Judith Hawkey

Judith Hawkey (born 1967) is the main villainess behind the murder of her husband, Robert Breninger, in 2003.

Judith Hawkey was also the stepmother to Robert's son, Corey Breninger, but at some point between 1999 and 2000, Judith turned heel and began abusing and torturing Corey--with the abuse taking place between the ages of 7 and 10. She eventually planned to kill Robert by late 2003, and as part of her plan, the evil Judith forced 10-year-old Corey to shoot and kill his father, which he does on November 3 of that year. Judith also instructed her stepson to lie about the shooting and claim that it was an accident, and following Robert's death, the villainess inherited $500,000 in insurance money--which was the main motive in Judith's scheme.

Robert's death was classified as accidental until an investigation in 2013 uncovered that it was an intentional shooting committed by Corey, with Judith as the true mastermind. Judith was arrested on March 7, and she was convicted and sentenced to life without parole in December 2013. She was featured in an episode of Snapped on August 15, 2015, and it was a year later that she campaigned for a new trial. Judith, who continued to deny not only the abuse, but also ordering Corey to kill his father, received a new trial in March 2019, but she took a plea deal that resulted in a 10 year prison sentence, including the five years she had already served.