The Gruesome Yacht Murder Case of Thomas and Jackie Hawks

Police continued to work the case and by April 8, 2005, everyone — including Jennifer — had been charged with two counts of first-degree murder with the special circumstances of multiple murder and murder for financial gain. The defendants were eligible for the death penalty.

You would think that this tale would end there, but in some respects it was just beginning as they stumbled upon another murder case.

Jon Jarvi

Skylar met Jon Jarvi, 45, while in Seal Beach Jail. In December 2003 Jon was released; Skylar was still incarcerated, but left the jail during the day on a work furlough program. Skylar convinced Jon to lend him $50,000 for a purported business deal that would be culminated in Mexico. The pair drove down there together but only Skylar returned, slitting Jon's throat and leaving him for dead along a Mexican highway.

When his body was found with his identification intact, the Mexican police called one of their contacts at the LAPD. That detective began looking at Jon's history and found that Skylar had been in possession of his car. But the case apparently had stalled there until the Hawks were murdered.

Delving further, detectives from Newport Beach Police Department found cell phone records between Skylar and Jon immediately after cashier's checks for $50,000 had been cashed and throughout the day. Two hours later, Deleon spent $18,000 in new $100 bills on equipment at a boat yard, deposited $21,000 in a bank account and bought a $2,200 diamond ring for his wife, according to the district attorney.

Skylar might have gotten away with the crime if it hadn't been for the Hawks' murders, the district attorney said.