Day Two of the Dave Hawk Murder Trial | ABC30 Fresno

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By ABC30

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Hanford, CA | Watch Videos Above for More Information on this Story |

Mary Royer ended the day in tears after talking about how difficult it was to talk to police investigators about Debbie's murder. She told attorneys both negative and positive things Dave Hawk said about his ex-wife.

Mary Royer spent part of the last hour of her testimony on Tuesday crying. She told Dave Hawk's attorney she was scared when investigators threatened to charge her as an accessory to Debbie's murder.

She testified "All of a sudden my concern wasn't with him, it was with my kids." She broke down in tears and the judge decided to end court for the day.

One Hanford resident who decided to sit in on the trial said Royer gave her grandchildren swimming lessons.

Jean Wells said, "She's very family. Very family and I don't know if ... I don't think that he is from what I've seen so far."

Dave Hawk is accused of killing his ex-wife, Debbie in June 2006 after prosecutors say he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from their children's trust funds.

Royer said she knew the children had trust accounts but didn't know if money was withdrawn from them.

Dave and Mary Royer sat just a few feet apart. At one point he smiled and nodded when she talked about how their kids would play together.

When being interviewed by prosecutors she seemed to disagree with things she said in her interviews with police in 2006.

Dave Hawk's Attorney Dennis Peterson said, "She's not a hostile witness at all I think she's actually somewhat embarrassed about the comments and statements she made during a rigorous interrogation

At one point she told prosecutors Dave Hawk said, "This isn't going to end till she's dead" after he was served a subpoena to appear in court for a custody hearing over Dave and Debbie's children.

Later in the day, she told Hawk's attorneys that Dave also said positive things about Debbie, adding that he liked how she always traveled to interesting places with their children.

Royer will continue to testify on Wednesday. Also expected to take the stand is Debbie's child custody attorney Kim Aguirre.

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Hawk Trial Notes

Day 1 - August 10, 2009

Several of Debbie Hawk's friends showed up to court today wearing purple. They said "Debbie was a very regal and graceful person" and the color purple reminds them of Debbie.

Before the trial began, Dave Hawk's attorneys said numerous times that they didn't believe Dave Hawk could get a fair trial in Kings County because of the high publicity of the case. Today, a small handful of Hanford residents came to sit in and listen to part of the testimony. One of them remarked that they expected more people from the community to come out and watch the trial. Several of Debbie and Dave's friends were in court to listen to the testimony but most of them weren't there because they are witnesses in the trial. They're allowed to sit in on the trial after they take the stand. Dave and Debbie's three children plus Debbie's friends are expected to take the stand in the coming weeks.

During opening statements, prosecutors said Debbie tried to take Dave to court for stealing money from their children's trust funds one other time before 2006. In 1998, after the couple separated, prosecutors said Debbie learned Dave took several thousand dollars out of the trust funds. Prosecutors said in January 2001, Dave Hawk signed an agreement ordering him to pay back the money he took from the accounts plus $45,000 in child support. Prosecutors then said Dave Hawk withdrew $60,000 from a second set of trust funds his parents set up for Debbie and Dave's three children to pay off the accounts and child support.
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Day 2 - August 11, 2009

Several more Kings County residents sat in on Dave Hawk's trial today. Some commented that they want to try and watch the entire 6-8 week trial. When asked why they were interested in following the trial, one woman said many people in Kings County feel sorry the children have lost their mom and dad.

Mary Royer and Dave Hawk have known each other for ten years. Royer used to operate a daycare in her home. She first met Dave when he and Debbie wanted their three children cared for by her. Mary Royer and Dave Hawk started dating in October of 2000 after Debbie and Dave separated. She moved in shortly after. They continued their relationship until November of 2005 when she moved out. They took a break and began dating again close to Christmas of 2005.

In an effort to prove Dave Hawk misused his children's trust funds, they questioned Royer about a $26,000 Lexus Dave bought her. She claimed the Lexus was bought with Dave's money and also with a loan they received to pay off another car she owned.
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