Mystery of skeletal remains found by hikers is solved after haunting TV confession led to siblings’ conviction
A BROTHER and sister have been jailed for their roles in a cold case murder after their accomplice made a chilling confession on TV.
Skeletal remains were mysteriously found by hikers near Shingletown, back in 1994 and authorities struggled for more than two decades to find any leads.
Frank McAlister, 19, was driven to a remote location in Shasta County by his killers before being stabbed repeatedly in the chest and head on May 7, 1993, according to cops.
The teen's body was then dumped and his car was abandoned at a Costco in Redding.
It was later found with what appeared to be blood splattered inside.
Almost a year later, hikers made the gruesome discovery of McAlister's remains in April 1994.
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Police said at the time revealed McAlister had come into a lot of money from an insurance settlement and that a brother and sister, Curtis Dean Culver and Shanna Culver, wanted to rob him.
The siblings and another man, Brian Keith Hawkins, were viewed as suspects from early on in the investigation.
But after years of cops struggling to get enough evidence and the trio denying their involvement, Hawkins confessed to the killing during an interview with in 2018.
He said his Christian faith and guilt had pushed him to speak up.
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Hawkins told the station: "I’m going to turn myself in, next door at the sheriff’s department, for a crime I was involved in years ago.
"And somebody lost their life. Murder.
“God and Christ and these things that have happened over the course of 25 years have pushed me to do the right thing.
"I know the wrong can’t be changed, but this is the closest I can come to doing the right thing.”
Hawkins revealed the Culver siblings as his accomplices, and they were arrested.
He added: "Horrible, horrible, horrible, absolute horror, absolutely horrible since that day.
"Every minute of every day has been a nightmare,
"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.”
'DENIED HIS WHOLE LIFE'
Curtis was handed a 35-year sentence for voluntary manslaughter, robbery in concert and multiple assault charges, while his sister was given 20 years for the same charges.
They pleaded guilty this January, reports, and they will not be eligible for parole until they have served 85 per cent of their time.
In a statement, the Shasta County District Attorney's Office told : "Shanna and Curtis Culver initially lied and denied any involvement.
"Ultimately, Curtis Culver admitted that he had a knife during the robbery and hit the victim over the head with a rock after the victim had been stabbed.”
Hawkins was given a 25-year sentence to life in March after pleading guilty to first-degree murder, robbery, and special allegations.
McAlister's family released a statement at the time that read: "Murdered at 19 years old, the criminals involved robbed Frank of a life, the opportunity to create a positive legacy.
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"Frank was denied his whole life filled with opportunity, the creation of a family, a chance to love and be loved.
"To this day, our family imagines what life would have been like for all of us had Frank lived to be a part of all of us."
