Regina Rowe-Hicks Was Found Dead at the Bottom of a Pond. Over 20 Years Later, Her Husband Was Arrested

**Cold Case Solved: Paul Hicks Convicted of Murdering Regina Rowe-Hicks After 24 Years**

For over two decades, the murder of Regina Rowe-Hicks remained shrouded in mystery, leaving her family in anguish as they sought justice for the young mother. Regina, just 25 at the time of her disappearance, was discovered dead in her car, submerged in a pond in October 2001. It wasn’t until 2025 that her estranged husband, Paul Hicks, was finally arrested and charged in connection with her death.

Regina’s tragic journey began on 18 October 2001. After leaving her boyfriend’s home to pick up her four-year-old son, Montana, from Paul’s friend, Steve Gates, Regina never arrived at her destination. Her family reported her missing, and after four agonising days, authorities found her lifeless body in the passenger seat of her white Camaro, which had sunk in a pond near Huron County. An autopsy later confirmed that Regina died from blunt force trauma to the head, leading police to class her death as a homicide.

Initially, the investigation focused on Paul Hicks, who quickly came under suspicion due to his estranged relationship with Regina. However, a lack of substantial evidence meant that he was never charged, and the case went cold for 24 years. Though police gathered some DNA evidence from the scene, it was insufficient to link Paul directly to the crime. Consequently, the investigation stalled, leaving Regina’s family and friends searching for answers.

Despite the bleak outlook, Regina’s family remained resolute. Her mother, Lacella Holbrook, dedicated a decade to advocating for her daughter’s case, launching a series of campaigns including billboards and newspaper ads to raise awareness and encourage tips. Tragically, Lacella passed away without seeing justice served, her health deteriorating during years of relentless effort to illuminate Regina’s case.

A turning point came in 2024 when local podcaster Ashli Ford decided to focus on Regina’s cold case in a series of episodes on her show, *Allegedly*. Recognising the emotional toll on Regina’s family, Ford aimed to breathe new life into a case that had long been neglected. “I wanted to see if we could get some attention to a cold case that definitely deserves justice,” Ford remarked, emphasising her emotional connection to Lacella’s perseverance.

Ford’s podcast drew the interest of a cold case team from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Criminal Investigation. They reopened the case, leading to re-examinations of witness statements. Notably, Steve Gates altered his original testimony, claiming that Paul had physically assaulted Regina on the night she disappeared. Gates testified that Paul had knocked Regina unconscious before placing her in her car and driving it into the pond. His new account provided the breakthrough investigators had been searching for.

In April 2025, Paul Hicks was arrested and charged with murder and kidnapping. Prosecutors presented a case that highlighted Paul’s questionable motives, suggesting financial pressures and a desire for full custody of Montana as potential driving factors behind the crime. “You can’t accidentally get somebody, stuff them in the car and in the passenger seat, drive them down the road and into a pond and then drown that person,” Huron County Prosecutor James Sitterly stated during the trial.

Following a trial that captivated the community, Paul Hicks was convicted on three counts of murder and one count of kidnapping on 19 December 2025. He was subsequently sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost remarked that while it took a long time, “Today a killer is held accountable,” indicating the importance of perseverance in seeking justice, regardless of how much time has passed.

As Paul Hicks serves his sentence, he has appealed the conviction, claiming the evidence presented against him was insufficient. However, his conviction has provided a sense of closure to Regina’s family, who have endured years of anguish while fighting for justice. “We are just overwhelmed and feeling so much joy, because we have been waiting for this moment for 24 years,” said Angela, Regina’s cousin, expressing the relief felt by the family following the long-awaited conviction.

Regina Rowe-Hicks now has her story placed back in the public eye, a reminder of the resilience of her family and the dedicated efforts of those who sought to bring her perpetrator to justice, even after so many years. The case serves as an example that truth and justice can eventually prevail, regardless of the time that may pass.