NORWALK, Ohio — A decades-old mystery surrounding the death of 25-year-old Regina Rowe Hicks, who vanished in October 2001 and was later found deceased, is moving towards resolution with the recent indictment of her estranged husband.
Regina Rowe Hicks disappeared on October 18, 2001, and her body was discovered on October 22 in her car submerged in a pond off Section Line Road 30 in Willard. The car, a white Chevrolet Camaro, was the same vehicle she was last seen driving after leaving her boyfriend’s residence to pick up her son, a journey she tragically never completed.
Paul Hicks, 50, currently a resident of Sandusky, has been arrested and charged with three counts of murder and one count of kidnapping in relation to his former wife’s death, Ohio officials reported. After nearly 24 years, these charges have been brought following new developments in the investigation led by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service.
The arrest was made in Seneca County where Paul Hicks was taken into custody by authorities. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost emphasized the significance of the enduring efforts leading to these legal actions. “Recent developments have opened a door and led to at long last an indictment. Now it’s up to us to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” said Yost.
This case represents a landmark moment for both the investigative team and the family of Regina Rowe Hicks, who have waited over two decades for answers. The Huron County Sheriff’s Office originally handled the case and later requested support from the state’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation due to the complexity of the case and evolving leads over the years.
At the time of her disappearance and subsequent murder, the case stirred considerable local and state attention, generating widespread public sympathy and a demand for justice. Observers have noted how her passing left a void in the community and among those who knew her.
Paul Hicks was arraigned this Wednesday afternoon in the Huron County Court of Common Pleas. He has a previous legal history, including an indictment involving an alleged scheme to set his own home on fire to implicate an ex-girlfriend in Clermont County, where he eventually surrendered to authorities in 2019.
The legal proceedings are anticipated to be prolonged, but Yost remains steadfast in his office’s commitment to delivering justice. “One of the core tenets of our office is that everybody counts, so to see something like this at long last come to court of law to the bar of justice, this is why we do what we do,” says Yost.
As this case progresses, it continues to emphasize the importance of persistence in cold cases and the evolving nature of forensic and investigative techniques that can help bring delayed justice to families and communities affected by such tragic events.