Little is settled by Lori autopsy

An autopsy of the fragmented and decomposed remains of Lori Hacking is inconclusive for both cause of death and pregnancy, according to a medical examiner's report just released to Salt Lake County prosecutors.

"We cannot, of course, release the autopsy report, but we can say that the autopsy confirms the identification of Lori Hacking made through dental records," Deputy District Attorney Bob Stott said Wednesday. "Because of the condition of the body — it was deteriorated — the medical examiner was not able to determine the cause of death."

Hacking's remains were discovered Oct. 1 in the Salt Lake County landfill, 75 days after she was first reported missing. The 27-year-old stockbroker's assistant is believed to have been shot and killed by her husband, Mark Hacking, on the morning of July 19.

Mark Hacking, 28, allegedly confessed the crime to his brothers, saying he shot his wife of five years in the head with a .22-caliber rifle and left the body, the weapon and portions of the couple's bloodied mattress in separate Dumpsters.

The rifle was not found with Lori's remains. Police sifted for weeks through some 4,600 tons of garbage looking for her body — first using cadaver dogs, later officers with pitchforks.

Prosecutors believe Mark Hacking killed his wife because she discovered he had lied about his recent graduation from the University of Utah and plans for medical school in North Carolina.

Mark Hacking is in the Salt Lake County Jail facing a first-degree felony murder charge and two second-degree felony obstruction of justice charges in connection with his wife's death. His next court appearance is Oct. 29.

Lori Hacking's remains were interred in the Orem City Cemetery during a private family ceremony Oct. 9.

The lack of a conclusive cause of death is not an issue for the prosecution, which Stott said has always had a strong case.

"We will continue to pursue the case as we have charged it," said Stott. "The main thing is that we confirmed who it was. It would have been nice to have the other, but we're glad that we got what we did."

State medical examiners did test to see if Lori Hacking was indeed five weeks pregnant, as her husband had told family members on the day he said she disappeared. A sister-in-law said she had seen the results of a home pregnancy test Lori had taken, but police and prosecutors have had no way to independently confirm that statement.