Skip to main content

Hofmann, Mark

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: born 1954

Biographical History

Mark Hofmann (born 1954) is a convicted forger and murderer in Utah.

Mark W. Hofmann was born December 7, 1954 and grew up in the Salt Lake Valley, eventually graduating from Olympus High School and serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the England Southwest Mission. Hofmann seriously considered a career in medicine and he took a pre-med course of study at Utah State University in Logan.

Despite his original interests in medicine, Hofmann eventually became a coin collector, and by 1978 was also a serious student of Mormon documents. He sold his first Mormon document in October 1979. From then until 1985 he was active in hunting down and studying both Mormon and American historical documents, finding spectacular items month after month. Historians and document dealers repeatedly agreed that his docusments seemed to be authentic.

The prices and the publicity seemed to increase with each discovery. Some of the documents purportedly challenged traditional stories of early Mormonism while others fit neatly into the generally accepted history but added details not known before. Hofmann made a point of selling many of his discoveries to Mormon buyers.

While Hofmann's documents at first seemed legitimate, eventually their validity was questioned. In order to prevent his forgeries from being unraveled, Hofmann constructed bombs to murder several targets who could possibly speak out against him. He succeeded in murdering two individuals, but Hofmann himself fell victim to one of his own bombs, which ultimately caused the police to suspect him as the man behind the other bombings. It is argued that Hofmann committed the murders to hide his own guilt and fraud. Hofmann was officially charged with two counts of murder and twenty-three counts of theft by deception and communications fraud on February 3, 1986.

A preliminary hearing was held from April 14 to May 13, 1986, and much of 1986 was spent in the airing of charges and counter-charges, mostly in the press. Finally on January 23, 1987, as a result of a plea bargain, Hofmann pled guilty to two counts of communications fraud (for the Martin Harris letter and the McLellin Papers) and admitted guilty to the bombings. Twenty-six other counts were dismissed, and Hofmann agreed to be interviewed about the murders and documents. He was assigned to Utah State Prison with a life sentence. He remains there to this day.

On July 31, 1987 the County Attorney's office released the six hundred page transcript of the interviews its staff had conducted with Hofmann from February 11 to May 27. In these, Hofmann confessed that all the documents listed on statement of probable cause were forged. He also described in some detail how he created the forgeries.

Some forgeries made by Mark Hofmann are still in circulation, and he is still regarded as one of the most successful forgers of his time.

Citation:
Hofmann Interviews, case of State [Utah] vs. Hofmann, February 11, 1987 through May 15, 1987, 1987: (t.p. Hofmann; p. 3 Mark Hofmann plea agreement accompanying LC copy)

Sillitoe, L. Salamander, 1988: p. 198, etc. (Mark Hofmann; Mark W. Hofmann; Mark William Hofmann; b. Dec. 7, 1954)

Practice to deceive, 2000: pages 295-342, June 2017 (Mark William Hofmann, born 7 December 1954; forger of early documents especially associated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or the Mormons)

Wikipedia, via WWW, 25 March 2015 (Mark William Hofmann: born in Salt Lake City, Utah; became coin collector; served mission in England; started school at Utah State; interested in LDS Church history; long list of forgeries; bombings in 1985; will remain in prison for life for murder, forgery and fraud)

Found in 24 Collections and/or Records:

George J. Throckmorton case files, 1980-1990

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2408 Series 1 Sub-Series 1
Scope and Contents note

Case files for the various historical documents forged by Mark Hofmann, including the Anthon bible and transcript, letters from notable people of the early Church (David Whitmer, Joseph Smith, Lucy Mack Smith, Thomas Bullock, the White Salamander letter, etc.), pieces of historical currency, the E.B. Grandin contract, blessing of Joseph Smith III, Oath of a Freeman, etc.

Dates: Other: 1980-1990

George J. Throckmorton correspondence, 1986, 1999

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2408 Series 3 Sub-Series 5
Scope and Contents note

Correspondence with Charles "Bud" Hamilton and Richard P. Lindsey.

Dates: Other: 1986; Other: 1999

George J. Throckmorton criminal investigation files, 1980-1990

 Series
Identifier: MSS 2408 Series 1
Scope and Contents Series 1, “Criminal Investigation,” includes three sub-series. Sub-Series 1, “Case Files,” documents Mr. Throckmorton’s investigation of suspected Hofmann forgeries. Sub-Series 2, “Investigative Research / Notes” contains materials related to Mr. Throckmorton’s investigation of Mark Hofmann. Documentary materials include an audio tape of Mr. Throckmorton’s initial forensic examination of the Hofmann forgeries; materials and documentation relating to Mr. Throckmorton’s forensic testing of...
Dates: Other: 1980-1990

George J. Throckmorton interviews and public presentations, 1987-2000

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2408 Series 3 Sub-Series 3
Scope and Contents note

Tapes of interviews with KTKK Radio; presentation to a Sunstone Symposium panel and the Mark Hofmann jury, publicity pamphlets, and presentation of the Southwestern Association of Forensic Document Examiners.

Dates: Other: 1987-2000

George J. Throckmorton investigative research and notes, 1985-1987

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2408 Series 1 Sub-Series 2
Scope and Contents note

Audiotapes and transcripts, dictations on Hofmann documents, Hofmann cas chronologies, evidence lists, pre-trial documents, forensic examination result, articles on handwriting styles, handwriting samples, list of forgeries and questioned documents, Treasury Department reports, FBI reports, scanning electron microscope tests, typewriter examination results, etc.

Dates: Other: 1985-1987

George J. Throckmorton: Mark Hofmann homicide trial files, 1985-1987

 Series
Identifier: MSS 2408 Series 2
Scope and Contents

Series 2, “Trial (Homicide),” includes four sub-series. Sub-Series 1, “Official Investigative Documents,” includes photocopies of subpoenas issued during the Mark Hofmann investigation. Sub-Series 2, “Preliminary Hearing,” contains two official preliminary hearing transcripts. Sub-Series 3, “Plea Bargain,” includes Hofmann interview notes; official transcripts of Hofmann interviews; and photocopies of the Hofmann plea bargain, and post sentencing report.

Dates: Other: 1985-1987

George J. Throckmorton: Mark Hofmann plea bargain files, 1987

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2408 Series 2 Sub-Series 3
Scope and Contents note

Audiotape, interview notes and transcripts, list of forged signatures, and copy of plea bargain agreement and post-sentencing report.

Dates: Other: 1987

George J. Throckmorton: Mark Hofmann preliminary hearing files, May 1986

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2408 Series 2 Sub-Series 2
Scope and Contents note

Hearing transcripts by William J. Flynn and George Throckmorton.

Dates: Other: May 1986

George J. Throckmorton: Mark Hofmann printing plates files, undated

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2408 Series 1 Sub-Series 3
Scope and Contents note

Instructional materials on step-by-step process of plate construction, images of printing plates, forged currency, and Oath of a Freeman.

Dates: Other: undated

George J. Throckmorton: Mark Hofmann prison records, undated

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2408 Series 2 Sub-Series 4
Scope and Contents note

Visitation records and divorce decree.

Dates: Other: undated