He allegedly hired two men, 29-year-old Derrick Smith and his nephew Shane Stant,. Before Gillooly arrived to the meeting, Smith asked Eckardt to tape-record the impending plotting for security. One of them included Harding's bodyguard, and what happened to Shawn Eckardt is truly tragic. Email us attips@the-sun.co.ukor call 0207 782 4368 . Here's a timeline of the saga, compiled from reporting by The Oregonian staff and wire services: February 1991: Tough, athletic Tonya Harding lands the daring triple axel during the U.S. [30] According to Gillooly, Eckardt then wondered aloud what would happen if Nancy Kerrigan were to receive a threat. [38], According to Gillooly, Harding then approached both men and asked Eckardt if his previous back pains were better. [38], Gillooly testified that by January 1994, he and Harding were upset that the plot had apparently failed. Griffith died . Harding continues to deny her involvement in the attack on Kerrigan. [1] At the time of the attack, the couple were together and still referred to each other as husband and wife. Gillooly refused to pay more until he had receipts proving that someone was in Boston for their plan. Eckardt hid the tape recorder on his desk under a paper towel. Eckardt set up a meeting with Derrick Smith and Shane . [38], Shortly after Eckardt had spoken on the phone with Derrick Smith, he visited Gillooly and Harding at their home and quoted $4,500 to execute the plot. Schatz asked Harding whether someone she knew could have planned the attack. PORTLAND, ORE. PORTLAND, Ore. -- It is a resume that even James Bond would envy. Death. ', "Indictment says Harding involved in Kerrigan plot", "USFSA's decision regarding Tonya Harding", "Harding Stripped of Title; Banned for Life", "Injured Kerrigan Withdraws From Olympic Trials", "Who is Tonya Harding's former bodyguard Shawn Eckardt? The film, which has a string of award nominations, hits UK screens on February 23. Harding then phoned Marano again asking her to spell the arena name, and Gillooly said he watched as Harding wrote out "Tony Kent Arena. Eckardt says Gillooly hatched the plot. She went on to discover a love of music and progressed to a short-lived career in boxing, after a stint on the show Celebrity Boxing. [19] In 1988, the couple moved into a home together, and Harding claimed she began experiencing physical abuse from Gillooly. The first deputy on the scene observed Harding holding a baseball bat after breaking the motorist's eyeglasses. SHAWN ECKARDT As the owner of World Bodyguard Services, Eckardt boasted of private investigation work in Costa Rica, demolishing Peruvian pipelines and guarding celebrities. They drove to Eckardt's home that night with the photos, practice times, and $2,700 in cash. [63] On January 16, Harding's lawyer held a news conference in which he read a statement denying Harding's involvement in the attack on Kerrigan. Feb. 1, 1994: Gillooly pleads guilty to racketeering in exchange for a 24-month sentence. Championships. Controversy raged over whether Harding should be allowed to skate in the Olympics. TV Shows. Those involved dream it might make it to Broadway one day. [69] Her admitted failure to report about an assault on a fellow competitor, supported by her FBI transcripts, led to Harding being formally charged with "[making] false statements about her knowledge". [50][51] Smith then applied for a police officer job and was waiting for his interview to be scheduled before Eckardt told him about possible bodyguard work in Oregon. [88][89] Harding was stripped of her 1994 U.S. Championship title and banned for life from participating in USFSA events as either skater or coach. [44] Eckardt claimed he had a contract to disable a female figure skater issued by her rival's husband, that it involved good money because one of the rival's sponsors was George Steinbrenner. Jan. 12, 1994: Eckardt confesses to the FBI, implicating Harding, Gillooly, and two of Eckardt's friends, Stant and Derrick B. Smith. GettyUS figure skaters Tonya Harding (L) and Nancy Kerrigan avoid each other during a training session 17 February in Hamar, Norway, during the Winter Olympics. [49] He was the son of Derrick Smith's wife's sister. Simpson's girlfriend." And you get a peek," says Hauser, 31. "[22] In summer 1991, she became engaged to mechanical engineer Mike Pliska. