Darren Mack

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Darren Roy Mack

Booking photo
Born: 1961
Nevada
Occupation: Part-owner, Palace Jewelry & Loan
Merchant, Ebay
Salary: US$528,000 (2005)
Net worth: US$9.4 million (2003)
Spouse: Charla Mack (deceased)
Debra Ashlock
Children: 3
Website: myspace.com, personal website
[1], [2], [3]

Darren Roy Mack (1961--) became the subject of an international manhunt in June 2006 after being charged with the stabbing death of his 39-year-old estranged wife Charla Mack in the garage of their Reno, Nevada home. Mack was also suspected and later charged, with the sniper shooting of Family Court Judge Chuck Weller, who was handling the couple’s acrimonious divorce. Charla Mack was murdered after 9:00 a.m. on June 12, 2006, and Judge Weller was shot around 11:05 a.m. on the same day.[4] Judge Weller spent time recovering[5], and later returned to his courtroom on August 16. [6]

According to a close friend, Mack was angry over a divorce settlement issued by Judge Weller. In addition to child support capped by state law at $849 per month, Darren Mack was ordered to pay $10,000 per month for spousal support plus household expenses. [7]. Darren Mack's gross monthly income was approximately $44,000, while his wife had no income. [1]

Mack evaded police for 11 days, during which time he was featured on the Fox TV show America's Most Wanted and the FBI’s Most Wanted website[8][9]. Mack was a hunter and sportsman and records show he owned a .40-caliber Smith and Wesson handgun and a Bushmaster .223 semi-automatic rifle. Police said he possessed a federal firearms license and permit to carry a concealed weapon.[2], A search of his apartment found ammunition and bomb materials.[10] Mack surrendered to Mexican authorities on June 22, 2006 in Puerto Vallarta[11]. The following day he was flown to Dallas, Texas for booking, and returned to Reno.[12] Authorities located Mack’s Silver Colored Ford Explorer with California License Plates 5POR272... a rental... in Ensenada, Mexico.

On February 24, 2007, 48 Hours Mystery featured Mack's alleged crimes in a story entitled: "The Darren Mack Case", on CBS[13].

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

Darren Mack grew up in northern Nevada and graduated from Reno High School. He attended the University of Nevada on a baseball scholarship. Mack had been involved in the family-owned Palace Jewelry and Loan pawn shop since the age of seven, and at the time of his arrest was a part-owner and ebay merchant. In 2003 his income was estimated at $500,000 annually, and his net worth at $9.4 million. According to his brother Landon Mack, Darren was active politically and founded the Nevada Pawnbroker Association. [2]

[edit] Marriages

Darren Mack had been previously married, from 1986 to 1991, to Debra Ashlock.[2] The couple had a son and daughter, 15 and 17. According to The Union, this was Mack’s second marriage.[14] He and Charla were married on May 13, 1995; she filed for divorce February 7, 2005. The couple had a daughter, 7. Charla warned a family friend, "He's out to get me and someday he will probably kill me." [15] Ironically, in 1998, a Reno billboard had proclaimed “"The Mack Family Presents: Darren Mack. 1998 Father/Husband of the Year. A unanimous decision by his wife, Charla, and his three wonderful children."[16]

[edit] Lifestyle

For several months prior to the death of his wife, Darren Mack had spent almost every other weekend at 'swinger' or 'lifestyle' conventions in Las Vegas, San Francisco, and other places. He had several internet dating sites, and had vacationed in Costa Rica. [2]

[edit] Landmark Education

Both Darren and Charla Mack had worked for Landmark Education, an international corporation headquartered in San Francisco, California, until 2002.[17] Landmark Education, offers The Forum. Charla was the Course Supervisor of the first Landmark Forum in the Philippines.[18] According to a message posted on Darren’s MySpace[19] page, he led Landmark’s Communication Courses[20]. During the February 2007 broadcast of "The Darren Mack Case", on 48 Hours Mystery, the program mentioned that Darren and Charla shared an interest in Landmark Education, self-improvement, and awareness training[13].

[edit] Trial

Mack is being defended by Reno attorney Scott Freeman and David Chesnoff from Las Vegas. Chesnoff has built a national reputation by representing celebrities including Martha Stewart and Britney Spears.[21] The Washoe county District Attorney recused his office from the case, because of a long-standing personal relationship with Darren Mack, and because he could be a witness. [22] Chief Deputy DA Robert Daskas and Assistant DA Christopher Lalli of the Clark county District Attorney’s office will handle the prosecution. [23]

