Rifle used, Yocom says

Mark Hacking was to make his first court appearance today in what prosecutors alleged Monday was the "gutless" shooting death of his wife, Lori, as she slept.

The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office on Monday filed one count of first-degree felony criminal homicide and three counts of second-degree felony obstructing justice against Hacking. The maximum sentence for the homicide charge is five years to life in prison — no death penalty. Each obstruction charge carries a possible sentence of one to 15 years in prison.

His bail was doubled to $1 million Monday.

After Hacking shot his wife early July 19, he wrapped Lori's body with garbage bags and dumped her body, the rifle and the mattress in three separate Dumpsters around the city about 2 a.m., according to court documents.

Investigators believe Lori Hacking's body was left in a Dumpster near the University of Utah, Salt Lake District Attorney David Yocom said. As of Monday police had not found her body, the alleged murder weapon, the pillowtop portion of the mattress or the bedsheets.

During a press conference Monday, Yocom did not answer directly the question about a possible motive for the killing, referring only to the probable cause statement saying that Lori confronted Mark about his lies regarding his schooling.

Mark Hacking had told his family he had graduated from the University of Utah in May and had been accepted to medical school in North Carolina. But he hadn't been to school since 2002.

Lori found out about Mark's lies and argued with him July 18, according to court documents. After the fight, Lori went to bed and Mark stayed up to play video games and to pack, according to court documents.

"At this point, the defendant states that he came across his .22 rifle, walked into the bedroom and shot Lori in the head while she slept," according to court documents.

On Monday, Yocom referred to the words of Lori's father, Eraldo Soares, who released a statement Friday calling the murder "selfish," "shameful," "cowardly," "gutless" and "monstrous."

"All of those terms Mr. Soares used applied in this case," Yocom said.

Some key evidence in the case comes from the statements of family members and a confidential informant whose identity has yet to be revealed.