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. [51] He quit that job in late 1993 and moved to Arizona with his wife. It was their idea, he said, to kneecap Kerrigan. Harding speaks to the media after "Tonya & Nancy: The Rock Opera" in 2008. Oct. 7, 1994: The Tonya Harding Fan Club, which grew to nearly 2,000 members during this Olympic year, begins disbanding. But the life beefy bodyguard Shawn Eric Eckardt portrayed in a resume filled with misspellings and apparent misstatements is vastly different from the facts. We're a team of dedicated, motivated, and highly-trained engineers, hydrologists, ecologists, GIS analysts, stream designers, and wetland and riparian buffer restoration experts. They settled on injuring Kerrigan's right leg. The events -- and the ramshackle cast or characters behind them -- fascinated and disturbed Portlanders and the nation. The attacker flees without being identified. Jan. 15, 1994: Figure skating officials meet to decide whether Harding can compete in the Olympics in February. Gillooly first stated that the gun had fired when he was carrying it. Her friend Don Horn says, "She's always wanted a baby. Eckardt said Harding then skated up to him and commiserated about his ongoing back pain. Online records show that he still lived in California in 2017. In July, Gillooly was sentenced to two years in prison after publicly apologizing to Kerrigan adding "any apology coming from me rings hollow. [43], On December 22, 1993, Eckardt received a call from his friend Derrick Smith who lived in Phoenix, Arizona. [80][73][81] Harding's penalties included three years of probation, a $100,000 fine, and 500 hours community service. According to authorities, Eckardt--who served as Harding's personal bodyguard--hatched a plot to attack Kerrigan. [30], When he phoned Eckardt on December 22, 1993, Eckardt told Smith he had a client who needed someone physically "taken down," saying the job would entail more bodyguard work in the future. But my life was in shambles.. The real Shawn Eckardt: CHRIS WILKINS/AFP via Getty Images The two side by side: Frank Masi/30West / courtesy Everett Collection / CHRIS WILKINS/AFP via Getty Images 17. Marano stated that Harding had phoned her about a "bet" regarding Nancy Kerrigan. [38] Smith wanted to know if Eckardt was still interested in moving to Phoenix to help set up an anti-terrorist training camp as they had previously discussed. [50] Smith later worked for the United States Army as an "intelligence analyst" for about 3 years until he was discharged. Eckhardt contacted Smith, who hired his nephew Shane Stant as Kerrigan's hit man. A judge places her on probation for three years and orders her to pay $160,000 in fines and contributions. Not bad for someone who would have been 16 years old at the time of his hiring. Counter-terrorist specialist. "Eckardt is a very intelligent idiot," said Jerry Spires, a private investigator who was one of Eckardt's instructors at Pioneer Pacific College in nearby Wilsonville. Jan. 16, 1994: Kerrigan resumes practicing in Boston. [77] Eckardt died in 2007. In March 1994, after key evidence was found in a dumpster, Harding pleaded guilty to conspiring to hinder prosecution of her husband and the others involved. [30] Marano then called a USFSA contact to find the name of the rink and left a message on Harding and Gillooly's answering machine. His resume says he worked in New Zealand and has been schooled at an elite executive protection academy in Aspen, Colo. From 1984 until 1988, the resume says Eckardt worked as a "contract specialists officer" for The Blackstone Corp in Laussane, Switzerland. Stant said he became a Christian and turned his life around. "[21][24], On March 10, 1992, Harding had a roadside physical altercation with a female motorist in Portland, Oregon. The networks and national press go gaga. Feb. 2, 1994: Harding falls during practice. Eckardt also highlights his training at Executive Security International, an Aspen., Colo.-based correspondence school for bodyguards. A Portland minister, Eugene Saunders, tells investigators he's heard of tape of Eckardt, Gillooly and friend Shane M. Stant discussing the "hit.". [71] Harding was given thirty days to respond. The 47-year-old, who has now remarried, claims she thought her former spouse Gillooly would kill her many times.. "But unless you really know him, you don't how deep that rabbit . [90], The attack and the scandal surrounding it were depicted in the 2017 film I, Tonya, with Margot Robbie portraying Harding, Ricky Russert portraying Stant, and Caitlin Carver portraying Kerrigan. The attack took place just days before the tournament, and rendered Kerrigan unable to take part. Neither Harding nor her ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, has been charged in the case. And now, the man who provided security for Tonya Harding when she returned home in triumph from the U.S. figure skating championships has emerged as a key player in the attack on Nancy Kerrigan. Each juicy tidbit made headlines and newscasts. 