Update: Father says Hacking's deception due to "pressure to succeed"

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2004, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Because of two brothers who are "high achievers," Mark Hacking felt pressure to succeed, which led him to deceive his family about his graduation from the University of Utah and plans to attend medical school, his father said today.

Meanwhile, volunteer searchers continued looking for his wife, Lori Kay Hacking, who was reported missing Monday after she failed to return from an early-morning run in City Creek Canyon. And police said they consider Mark Hacking a "person of interest" in the case.

Douglas Hacking said Thursday he had spent all night with his son and talked with him about the deception. "He feels relieved that it's come to an end," he said. "It's like lifting a heavy load off his back." Family members confirmed Mark Hacking is being treated at a psychiatric hospital. But they said they do not believe his lies concerning his education are related to his wife's disappearance.

"Mark's mannerism towards Lori has been idea from the moment they met," said brother Lance Hacking.

Relatives said they believe Lori Hacking was unaware that her husband had not graduated from the U. and had not applied to medical school. In addition, Lance Hacking said one of his sisters was aware of Lori Hacking's pregnancy and had actually seen the positive home pregnancy test.

Members of the Hacking family and Lori Hacking's parents were joined at a morning news conference by Ed Smart, father of Elizabeth Smart, a Salt Lake City teenager missing for nine months after she was abducted from her bedroom. Family members said they believe Lori Hacking is still alive and they are committed to finding her.