Orange County Register

Closing statements in the triple-murder trial of Skylar Deleon could take place as soon as Thursday, prosecutor Matt Murphy told Register columnist Frank Mickadeit today.

The trial, which had been expected to last seven weeks, has been curtailed because Deleon’s attorney, Gary Pohlson, admitted during his opening statement last week that Deleon is guilty of all three murders. Pohlson said his goal is to convince the jury to spare Deleon the death penalty, a decision the jury would make during a penalty phase after they deliver their verdict on Deleon’s guilt.

Deleon, 29, is accused of murdering the Hawkses to steal their 55-foot yacht, the Well Deserved. Deleon and four accomplices, who are being tried separately, are accused of tying the Hawkses to an anchor and pushing them overboard after forcing them to sign over ownership of the boat during a cruise off Newport Beach in November 2004. His trial entered its second week today.

Among witnesses who testified this afternoon was Sgt. Evan Sailor of the Newport Beach Police Department. Sailor testified that personal belongings of the Hawkses, including a laptop computer, were found in the Long Beach residence of Skylar Deleon and his wife, Jennifer. A search warrant was executed Dec. 17, 2004, at the house, which belonged to Jennifer’s parents.

In addition to the murders of the Hawkses, Skylar Deleon is on trial for the murder of Jon Peter Jarvi of Anaheim. Jarvi’s throat was slashed in a Mexican desert after he gave Skylar $50,000 for a purported can’t-miss investment deal, Murphy has said.

David White, a computer forensics specialist with the Newport Beach P.D., testified today that cell phone records showed Deleon made calls from San Ysidro, near the Mexican border, on the day in December 2003 on which Jarvi is believed to have been killed. There was a gap of several hours between a call Deleon made in San Ysidro and another one he made in San Diego, White said.

Deleon and his wife made 17 calls to each other that day, White said.

One of Pohlson’s strategies in trying to save Skylar Deleon’s life is to show that Jennifer was at least as culpable in the killings as Skylar. Jennifer Deleon was convicted last year for her involvement with the Hawkses’ murders and sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole.

On Wednesday, the prosecution is expected to put on one of its key witnesses, Alonso Machain. Machain has confessed that he conspired with Deleon and others to kill Thomas and Jackie Hawks in November 2004 in a plot to steal their yacht. Hoping for leniency, Machain is cooperating with authorities in their prosecution of Deleon.

Recent Deleon news

• Deleon shopped for house, car, before murders, witnesses say
• Yacht case notary said she lied because she was scared
• Skylar had no luck renaming the stolen yacht
• Mom cringes at photo of slain son in Deleon trial
• Skylar’s cousin testifies his life was threatened
• Skylar’s cousin takes witness stand in yacht murder trial
• Witnesses testify about Deleon’s spending spree
• “He’s guilty,” defense attorney admits in yacht murder trial
• Prosecutor: Victim begged for her life before she was thrown overboard
• Did Skylar think “no bodies, no murder?”
• Was that Vlad Guerrero on jury duty?
• Was this the shortest lasting jury on record?
• Jury selected for yacht murder trial in less than a day
• Opening jabs in yacht case jury selection
• Skylar Deleon meets his jurors

About the case

• Newport couple killed at sea
• Timelines: Yacht case, Jarvi case
• Victims: Thomas Hawks, Jackie Hawks, Jon Peter “JP” Jarvi
• Defendants: Skylar Deleon, Jennifer Deleon, Myron Gardner, John F. Kennedy, Alonso Machain
• Complete coverage: Missing at sea

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