Love of God pushes California man to confess ‘on AIR’ to 1993 murder – Brian Hawkins asks for forgiveness, hands himself in, outs ex-girlfriend Shanna Culver and her brother as accomplices
‘Brian Hawkins found religion, in search of redemption, he admitted to his crime while giving up ex-girlfriend, Shanna Cluver and her brother, Curtis, in the murder of Frank McCalister 25 years ago – They now face charges of burglary and robbery’
44-year-old Brian Hawkins, his ex-girlfriend Shanna Culver, 46, and her brother, Curtis Culver, 45, were arrested Wednesday in California over a 25-year-old cold case
All three people were linked to a 1993 murder of a teenager Frank McCalister, 19, in Shingletown, California
Break in cold case came after one suspect, Hawkins, tearfully confessed to a TV station on Tuesday saying he could no longer bear the guilt
Brian Hawkins, who has found religion and seeks redemption, contacted KRCR-TV and told staffers there that he wanted to confess to his role in the killing of McCalister and outed his accomplices
He told investigators that he and the Culver siblings lured McCalister to an area near Hawkins’s hometown of Shingletown and stabbed him to death
The three then left McCalister’s body in the wooded area and dumped his car at a local Costco
Shanna Culver, her brother, Curtis and Hawkins were taken to jail by the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office
The motive was robbery, cops say and the trio now face charges of burglary and robbery
Brian Hawkins o[right] made a tearful confession to on KRCR-TV in Redding ,California, on Tuesday
This is the incredible moment a man tearfully confesses on television to the murder of a teenager 25 years ago.
Frank McCalister was reported missing in 1993 when he was 19 years old. A year later his remains were found near Shingletown by a hiker. Now, 25 years later, one of the killers stepped up and voluntarily confessed to the murder.
Brian Hawkins, 44, contacted KRCR-TV in Redding on Tuesday and told staffers there that he wanted to confess to his role in the killing of 19-year-old Frank McCalister.
Unable to bear the guilt, he said could no longer live with the knowledge that he had been involved in a homicide and that his faith in God commanded him to come forward.
After giving the stunning interview, Hawkins then walked next door and handed himself into police, before turning in two alleged accomplices – his ex-girlfriend and her brother.
An emotional Hawkins told KRCR-TV that he and two others were responsible for the murder of 19-year-old McCalister in 1993. He has found Christ and could no longer live with the guilt
Hawkins told reporters at the station that he could no longer live with the knowledge that he had been involved in a homicide and that his faith in God commanded him to come forward.
“God and Christ and these things that have happened over the course of 25 years have pushed me and pushed me to do the right thing,” a remorseful Hawkins to the reporter.
“I know the wrong can’t be changed but this is the closest I can come to doing the right thing”, said Hawkins.
The station told Hawkins that they would not air an interview with him until he spoke to law enforcement.
After appearing on camera for a tearful interview, Hawkins met with Redding police and gave a statement.
He told investigators that he, Curtis Culver, and Shanna Culver lured McCalister to an area near Hawkins’s hometown of Shingletown and stabbed him to death.
The three then left McCalister’s body in the wooded area and dumped his car at a local Costco, according to Hawkins.
Shanna Culver, 46; her brother, Curtis Culver, 45; and Hawkins were taken under arrest and placed in the Shasta County jail.
Hawkins’ then girlfriend, Shanna Culver [photo], was part of the robbery and killing in 1993. She has been arrested and charged
After appearing on camera for a tearful interview, Hawkins met with Redding police and gave a statement. He told investigators that he, Curtis Culver, and Shanna Culver lured Frank McCalister to an area near Shingletown and stabbed him to death
Shanna Culver, 46, is the sister of Curtis Culver, 45. After Hawkins turned himself in to authorities, both Culver siblings were arrested and jailed.
According to investigators, one of the Culver siblings confessed to their part in the crime, though they declined to say which one.
All three suspects were taken to jail by the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office. They face charges of burglary and robbery.
Shanna’s brother Curtis Culver [photo] and Hawkins stabbed Frank McCalister to death after all three robbed him. The suspects have been charged with burglary and robbery in the cold case
Investigators said that after they were taken into custody, one of the Culvers confessed to their part in the crime, though it was not revealed which one came forward.
‘God and Christ and these things that have happened over the course of 25 years have pushed me and pushed me to do the right thing,’ Hawkins told KRCR-TV on Tuesday before he turned himself in to law enforcement.
‘I know the wrong can’t be changed but this is the closest I can come to doing the right thing.’
During the interview with the TV station, Hawkins shed tears and appeared shaken. He hung his head and spoke about the years during which he was consumed with guilt.
‘Horrible, horrible, horrible, absolute horror, absolutely horrible since that day,’ he told KRCR-TV.
After stabbing McCalister to death, the three then left McCalister’s body in the wooded area and dumped his car in the parking lot of a local Costco store, according to Hawkins.
‘Every minute of every day has been a nightmare,’ he said.
‘It’s kind of weird, Frank never got to have a life, but we were teenagers and now I’m 44 and still haven’t even had a life and now most likely won’t anyway.’
Hawkins said that he had lived his life ‘blind’ before he found Christianity.
Now he wants redemption as a born-again.
“I’ve been through hell my whole life because of this,” he said as he shed tears.
Hawkins said that there wasn’t a moment in his life since that time that he hasn’t been remorseful.
After robbing and fatally stabbing Frank McCalister to death, Hawkins and the Culver siblings abandoned their victim in the woods and dumped his car at this Costco parking lot, 25 years ago
He said that last year he reached out to McCalister’s family.
‘I talked to them several times and told them I was going to make it there so I could tell them what happened and I wanted their forgiveness,’ he said.
‘By the time I got there, his father had passed away.’
Hawkins said he seeks forgiveness.
‘I’m not running, I just need someone that cares,’ he said.
‘I just hope the community can also forgive me.’
After the interview was over, the TV station informed Redding’s chief of police and the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office that Hawkins [right], was on his way to confess to a crime.
Investigators said that Hawkins’ confession was their first big break in the cold case.
Redding police believe the motive was robbery.
According to investigators, the killers knew McAlister had recently got some money from a settlement. The trio lured him out to Shingletown under the guise of selling him methamphetamine. Instead, they robbed him, and Hawkins and Curtis Culver stabbed him to death. All three left his body there and dumped his car at Costco.
When McCalister’s vehicle was discovered, investigators suspected foul play as there was a large amount of blood in the vehicle. The victim’s remains were found almost a year later by a citizen hiking in the Grace and Nora Lakes area.
In 1993, Investigators learned Brian Hawkins, his then girlfriend Shanna Culver and her brother, Curtis, were the last people to see the victim alive, but they denied involvement in his disappearance.
The station had told law enforcement officials that they would not report the story until its staff could corroborate what Hawkins told them.
Law enforcement officials said they called investigators who had since retired and asked for their help in deciphering the cold case.
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