At a preliminary hearing August 30, 2006, Mack was held over for trial. Mack's defense attorneys are seeking a court-ordered mental competency evaluation for Mack. [24] After a senior judge disqualified the Washoe County bench, Clark County District Judge Douglas Herndon, of Las Vegas, was appointed to the case. [25] Prosecutors handling the case announced they will not seek the death penalty. [26] At an arraignment on September 13, 2006, Mack pleaded not guilty to the charges. His trial is set for October 1, 2007. [27] As of October 4, 2006, his attorney Scott Freeman is trying to get his attempted murder charge dropped [28]. As of October 13, 2006: "A senior judge has disqualified all Washoe District Court judges from a list of civil cases involving Darren Mack."[29]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Bellisle, Martha. "Mack left ‘angry’ by divorce settlement, friend says", Reno Gazette-Journal, 6/14/2006. Retrieved on [[August 13, 2006]].
  2. ^ a b c d e Bellisle, Martha. "Father’s Day fugitive", Reno Gazette-Journal, 6/18/2006. Retrieved on [[July 8, 2006]].
  3. ^ CNN, Transcript, June 21, 2006 , Nancy Grace, Darren Mack Put on FBI`s Most-Wanted List
  4. ^ O’Malley, Jaclyn. "Mack search update and timeline of events", Reno Gazette-Journal, 6/15/2006. Retrieved on [[July 9, 2006]].
  5. ^ Bellisle, Martha. "‘I’m just healing,’ judge says", Reno Gazette-Journal, 6/28/2006. Retrieved on [[July 9, 2006]].
  6. ^ Bellisle, Martha. "Lawyers welcome Judge Weller back to his courtroom", Reno Gazette-Journal, 8/17/2006. Retrieved on [[September 3, 2006]].
  7. ^ "Family Court Judge Chuck Weller's May 24, 2005 order in Darren and Charla Mack's divorce", 2nd Judicial District Court, Nevada, 5/24/05. Retrieved on [[September 3, 2006]].
  8. ^ CNN, Transcript, June 21, 2006 , Nancy Grace, Darren Mack Put on FBI`s Most-Wanted List
  9. ^
  10. ^ Bellisle, Martha. "Mack’s room held bomb parts", Reno Gazette-Journal, 6/20/2006. Retrieved on [[July 10, 2006]].
  11. ^
  12. ^ Bellisle, Martha. "Mack turns himself in, booked into Washoe jail", Reno Gazette-Journal, 6/24/2006. Retrieved on [[July 10, 2006]].
  13. ^ a b Staff (02-24-2007), "Caught In The Crossfire: Who Is To Blame For A Wife's Death And A Judge's Shooting?", 48 Hours Mystery, CBS
    What led to the shooting of Judge Weller and the murder of Charla Mack? And was there a connection between the two cases? Troy Roberts reports on the investigation and what detectives believe may have led to the violence... Charla eventually gave up acting and moved back to Reno. When she started dating Darren Mack, they seemed a perfect match. Friends say they also shared an interest in a self-awareness training group called Landmark Education. "He was really into self improvement. He liked going to seminars about improving himself all the time. Achieving his goals. Which was money, money, money," says writer Amanda Robb.
  14. ^ Moormeister, Robyn. "Shooting suspect’s family members leave town", The Union, 6/15/2006. Retrieved on [[July 9, 2006]].
  15. ^ Bellisle, Martha. "Charla Mack foresaw violent acts", Reno Gazette-Journal, 6/116/2006. Retrieved on [[July 8, 2006]].
  16. ^ Lithwick, Dahlia. "The Fall of the Father of the Year", The Washington Post, 6/18/2006, p. B02. Retrieved on [[July 8, 2006]].
  17. ^ Lee, Henry K., et al. "Reno man called kin after judge was shot", San Francisco Chronicle, 6/15/2006. Retrieved on [[July 9, 2006]].
  18. ^ Web site, "I Love Possibility", Landmark Forum in Manila, Charla Mack as Course Supervisor, online
  19. ^ Darren Mack, MySpace page, online
  20. ^ Ross, Rick. "Alleged murderer and sniper linked to Landmark Education", Cult News, 6/21/2006. Retrieved on [[July 10, 2006]].
  21. ^ Bellisle, Martha. "Mack puts together diverse legal team", Reno Gazette-Journal, 7/2/2006. Retrieved on [[July 9, 2006]].
  22. ^ O’Malley, Jaclyn. "DA’s office won’t try Mack case", Reno Gazette-Journal, 7/6/2006. Retrieved on [[July 10, 2006]].
  23. ^ Staff Report. "Darren Mack’s preliminary hearing rescheduled for Aug. 30", Reno Gazette-Journal, 8/2/2006. Retrieved on [[August 13, 2006]].
  24. ^ O’Malley, Jaclyn. "Chief justice to pick judge in Mack case", Reno Gazette-Journal, 9/1/2006. Retrieved on [[September 3, 2006]].
  25. ^ Bellisle, Martha. "Judge appointed to Mack case", Reno Gazette-Journal, 9/6/2006. Retrieved on [[September 19, 2006]].
  26. ^ Bellisle, Martha. "Prosecutor won't seek death penalty in Mack case", Reno Gazette-Journal, 9/12/2006. Retrieved on [[September 19, 2006]].
  27. ^ Bellisle, Martha. "Mack pleads not guilty to killing wife, shooting judge", Reno Gazette-Journal, 9/14/2006. Retrieved on [[September 19, 2006]].
  28. ^ Reno Gazette-Journal, October 3, 2006, online
  29. ^ KOLO TV, Washoe Judges Disqualified in Mack Civil Cases, retrieved 1/16/2007.

[edit] External links

[edit] See Also

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