Casepin
Back to cases

Case file

Murders of Thomas and Jackie Hawks

SOLVED2004Off Santa Catalina Island, California, United States3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026

Documents violence — written to inform, not to shock.

Illustrative

Thomas Charles Hawks (born December 24, 1946) and Jackie Ellen Hawks (née O'Neill; born June 26, 1957) were an American married couple who had sold their Arizona home in 2001 to live aboard their 55-foot trawler, the Well Deserved, sailing the Pacific Ocean and Gulf of California for two years. By 2004 they intended to sell the yacht and settle in Newport Harbor to be closer to a grandchild. In November 2004, their sale advertisement was answered by Skylar Deleon, who appeared with his pregnant wife, Jennifer Henderson, and their child, which put the couple at ease.

The Hawkses were last seen alive on the morning of November 15, 2004, departing Newport Beach harbor on the yacht. According to accomplice Alonso Machain's later account, Deleon and John Fitzgerald Kennedy overpowered Thomas Hawks in the kitchen and forced him into the bedroom, while Machain held Jackie at gunpoint after a struggle and also brought her below. The couple were bound, blindfolded with duct tape, and coerced into signing over ownership documents for the yacht and providing bank account access, giving Deleon control of savings exceeding $1,000,000. The vessel was steered toward deep water off Santa Catalina Island. On deck, Thomas kicked Deleon during an attempt to attach an anchor chain to the rope binding the couple; Kennedy struck Thomas in the head, and Kennedy then pushed both Hawkses overboard after Deleon threw in the anchor. Neither body was ever recovered. The group returned to shore and searched the yacht for valuables.

An investigation began after the couple's disappearance was reported. On November 26, 2004, an attempted access of the Hawkses' bank account from Mexico was discovered, and the family filed a missing-persons report. Police interviewed Deleon on November 29, 2004; he claimed to have purchased the boat legitimately and named Machain as a witness. In March 2005, after fleeing to and returning from Mexico, Machain confessed, leading to the arrests of Deleon and Henderson.

At trial, prosecutors alleged Deleon masterminded the killings for financial gain. Henderson was convicted on two counts of first-degree murder on November 17, 2006, and sentenced in October 2007 to two life terms without parole. Deleon was tried jointly for the Hawks murders and a separate 2003 killing; his own attorney conceded at trial that Deleon had committed all three murders, arguing only against a death sentence. Deleon was convicted on October 20, 2008, and sentenced to death on April 10, 2009. Kennedy was convicted on February 19, 2009, and sentenced to death on May 1, 2009. Machain pleaded guilty to two counts each of voluntary manslaughter, kidnapping, and robbery, receiving a sentence of 20 years and 4 months in June 2009; he was paroled in 2021. Myron Gardner Sr., who had introduced Deleon to Kennedy but declined to participate directly, pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact in March 2009, after which murder charges against him were dropped.

Key facts

Victims
Thomas Charles Hawks, Jackie Ellen Hawks
Date
2004
Location
Off Santa Catalina Island, California, United States
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 2000-10

    Thomas and Jackie Hawks purchase the 55-foot trawler later named the Well Deserved.

  2. 2001

    The Hawkses sell their Arizona home and move aboard the yacht in Long Beach, California.

  3. 2004-11

    Skylar Deleon responds to the Hawkses' advertisement to sell the yacht.

  4. 2004-11-15

    Thomas and Jackie Hawks are last seen alive leaving Newport Beach harbor and are killed off Santa Catalina Island.

  5. 2004-11-26

    An attempt to access the Hawkses' bank account from Mexico is discovered; family files a missing-persons report.

  6. 2004-11-29

    Police interview Skylar Deleon, who claims he legally purchased the boat.

  7. 2005-03

    Alonso Machain confesses after returning from Mexico; Deleon and Jennifer Henderson are arrested.

  8. 2006-11-17

    Jennifer Henderson is found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder.

  9. 2007-10

    Henderson is sentenced to two life terms without parole.

  10. 2008-09-22

    Jury selection begins in the consolidated case against Skylar Deleon.

  11. 2008-10-20

    Deleon is convicted of three counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances.

  12. 2008-11-06

    Jury renders a death verdict against Deleon.

  13. 2009-02-19

    John Fitzgerald Kennedy is found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder.

  14. 2009-04-10

    Deleon is sentenced to death by Orange County Superior Court Judge Frank Fasel.

  15. 2009-05-01

    Kennedy is sentenced to death.

  16. 2009-03

    Myron Gardner Sr. pleads guilty to accessory after the fact; murder charges against him are dropped.

  17. 2009-06-15

    Alonso Machain is sentenced to 20 years and 4 months after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter, kidnapping, and robbery.

  18. 2021

    Machain is paroled.

Best coverage

No approved coverage links are attached yet.

People

  • John Fitzgerald Kennedy

    CONVICTED

    Convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death

    citation on file

  • Alonso Machain

    CONVICTED

    Pleaded guilty to two counts each of voluntary manslaughter, kidnapping, and robbery after testifying for the prosecution; sentenced to 20 years and 4 months, paroled in 2021

    citation on file

  • Jennifer Lynn Henderson

    CONVICTED

    Convicted of two counts of first-degree murder; sentenced to two life terms without parole

    citation on file

  • Skylar Preciosa Deleon

    CONVICTED

    Convicted of three counts of first-degree murder (including the Hawkses) and sentenced to death

    citation on file

  • Thomas Charles Hawks

    VICTIM

    Killed off Santa Catalina Island on November 15, 2004

    citation on file

  • Myron Sandora Gardner Sr.

    CONVICTED

    Pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact; murder charges dropped

    citation on file

  • Jackie Ellen Hawks

    VICTIM

    Killed off Santa Catalina Island on November 15, 2004

    citation on file

Places

Off Santa Catalina Island, California, United States

33.3879, -118.4162

View on the map

Common questions

What happened to the victim?
Thomas and Jackie Hawks, a married couple living aboard their yacht in Southern California, were killed off Santa Catalina Island on November 15, 2004, by a group who had posed as prospective buyers of the vessel. Skylar Deleon, Jennifer Henderson, and John Fitzgerald Kennedy were convicted of the murders; two accomplices, Alonso Machain and Myron Gardner Sr., accepted plea deals after testifying for the prosecution.
Where did the murders happen?
Off Santa Catalina Island, California, United States.
Who was convicted?
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (Convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death), Alonso Machain (Pleaded guilty to two counts each of voluntary manslaughter, kidnapping, and robbery after testifying for the prosecution; sentenced to 20 years and 4 months, paroled in 2021), Jennifer Lynn Henderson (Convicted of two counts of first-degree murder; sentenced to two life terms without parole), Skylar Preciosa Deleon (Convicted of three counts of first-degree murder (including the Hawkses) and sentenced to death), and Myron Sandora Gardner Sr. (Pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact; murder charges dropped).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved.

Sources

  1. Murders of Thomas and Jackie Hawkswikipedia · Wikipedia · 2026-07-07
  2. Contemporaneous coverage — Los Angeles Timesnews · Los Angeles Times · 2026-07-07
  3. Contemporaneous coverage — CNNnews · CNN · 2026-07-07
More cases in California