Where is Dawn Hacheney’s Killer Nick Hacheney Today? – When Dawn Hacheney’s body was discovered on December 26, 1997, in an apartment in East Bremerton, police initially believed she had died in an accident.
Nick Hacheney was well-liked by the congregation on the Washington island of Bainbridge because he was a youth pastor who also offered marriage counselling.
After some time, it was eventually discovered that Dawn Hacheney’s death was not an accident after all.
The first half of the “Deadly Sins: No Forgiveness: Cheating Death” episode on Investigation Discovery is devoted to Nick’s extramarital escapades and his wife’s eventual murder. So, if you’re interested in learning more, we can help.
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Who Is Nick Hacheney and How Did He Kill His Wife?
As far as the church community was concerned, Nick and Dawn Hacheney appeared to be the ideal marriage. They both grew up attending church, and while Nick served as the pastor, Dawn worked as a loan officer for a credit union. Everything appeared to be in order up until a horrible catastrophe struck. On the morning of December 26, 1997, Nick and his companions left for a hunting expedition. Soon later, a nearby east Bremerton, Washington resident spotted smoke pouring from the Hacheney house and raised the alarm.
The firefighters could put out the fire, but they were horrified by what they found inside. The couple’s bed was where the burned remains of Dawn, age 28, were discovered. The authorities discovered a space heater and gas canisters in the bedroom. When questioned, Nick said that they had gone to a Christmas party the night before and then opened presents at their house. He said the gas cans were a gift and the wrapping paper was in front of the heater.
Nick claimed that she had taken Benadryl in the middle of the night because she wasn’t feeling well, and because of the medicine, Dawn slept deeply, which may have prevented her from escaping. He added that he had turned on the heating before leaving for the hunting excursion. At first, the authorities accepted Nick’s version of events and declared the death to be an accident. But after four years, in 2001, new data compelled them to revisit the situation. Nick’s secretary, Sandra Glass, approached the police with new information.
When Dawn was still alive in 1997, Sandra admitted to having an affair with Nick to the police. She thought they were going to be married because of the show. Within months, Nick, who at first seemed upset, seemed to move on. He started having intercourse with at least three women, one of whom was a 20-year-old missionary, it was later discovered. After Dawn’s passing, he decided to remain with Nicole Matheson.
A few weeks after Dawn died, Sandra came forward and told the police that Nick had admitted to giving her Benadryl and then holding a plastic bag over her head to suffocate her. Then, he admitted to starting the fire. Dawn’s body was exhumed in accordance with the plot of the show, and an examination determined that she had no soot in her lungs. Dawn also had significant levels of Benadryl in her body. This suggested that she had already passed away before the fire.
What Happened to Nick Hacheney and Where Is He Now?
According to the prosecution, Nick Hacheney murdered Dawn in order to see other women. His testimony included the emails he sent and received with Lindsay Lautsbaugh, the missionary. The defense, however, asserted that Sandra blamed Nick for the crime because she disapproved of his engagement with Nicole. Nick was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder in December 2002 and given a life sentence without the possibility of release. The Supreme Court, however, decided that the fire was not an aggravating element in the killing, and Nick’s sentence was reversed in 2007.
Judge Anna M. Laurie of the Kitsap County Superior Court has the option of imposing a 20-year term as well. She said she used her “discretion” in sentencing Hacheney based on “what the jury found. That Mr. Hacheney killed his wife.”
Dawn’s older brother, Dennis Tienhaara, informed Laurie at the sentencing that Hacheney’s now “inadequate” sentence “sends a dangerous message to criminals in our state.”
It also conveys the “pathetic impression that our courts no longer regard human life,” he continued.”
Where is justice in allowing a heartless, uncaring murderer to enjoy more years of freedom than the ones we were fortunate to spend with Dawn? He questioned Laurie.
“I am innocent, he wrote. No matter what else I might have done, I did not kill my wife.”
As a result, Nick Hacheney received a new term of 26 years and 8 months in prison in 2008. According to prison records, Nick, who is now 52, is still a prisoner in the Washington Corrections Center in Shelton, Mason County.
He promoted educational initiatives while incarcerated and co-founded the Environmental Advancement Reintegration Network. In addition, Nick developed a worm composting waste management system and gave a TED lecture on sustainability. He will be eligible for release in 2025, according to the show.