to sell their yacht and set up home in Newport Harbor
Newport Harbor
- Geography :* Newport Beach, California* Newport Harbor High School, in Newport Beach, Orange County, California* Newport Harbor Light, in Newport, Rhode Island* Newport, Rhode Island* Newport, Pembrokeshire...
, to be closer to the child of Mr. Hawks' son from his first marriage. Jackie had helped raise the boys since their early teens, and she considered the new baby her grandson.
Their advertisement of the sale of the yacht was answered in November by Skylar Deleon. The couple was initially cautious of Deleon, but they became more receptive when he brought his then-pregnant wife Jennifer and their other child to a meeting. The Hawks were last seen alive on the morning of November 15, 2004, heading out of the harbor. The yacht returned, but they did not. Their bodies have not been found.
Investigation
Police inquired into the couple's disappearance. On November 26, 2004, an attempt was made to access the Hawkses' bank account from MexicoMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. The family was notified and filed a missing person report with the Carlsbad
Carlsbad, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Carlsbad had a population of 105,328. The population density was 2,693.1 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Carlsbad was 87,205 White, 1,379 African American, 514 Native American, 7,460 Asian, 198 Pacific Islander, 4,189 from other...
police department.
On November 29, 2004, the police interviewed Skylar Deleon. He told them that he bought the boat from the Hawkses and showed them proof-of-purchase documents. He stated to police that the Hawkses left in their car with his money, denied being in their car, and named Alonso Machain (a former correctional officer that Deleon met while in jail for burglary
Burglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
) as witness to the purchase. The reason that he bought the boat, he claimed, was that he intended to launder money related to an armed burglary in 2002 for which he had been convicted.
In March 2005, Machain confessed to the crime and was arrested in connection with the couple's disappearance, along with Deleon, Deleon's wife Jennifer, and Kennedy. Kennedy pleaded not guilty, and Skylar Deleon initially maintained his innocence as well, claiming that he was not present at the time and that the couple were killed over a drug deal gone bad.
Trials
Authorities alleged that during a sea testSea trial
A sea trial is the testing phase of a watercraft . It is also referred to as a "shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on open water, and can last from a few hours to many days.Sea trials are conducted to measure a vessel’s...
in Newport Beach Harbor a few days after meeting the Hawkses, Deleon and his accomplices — Alonso Machain and John Kennedy — bound and gagged the couple and threw them overboard, tied to the yacht's anchor. Deleon allegedly masterminded the plan to kill the couple for financial gain and enlisted Kennedy (who once served time for attempted murder) and Machain to help.
Deleon's wife, Jennifer, was found guilty on two counts of first degree murder on November 17, 2006, after only four hours of jury deliberation. In October 2007, Jennifer Deleon (now calling herself Jennifer Henderson, since her divorce from Skylar Deleon) was sentenced to two life terms without the possibility of parole.
While awaiting trial in jail, Deleon was also charged with soliciting
Solicitation
Literally, solicitation means: 'urgently asking'. It is the action or instance of soliciting; petition; proposal. In criminal law, it most commonly refers to either the act of offering goods or services, or the act of attempting to purchase such goods or services...
another inmate to murder his father and cousin. He was also accused of killing John Jarvi, a resident of Anaheim
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
who was found dead in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
in 2003. Deleon's father and cousin (who was charged as an accessory
Accessory (legal term)
An accessory is a person who assists in the commission of a crime, but who does not actually participate in the commission of the crime as a joint principal...
to the Jarvi murder) are considered "important witnesses" in both murder cases. On March 13, 2008, Deleon partially severed his penis with a razor blade while being held in jail. After receiving medical attention, he was returned to jail the following day. In an interview with ABC's 20/20, Deleon indicated that he attempted to cut off his penis
Penis removal
In ancient civilizations, removal of the human penis was sometimes used as a means of demonstrating superiority: armies were sometimes known to sever the penises of their enemies to count the dead, as well as for trophies...
because he wanted to be a woman. In fact, defense lawyers claimed that Deleon's need for money to finance a sex-change operation was the motivation for the Hawks' murders.
On September 22, 2008, jury selection began in the case against Skylar Deleon. In a consolidated case, DeLeon was jointly tried for the murders of Thomas and Jackie Hawks as well as the murder of John Jarvi. Despite Deleon's earlier protestations of innocence, once his trial began, Deleon's attorney conceded that Deleon had indeed committed all three murders. The attorney said that he had taken the case to trial only to argue to a jury that Deleon should not be sentenced to death. On October 20, Deleon was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder and special circumstances for financial gain and multiple victims, and on November 6, 2008, the jury recommended the death penalty. Sentencing was originally scheduled for January 16, 2009, but was then rescheduled to March 20 on request by Deleon's attorney. On March 13, it was announced that sentencing would again be rescheduled, to April 10, so that the family of the victims could attend. On April 10, 2009, Deleon was sentenced to death by Orange County Superior Court Judge Frank Fasel. Deleon is CDC inmate #G56028 and is currently awaiting execution at San Quentin State Prison
San Quentin State Prison
San Quentin State Prison is a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation state prison for men in unincorporated San Quentin, Marin County, California, United States. Opened in July 1852, it is the oldest prison in the state. California's only death row for male inmates, the largest...
.