One of the latest episodes of Dateline, titled “Secrets Unmasked,” is a great example of how cold cases can also be solved through persistent re-evaluation and witness breakthroughs. Not only this, but the episode about this murder case also highlights the impact of domestic violence and chasing justice until you get it.
So, what is this Dateline case all about? It centers on Regina Hicks, also known as Regina Rowe Hicks, a 25-year-old mother from Ohio who was murdered on October 18, 2001. Her estranged husband, Paul Hicks, was convicted of her kidnapping and murder more than 24 years later in 2025.
The couple had known each other since high school, and they later married. Regina and Paul even had a son who turned almost 4 in 2001, and their family and friends reportedly described their relationship as toxic and abusive.
Regina’s cousin even mentioned that she became quieter and less vibrant after being with Paul. By 2001, the couple was estranged and separated. Regina started a new relationship and lived independently.
She even sought child support and custody, which prosecutors later cited as a motive. And when Regina disappeared, Paul Hicks filed for a divorce the very next day.
A complete timeline of Regina’s murder is right below.
Dateline: Secrets Unmasked explores the complete timeline of Regina Hicks’ murder
Regina Rowe Hicks was a 25-year-old Ohio woman whose death remained unresolved for more than two decades before investigators finally secured a conviction against her husband, Paul Hicks, in 2025. So, here’s a complete timeline of Regina’s murder:
October 18, 2001 (Evening): Regin left her boyfriend’s residence in her white Chevrolet Camaro around 8 p.m. to pick up her son. She was supposed to bring Montana (son) from a property owned by Paul’s best friend, Steve Gates, in Willard, Ohio, Huron County. However, Regina never arrived at her destination or returned.
The Incident (per later witness testimony): The Dateline episode explains that Steve Gate received immunity from his testimony and finally revealed after 24 years that Regina did come to pick Montana, and she and Paul had a fight. According to Steve, Paul struck her on the head, causing unconsciousness and blunt force trauma with three strikes noted on her scalp.
Gates then claimed he found Regina crumpled on the floor of the Camaro. Paul reportedly told Gates she was dead, then drove the car (with Regina unconscious in the passenger seat) into a nearby retention pond at Section Line Road 30 in Willard. Paul exited the vehicle before it submerged, leaving her to drown.
October 22, 2001: Regina’s car was discovered submerged in the pond. As explained in Dateline, her dead body was still there on the passenger seat, and the death was ruled as a homicide. However, the scene did not initially yield strong forensic links to Paul.
Initial Investigation from 2001: Since Regina’s death was ruled a homicide, Paul became the top suspect. He took a polygraph test, but the results were not useful because he admitted to consuming Xanax and alcohol beforehand.
However, investigators did not have enough proof against Paul. So, the case went cold. Paul later faced separate legal issues, like an elaborate arson/insurance fraud scheme involving a wig and a custom mask of an ex-girlfriend to frame her. He pleaded guilty to a lesser insurance fraud charge and received probation.
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The breakthrough, arrest, trial and conviction of Paul Hicks in Regina’s murder case
As seen in Dateline: Secrets Unmasked, more than 20 years passed after Regina’s death, and investigators finally reopened the cold case and re-examined evidence with help from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and local authorities.
Their renewed efforts focused on speaking with witnesses who had been connected to the case in 2001. The breakthrough came when Steve Gates, a longtime friend of Paul Hicks, finally agreed to cooperate. Gates said he had remained silent for years because he feared Paul and felt intimidated.
However, he finally decided to speak the truth, as in return for his honest testimony, he received immunity. Thankfully, Gates’ statement gave investigators the evidence they needed to move the case forward. In April 2025, Paul Hicks was formally charged with three counts of murder and one count of kidnapping.
He was arrested shortly afterward, more than two decades after Regina’s death. A trial ran for two weeks in which Paul tried to defend himself. However, the jury found him guilty, and in January 2026, Paul was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
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Edited by Alisha Khan