Mark Hacking arrested for allegedly murdering missing wife

Mark Hacking, the husband of missing jogger Lori Hacking, was arrested Monday and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of aggravated murder.

During a press conference in front of Salt Lake police headquarters, Chief Rick Dinse said almost from the beginning the evidence gathered "strongly indicated Lori was the victim of a homicide and Mark was the individual responsible," he said. "We focused on him the very first time."

Hacking was booked into jail at 11:46 a.m. The body of Lori Hacking had not been recovered as of Monday. But Dinse said investigators with cadaver dogs would return Wednesday to the Salt Lake landfill, 6030 W. California Ave. (1400 South).

"We have information that leads us to believe that's where she's at," Dinse said.

Dinse said detectives had collected "substantial" evidence from the Hackings' apartment, where Dinse said he believed the murder occurred, and from Lori's car and a Dumpster seized about a block away from the apartment.

Mark Hacking had been at the University of Utah psychiatric ward since the early morning hour of July 20, when he was found running naked and creating a disturbance in front of the Chase Suite Hotel, 765 E. 400 South.

Dinse said with the pending release of Hacking from the hospital on Monday his investigators made the decision to arrest him. Detectives actually had enough evidence to arrest him a few days ago, Dinse said.

Neither the families of Lori or Mark attended Monday's news conference and did not issue any statements to the media. Dinse said the families had been aware for a while that the investigation was moving in that direction, and they were notified earlier Monday of the arrest.

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E-mail: preavy@desnews.com