Update-Husband arrested for murder after two years
Patty
Eric Bechler hit his wife, Pegye, with a dumbbell before throwing her
overboard off Newport Beach two years ago, unsealed police report says.
By DANIEL YI, JACK LEONARD, Times Staff Writers
A Newport Beach man charged with murdering his wife off the coast
of Newport Beach two years ago hit her with a dumbbell and weighed her
body down before throwing her in the ocean, according to a police
report unsealed Friday.
The report is the most detailed view yet in the case of Eric
Christopher Bechler, 32, who on Friday pleaded not guilty to killing
his triathlete wife, Pegye, during an anniversary cruise off Newport
Bay.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Craig E. Robison made the
document public after The Times challenged a court policy of sealing
certain police reports in criminal cases.
The report says the break in the case came Oct. 29, when
investigators "received new information regarding the death . . . which
indicates that she was murdered by her husband."
It doesn't say what that information was, but Oct. 29 was the day
Bechler's ex-girlfriend wore a wiretap for sheriff's deputies when
meeting with Bechler. During the meeting, Bechler gave incriminating
statements about his wife's disappearance, according to law enforcement
sources familiar with the investigation.
Prosecutors charged Bechler early last month with killing his wife
for financial gain, a charge that carries a possible death penalty. His
wife had a multimillion-dollar life insurance policy.
According to the police report, Pegye Bechler was lying on the
boat when she was fatally struck with a dumbbell about 4 p.m. and
thrown overboard.
A Coast Guard investigation into Pegye Bechler's disappearance
acknowledged that the couple had behaved recklessly while boating,
drinking margaritas and taking the boat farther out to sea than their
rental agreement allowed. But investigators also concluded that
Bechler's account of the accident could not be true.
Shortly after the July 6 incident, Coast Guard officers and
sheriff's deputies tested the Seaswirl Striper 2000 that the Bechlers
had rented, performing high-speed stunts to replicate Bechler's account
of the accident.
"Based on sea trials with the vessel, it remains very unlikely
Pegye Bechler was ejected from the vessel, never to resurface," wrote
Coast Guard investigator Lt. Kathy Moore in a 1997 letter to her
supervisor.
People on another boat saw Bechler in the water on a boogie board,
waving and wailing hoarsely. Close by, the Seaswirl was circling with
no one aboard, the Coast Guard's report said.
They offered Bechler a life jacket while he was in the water, but
he refused to wear one.
"He was not taken aboard . . . as his behavior gave them concern
for their safety," the report said.
Two of the people in the boat that came to Bechler's rescue are
named in the police report made public Friday.
"We came across him after she disappeared," said Richard Barton, a
San Diego attorney. "We called the Coast Guard and stayed with him
until they arrived."
Barton said he could not comment on Bechler's demeanor or other
details because he may be called as a witness in the case.
"I really don't want to answer any questions now," he said. "It
would not be fair to either side in the case."
Deputy Dist. Atty. Debbie Lloyd said her office will determine
whether to seek the death penalty sometime after the preliminary
hearings, scheduled for Dec. 17.
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Before you buy.
Patty
Bechler's girlfriend says he's proposed
Possible marriage could complicate murder case because of a law that
prohibits spouses from testifying against each other.
NEWPORT BEACH -- One of the prosecution's key witnesses in a high-
profile murder case said the accused killer has asked her to marry him,
which could throw a wrench into the prosecution's case.
The girlfriend of 32-year-old Eric Bechler, who is scheduled to be
arraigned in Harbor Justice Center this morning, said Wednesday that
Bechler has proposed to her since his arrest on Oct. 29. Bechler is
accused of murdering his wife, Pegye, for financial gain.
Under legal provisions, spouses of defendants cannot testify about
statements they made to each other while they were married. Called a
marital privilege, the law tries to preserve the sanctity of marriage.
In this particular case, the girlfriend, who the Pilot will not
name, has spoken to Bechler many times and could enhance the
prosecution's case against him.
However, the girlfriend wore a recording device the night Bechler
was arrested and the tapes reportedly contain incriminating statements
about Pegye's disappearance. The prosecution would likely use the
recordings and may opt not to have the woman take the stand.
Prosecutors believe Bechler killed 38-year-old Pegye when the
couple took a boating trip off the Newport Beach coast two years ago.
Bechler maintains a wave threw him underwater while he was body
boarding behind the speedboat and when he came up for air, his wife had
disappeared.
Some people considered Bechler's story suspect because his wife, a
triathlete, was known to be a strong swimmer. He has stated before that
Pegye might have struck her head on the side of the boat and drowned.
The Coast Guard searched for the missing woman's body for days,
but it was never found.
Authorities suspect Bechler killed his wife for financial gain.
The couple were having financial problems months prior to Pegye's
disappearance, mainly because of a soured sale of their physical
therapy business. The Bechlers ended up receiving only part of the deal
struck with the buyer, Costa Mesa-based ARV Assisted Living, Inc.
Authorities believe Bechler killed his wife to gain access to a
multimillion-dollar insurance policy. However, the couple had taken out
dual policies that paid out similar amounts should the other spouse
die.
The news of a possible marriage between Bechler and his girlfriend
comes as somewhat of a surprise, given the history of their
relationship.
Bechler pleaded guilty in August to assault charges after a fight
between him and the girlfriend. He was sentenced to three years'
probation and was ordered not to have any contact with the woman.
On Wednesday, the woman denied that Bechler ever hit her and added
he treated her and her children well.
Prosecutors wouldn't comment about any of the evidence in the
case.