Detective takes stand in yacht murder trial

A Newport Beach police detective testified Monday that a woman accused in the 2004 killing of a Newport Beach couple told investigators they’d find nothing incriminating in her house, but their search turned up a computer, video camera and other items belonging to the couple.

Prosecutors continued to build their case against Jennifer Henderson-Deleon, one of four people charged in the murder of Tom and Jackie Hawks. The others — Skylar Deleon, Jennifer’s husband; John Fitzgerald Kennedy; and Alonso Machain — will be tried next year.

Machain testified last week that he, Kennedy and Skylar Deleon had come with the Hawkses onto their yacht under the pretense of buying it. When they were at sea, the men overpowered the couple, tied them to an anchor and threw it overboard, planning to steal their money, Machain said.

Michael Molfetta, Henderson-Deleon’s attorney, has said his client knew nothing about the plot to kill the Hawkses.

In court Monday, Newport Beach Police Sgt. Evan Sailor told prosecutors after police arrested Skylar Deleon on Dec. 17, 2004, Jennifer Henderson-Deleon was concerned about completing the sale of the yacht. She told police they wouldn’t find anything in the home the Deleons shared with Jennifer’s parents, but a subsequent search uncovered voter registration cards for the Hawkses, a digital camera and tapes of their boat trips, and Jackie Hawks’ laptop computer, Sailor said.

James Hawks, Tom Hawks’ brother, also testified, saying Jennifer Deleon sounded nervous during a phone call she made to him. James Hawks, who has worked in law enforcement, said he visited the boat after the couple disappeared and left his card, asking anyone who knew where they were to call him. Henderson-Deleon called Nov. 24.

“She was speaking rapidly, sounded a little nervous, seemed somewhat hesitant in response to simple questions,” James Hawks said.

“I had a terrible feeling that either Jennifer Deleon was lying to me or withholding information…. As much as I wanted to believe her, I feared that it didn’t bode well for the fate of my brother and sister.”

Prosecutors also played a tape of a more than hour-long phone interview on Feb. 22, 2005, between Newport Beach Police Investigator Keith Krallman and Henderson-Deleon.

Henderson-Deleon told Krallman she wanted to do the right thing but was afraid because she’d been threatened. She also said she had nothing to do with the Hawkses’ disappearance.

In cross-examination, Molfetta continued to point out different explanations for Henderson-Deleon’s behavior. He asked Sailor if his client could have truly not known about the Hawkses’ belongings being in her house before the police searched, and Sailor agreed it was possible.

Molfetta also asked if there was any reason to disbelieve Machain when he testified that, although he talked numerous times to Skylar Deleon before the Hawkses disappeared, he never talked to Jennifer. Sailor said no.

Prosecutors said they expect to wrap up their arguments today, and the case could be completed next week. It’s unclear whether Molfetta will have his client testify.