2007, Eckardt passed away in Portland, Oregon, at just 40 years old. The hitman was Shane. His lawyer told the judge that Stant had lived a law-abiding life since leaving prison and needed a break to achieve his dream of joining the SEALs.. She said she worked as a freelance writer and had written some figure skating articles about Harding, regularly trading phone calls with her. An excellent example of resume fraud is the bizarre 1994 assault against figure skater Nancy Kerrigan arranged by Shawn Eckardt, the bodyguard of Kerrigan's skating rival Tonya Harding. Movies. All rights reserved (About Us). The attack was intended to prevent Kerrigan from taking part in the ongoing 1994 United States Figure Skating Championships and the forthcoming Winter Olympics, thus increasing the prospects of Harding in both figure skating events. He changed his name to Jeff Stone and also went on to a life outside of the headlines. Kerrigan was the American sweetheart who was one of her main competitors on Olympic ice. As Rogers wrote in the LA Times, Gillooly and Harding had different ideas about how everything went down. Jan. 23, 1994: Investigators say they have enough evidence to arrest Harding but want to build an airtight case before going forward. Ryan Scott King and Rosemarie Elizabeth Cicalese of Montauk and Williamsburg were married on June 14 at St. Therese of Lisieux Catholic Church in Montauk by the Rev . [30] Eckardt suggested cutting Kerrigan's Achilles tendon, using a beater car to run her off the road, or "just kill her," but those ideas were opposed. 1940) and Albert Harding (1933-2009). Harding's lawyer, Robert Weaver, then stated he wished to speak privately with his client. It's an 18-mile Open Ocean Paddle and each paddler must raise or contribute a minimum of $1500 to participate. [70] The panel examined evidence including the testimonies of Stant and Smith, Harding and Gillooly's telephone records, and notes found in a Portland saloon trash bin on January 30. Jan. 18, 1994: Harding separates from Gillooly after meeting with investigators for more than 10 hours. But to the attorney representing Gillooly, Eckardt is a man who "led a fantasy life," and performed only one job as a bodyguard to Harding. She's a redneck, but she's my redneck. "[27] That summer, a man from Harding's gym claimed to The Oregonian that Harding offered to pay him to "take care" of Gillooly, "slap him around a little." [91], The character of Karla Keller in the cancelled Data East arcade fighting game Tattoo Assassins is largely based on Kerrigan, Keller's backstory directly referencing the assault. For other inquiries, Contact Us. Eckardt, one of three men arrested on second-degree felony charges last week, has confessed his role to authorities. Jan. 4, 1994: On the way to Detroit for the U.S. The latter was released four months early, in September 1995, and he went on to open up a computer business in 2001, according to The New York Times. Here's a different take of their interview as depicted in 'I,. And I never understood that.. Her pickup won't start. All together, it makes for a fascinating look at some of the early '90s' most intriguing people, from Eckardt to Harding herself. He compared the "hit" to going hunting. I, Tonya is an American biographical film directed by Craig Gillespie. The case of Shawn Eckardt, Harding's unofficial bodyguard: During the investigation of the Kerrigan attack in '94, it was revealed that Harding's ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, conspired with. [17] Stant approached Kerrigan from behind, extended a telescopic baton, struck her lower right thigh and walked away. Nike pledges $25,000 to help keep Harding in the Olympics. Shane Stant was one of the most notorious figures in the 1990s because he was nabbed for being the actual attacker of Nancy Kerrigan. If Smith told Gillooly he could solve "problems," and Gillooly said he wanted Kerrigan out of the National Championships so Harding could win an Olympic gold medal. When asked about Gillooly, Harding said: "I never did anything to hurt . . [15], On the afternoon of January 6, 1994, Kerrigan was practicing for the U.S. Championships on an ice rink inside Cobo Arena. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Jan. 27, 1994: Harding meets the press and reads a statement admitting she failed to report things she knew about the assault on Kerrigan. Did Jeff really hit Tonya? Eckardt and the two others, Derrick Smith and Shane Stant, have been arrested and have confessed to participating in the crime. Why? She's the national champ. Eckardt instead wired the funds to Smith, who then traveled to join Stant in Detroit. [78], On March 16, Harding pleaded guilty to conspiracy to hinder prosecution as a Class C felony offense at a Multnomah County court hearing. [30] She was also asked about her relationship with Gillooly and replied she still considered him her husband. [13] [38][30] It was true that Steinbrenner had recently given Harding a $10,000 donation through the USFSA. He was interested in bodybuilding, martial arts, and helping Smith open his training camp someday. [64][65] Harding left her home that evening to practice figure skating with her coaches, where she spoke with reporters and performed a triple Axel. That January, an assailant clubbed Kerrigan in the knee, forcing her out of the competition. [33], In Harding's 2008 authorized biography, The Tonya Tapes (written by Lynda D. Prouse from recorded interviews), Harding denied ever asking Vera Marano for the name of Nancy Kerrigan's training rink and that Marano may not have remembered details properly and "was a little bit out there." Also, Eckardt includes with his resume a letter of recommendation from Blackstone Corp. and uses as a reference a Mr. W. J. 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