Ohio man indicted on murder charges in 2001 cold case death of his ex-wife
A former Clermont County man with previous ties to another high-profile criminal case has now been indicted in the death and disappearance of his ex-wife.
Huron County deputies said Paul Hicks, 50, was booked into jail Tuesday.
Hicks has been indicted on three counts of murder and one count of kidnapping in connection with the death of his ex-wife, Regina Rowe Hicks in 2001.
Ohio attorney general Dave Yost stated that according to witnesses, Regina Hicks left from her boyfriend바카라 게임 웹사이트s home in her white Chevrolet Camaro to pick up her son, but never arrived. Four days later, her car was found in a pond at Section Line Road 30 in Willard with her body inside.
Now, 24 years later, Paul Hicks has been indicted in her death.
Hicks was also previously charged in a plot to burn his Clermont County house down and blamed the fire on his ex-girlfriend.
That case dates back to 2015, the year of a fire on Stumpy Lane in Goshen.
Prior to the fire, cameras captured two people entering the home carrying gas cans. They can be seen removing two large TVs and dousing the inside of the house.
According to court documents, Hicks tried blaming the fire on his ex-girlfriend and pointed her out in the video.
According to court records, Hicks went to extremes to frame his ex. He had another woman purchase a custom mask from a company called "That's My Face" and had her buy a wig that matched his ex's hair, records state.
Investigators said Hicks also bought a video surveillance system and protected the recording device inside a fireproof box so the so-called evidence would survive.
Investigators questioned the ex-girlfriend. She was cleared.
In 2019, Hicks was indicted on aggravated arson, arson, perjury and insurance fraud charges.
The case went through years of court appearances and continuations. Ultimately, Hicks took a plea deal, pleading no contest and was found guilty on a misdemeanor insurance fraud charge. He was sentenced to community control.
Civilly though, Allstate won its case and Hicks agreed to pay $400,000 to the insurance company.
Hicks was arraigned on the murder charges in Huron County on Wednesday afternoon. He entered a plea of not guilty. His bond was set at $2 million.