Skylar DeLeon: Power Rangers actor sentenced to death for triple murder

The story of Skylar DeLeon is a curious one. He was a promising children's television star who had a small role in the famous series The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and ended up sentenced to death for three murders.

The actor's real name is John Julius Jacobson Jr. He was born on August 12, 1979, in California, and from a very young age, he was passionate about acting. Because of his acting talent, he was hired for several children's series.

He landed his most significant role yet in the popular TV show Power Rangers. Although it seemed that his career was on the rise, at the age of 20 he left acting to join the U.S. Navy, but an unauthorized absence of 15 days led to his discharge. 

The former actor changed his name for the first time before marrying Jennifer Henderson, reportedly because he wanted to completely cut ties with his father, whom he accused of child abuse. As a result, he chose to call himself Skylar DeLeon, seeing it as a gender-neutral name. He has two children with his wife.

Triple murder and death penalty 

Lacking money, DeLeon and his wife began robbing small businesses and gas stations. In 2004, they planned their biggest heist after meeting Tom and Jackie Hawks, a couple who put their yacht up for sale.

During a test run in Newport Beach Harbor, DeLeon, his wife and three accomplices—Alonso Machain, Myron Gardner and John Kennedy—pulled out their guns and forced the couple to sign a document giving them the yacht.

After signing the document, the criminals tied the couple to an anchor and threw them into the sea. Their bodies were never found.

In 2005, accomplice Alonso Machain confessed to the crime and gave the names of those involved. All were arrested.  

DeLeon was blamed for the brutal murder. He was also convicted for the 2003 murder of Jon Jarvi, whose body was found in Mexico. The motive for the crime remains unknown.

Despite cooperating with the investigation, Machain was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Henderson was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, and Kennedy was sentenced to death. DeLeon was sentenced to death by lethal injection, but due to the moratorium in California, he will live out his days on death row.

Change of identity

While in prison, DeLeon changed gender again. This time he gave up his gender-neutral name, becoming a woman, and asked to be transferred to a female prison.

"I'm not attracted to men. I only like women, but I wanted the surgery 100 percent," DeLeon said. It was the desire for gender confirmation surgery, in part, that led him to murder the Hawks.

Henderson revealed that Skylar often wore women's clothing.

Skylar changed his name and gender, and for several years now he has been called Skylar Preciosa DeLeon. He also receives hormone therapy in order to obtain a more feminine appearance.