# Well, they've arrested Mark Hacking for the disappearance of his wife. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 2, 2004, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-theyve-arrested-mark-hacking-for-the-disappearance-of-his-wife/258025 "2004-08-02T21:10:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-theyve-arrested-mark-hacking-for-the-disappearance-of-his-wife/258025/21 "2004-08-03T11:58:40Z")
> [@kniz](#): > > That doesn’t mean that one or both won’t be found innocent. /legal nitpick Actually it’d be found not guilty. Being found “innocent” has a totally different standard of proof. Not guilty doesn’t mean you didn’t do it. /nitpick off I think Peterson will get off, although I suspect he wouldn’t if this trial were in, say, the south. If Hacking’s defense lawyer takes him to trial then they are one rotten lawyer; if I were representing him I’d urge him to take a deal (IANAL). ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-theyve-arrested-mark-hacking-for-the-disappearance-of-his-wife/258025/22 "2004-08-03T12:20:40Z")
> [@pugluvr](#): > > Before any of the data about mattresses or medical school was reported, we saw a TV news bit showing Hacking weeping as he told the media about his missing wife. He seemed sincerely distraught, as a contrast to Scott Peterson, who was cool as a cucumber at the corresponding stage in his own wife’s disappearance. He could actually really be distraught about it. The split-second mental lapse thing and all. I believe he’s really feeling lousy about what happened. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-theyve-arrested-mark-hacking-for-the-disappearance-of-his-wife/258025/23 "2004-08-03T12:35:44Z")
You’re all forgetting that he’s probably legally insane and so not criminally responsible for his actions. I mean, does running around naked in sandals sound like a guy who is just trying to fake it? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![FandJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/858c86/32.png) [@FandJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FandJ)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-theyve-arrested-mark-hacking-for-the-disappearance-of-his-wife/258025/24 "2004-08-03T13:42:39Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > You’re all forgetting that he’s probably legally insane and so not criminally responsible for his actions. > > I mean, does running around naked in sandals sound like a guy who is just trying to fake it? :rolleyes: Yes, it sounds exactly like someone trying to fake it. Classic. fandj ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-theyve-arrested-mark-hacking-for-the-disappearance-of-his-wife/258025/25 "2004-08-03T15:28:50Z")
> [@pugluvr](#): > > Before any of the data about mattresses or medical school was reported, we saw a TV news bit showing Hacking weeping as he told the media about his missing wife. He seemed sincerely distraught, as a contrast to Scott Peterson, who was cool as a cucumber at the corresponding stage in his own wife’s disappearance. This is why “you can’t win”… well maybe better “You can’t win… if & when the Police have decided (without any real evidence) that you’re guilty”. If you’re distraught & emotional- well then that’s evidence that you’re guilty as you “can’t keep your facts straight”. If your “cool as a cucumber”- then you’re “guilty as your not showing that you’re emotionally distraught”. At times, the prosecution seem to be argueing both sides of this for Scott Petersen, :dubious: :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-theyve-arrested-mark-hacking-for-the-disappearance-of-his-wife/258025/26 "2004-08-03T15:50:56Z")
> [@Hamish](#): > > Possibly because he hasn’t been tried yet? > > Do you think that we could restrain the slathering for his blood until he’s, you know, found guilty? Nope, we can’t restrain, because we invoke the freedom of speech we have. Now, if we sat here as jurors and other members of the court in a legal proceeding, you’d have a case. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-theyve-arrested-mark-hacking-for-the-disappearance-of-his-wife/258025/27 "2004-08-03T16:31:34Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > You’re all forgetting that he’s probably legally insane and so not criminally responsible for his actions. > > I mean, does running around naked in sandals sound like a guy who is just trying to fake it? :rolleyes: LOL. That may = “crazy” in Utah, but here in California it just means “hot,” “drunk,” or “That guy from Berkeley who doesn’t wear clothes.” ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Stilettos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Red\_Stilettos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Stilettos)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-theyve-arrested-mark-hacking-for-the-disappearance-of-his-wife/258025/28 "2004-08-03T21:22:10Z")
> [@OtakuLoki](#): > > he killed her to ‘protect’ her from his lies. I agree with this scenario. But I think his anxiety about his lies was amplified when he found out about the pregnancy, i.e.- it’s OK to lie to my wife, but not to my child. IIRC, Lori was only a few months pregnant. It probably didn’t take long for his insecurities to lead him to what he thought was the only way out. If he’d killed himself instead, Lori would be a widow and his child an orphan. This way (in his sick mind), only his pain continues. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-theyve-arrested-mark-hacking-for-the-disappearance-of-his-wife/258025/29 "2004-08-04T00:45:01Z")
\*SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - The husband of a missing pregnant woman told a “reliable citizen” witness at a psychiatric ward that he killed his wife as she slept and then threw her body in a trash bin, according to a court filing released Tuesday by prosecutors. \* Well, at least she died instantly and never knew what hit her, anyway . . . ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-theyve-arrested-mark-hacking-for-the-disappearance-of-his-wife/258025/30 "2004-08-10T20:16:35Z")
We still have no real evidence that he killed her- or even that she is dead. Yes, is SEEMS that he did tell his brother that he did it. Dudes say weird things when they are under mental stress- or crazy- as he may well be. There is no physical evidence that she is even dead, let alone that her husband killed her. All we have is: 1. She isn’t around. 2 He has been acting strange. 3. His brothers say he confessed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-theyve-arrested-mark-hacking-for-the-disappearance-of-his-wife/258025.md?page=1)