The Secret in the Water

The episode 'The Secret in the Water' from 20/20 unravels a decades-long web of deception, abuse, and murder centered on Paul Hicks, a man accused of orchestrating a staged arson in 2015 and, more gravely, murdering his first wife, Regina Hicks, in 2001. The fire at his Goshen, Ohio home—initially believed to be an act of revenge by his ex-girlfriend Kelly—uncovered a shocking truth: the surveillance footage showed a woman with Kelly’s distinctive curly blonde hair, but the evidence pointed to a meticulously planned hoax. Investigators discovered that Paul had used spoofing technology to fake Kelly’s phone calls and had purchased a custom mask and wig to impersonate her. The civil case ended with Paul losing $400,000 in a fraud judgment, but the real breakthrough came when a cold case investigation into Regina’s 2001 disappearance was reignited. Despite no forensic evidence, a 24-year-old secret emerged when Steve Gates, Paul’s longtime friend, confessed under immunity that Paul had killed Regina after a violent argument and then staged the scene. Gates’ testimony, though tainted by prior lies, was corroborated by circumstantial evidence and witness accounts. After a dramatic trial, Paul Hicks was found guilty of murder and kidnapping, sentenced to life in prison with parole eligibility after 25 years. The verdict brought long-overdue justice for Regina’s family, especially her sister LaCella and son Montana, who spoke movingly about the trauma of losing both parents to Paul’s actions. The episode highlights how persistence, modern technology, and the courage of a single witness can finally break through decades of silence and cover-up.