A Sandusky man, Paul Hicks, was convicted on Friday of murdering his ex-wife, Regina Rowe-Hicks, over twenty years ago, after a two-week trial in Huron County. Found guilty on three counts of murder and one count of kidnapping, Hicks is now facing life imprisonment. The case, which lay dormant for decades, saw new life after Hicks' indictment in April of this year, as reported by WKYC.
Rowe-Hicks disappeared on Oct. 18, 2001, and her body was found submerged in her car in a Willard pond four days later. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said, "You cannot outrun your past – eventually, as this defendant has learned, your evil catches up to you." He praised the work of BCI's investigators and prosecutors for unraveling the cold case, WKYC reported. During the trial, prosecutors presented a narrative in which Hicks was to significantly benefit from both control and financial outcomes by the murder of his ex-wife amidst divorce and custody battles, according to News5Cleveland.
The prosecution's case was particularly strengthened by the testimony of Steven Gates, a witness who came forward after years of silence and agreed to testify only after he was granted immunity from prosecution. Gates recounted the events of Regina's death, claiming that after having seen Hicks and Regina arguing, he later found her "crumpled up" in the passenger seat and witnessed Hicks drive her car into the pond. This damning testimony was a pivotal moment in the trial, according to News5Cleveland.
Despite facing a lack of direct physical evidence linking Hicks to the crime—as revealed by DNA expert Steven Wiechman, who was unable to make a comparison from DNA material found in the victim's car—the prosecution leveraged other testimony and circumstantial evidence to build their case. In response, the defense urged the jury to be cautious, highlighting the reliance on a key witness whom they claimed "has lied for 25 years," as reported by News5Cleveland. However, the jury was ultimately persuaded by the prosecution's narrative, finding Hicks guilty of his ex-wife's murder.
Expressing relief and gratitude, Regina's cousin, Angela Rowe, said, “We have so much love and everything for the prosecutor's office, and just thankful for all the thoughts and prayers that everyone's gave us throughout all this time,” in an interview with News5Cleveland. The trial's conclusion brought a measure of closure to a family that had waited over two decades for justice. Hicks' sentencing is scheduled to take place on June 9.
