Dateline: Twisted Fate - 5 harrowing details about Nick Hacheney's case, revealed

The Dateline episode titled "Twisted Fate" explores how a respected youth pastor Nick Hacheney used religion as a tool to control and exploit women. Yes, you read it right. This disturbing and startling case on the NBC true-crime show dives deep into Hacheney's crimes including the haunting death, later revealed to be the murder of his wife.

The murder case of youth pastor Nick Hacheney's wife Dawn Hacheney, dates back to 1997 when she died of fire at her house in Bainbridge Island, Washington. As explained in the Dateline episode, the woman was alone at home when a fire broke and flames started coming out of the house.

A neighbor saw those flames and called firefighters for help. While they arrived in less time, Dawn Hacheney's body was already burnt, to an extent that it was hard to recognize. Since Nick Hacheney was absent at the moment of her death, and had a good reputation in and out of the church, he didn't initially become a suspect.

Per Oxygen True Crime, the Hacheney couple was known for their "chemistry" and looked like they had everything. One of the Christ Church's members Annette Anderson shared:

"They had a real chemistry between them that was real fun and close. Just a cute couple. Dawn was lovely. She was young and innocent and bright and kind and just a really good person."

For people, Nick Hacheney was a caring husband to Dawn, but little did anyone know that he had been developing a sinister plan to kill his wife. The youth pastor did succeed in slaying Dawn Hacheney and even escaped justice for years, but was eventually declared guilty of first-degree murder.

Continue reading for more details on the Dateline: Twisted Fate episode.

Five harrowing details about Dawn Hacheney's murder case on Dateline

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The Dateline: Twisted Fate explores a tragic case filled with deception, manipulation, and most shockingly the exploitation of faith. It explains how a well-respected and devout youth pastor hid a sinister side beneath his charming and righteous image which ultimately led him to the darkest path.

As mentioned above, Dawn Hacheney's death was believed to be an accident for a few years. However, when another member of the Christ Community Church, Sandly Glass decided to confess what really happened, Nick Hacheney's crimes finally came to light.

The religious personality didn't just kill his wife before setting her on fire but also started having affairs with multiple women. While the evidence proved he was the culprit, the youth pastor never accepted the accusation.

Here are five chilling details about Nick Hacheney's crime featured on Dateline:

1) Nick Hacheney used religion to exploit women

The two seemed to be a happy couple (Image via Youtube @Twisted Truths)

One of the most harrowing details about Nick Hacheney's crime is that he convinced women that having sexual relationships with him was God's plan. This wasn’t just infidelity—it was spiritual and psychological manipulation.

He used to engage with couples for marriage sessions, but after Dawn's demise, Nick started meeting only wives. This was quite disturbing as his actions ultimately led other members of the church to feel ashamed.

Dateline correspondent Josh Mankiewicz visited the church and could experience how other members felt. He shared:

"When I went to Bainbridge Island I met members of a devout flock who told me things they’d done that they were deeply ashamed of. It couldn’t have been easy to talk with us and I’m grateful they did."

Also Read: Dateline: The Knock At The Door - 5 harrowing details about Tara Ord-Sidarovich's murder, explored

2) The fire was a cover-up not an accident

Another sad part about Dawn Hacheney's case is that she didn't die of the fire. In reality, her husband had already killed her. Nick first drugged his wife and then he smothered her with a plastic bag until she stopped breathing.

To erase all the evidence Nick Hacheney staged the scene. He succeeded in fooling the authorities and the members of the church that he tragically lost his wife.

3) Nick Hacheney knew that his wife was going to die

Since the Hacheney couple was part of the church, they believed in prophecy. The Dateline episode revealed that Sandy predicted Dawn was going to die, and she even told this to Nick.

Instead of showing fear and anxiety after listening to his wife's possible fate, Nick said he knew about it. Even more disturbingly, he hinted to another church member that something big was going to happen.

The youth pastor even asked the members not to be alarmed as it was God's plan he was working on. This chilling detail suggests how Nick was plotting his wife's murder.

4) Dawn Hacheney might have known something was coming

The youth pastor was the killer (Image via Youtube @Twisted Truths)

The Dateline: Twisted Fate Episode also revealed that Dawn Hacheney might have known something was going to happen to her. Just hours before her demise, she told her father "I'm ready to go", suggesting a a premonition or she sensed being in danger.

5) Nick Hacheney claimed God told him to commit the murder

Another unsettling detail about this case is Nick Hacheney's constant claim that he was innocent and that God had told him to kill his wife. As explained in the Dateline episode, Nick interpreted the phrase "take the land" as a command to suffocate his wife and leave her to die.