Dateline: Troubled Waters - Who was Pegye Bechler and what happened to her? Disturbing details of the 1997 incident, revealed

NBC’s Dateline episode, Troubled Waters, follows the story of Pegye Bechler, who disappeared on July 6, 1997. According to her husband, Eric Bechler, Pegye disappeared after a wave hit their boat.

The synopsis of the Dateline Season 24, Episode 11 reads:

"A California couple’s romantic getaway on a boat turns tragic when the young wife and mother is lost at sea. Did she accidentally drown or was it something more sinister? The case goes cold for years — until a gorgeous model with a checkered past goes undercover to find the truth. Josh Mankiewicz reports."

After more than two years of Pegye’s disappearance, with the help of Eric’s new girlfriend, Tina New-Pineda, Eric was finally arrested and convicted of first-degree murder by a jury.

More on this in our story.

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Dateline: Troubled Waters - Who was Pegye Bechler and what happened to her? Details explored

Pegye was a physical therapist and had a fitness company of her own. Pegye was described as a friendly and outgoing person.

After meeting Eric Bechler at a volleyball game through her best friend Glenda Slosser, Pegye and Eric quickly formed a close relationship. Eric became involved in all aspects of Pegye’s life, including managing her company.

They were then married at Newport Beach and were described as the happiest and perfect couple by their family and friends. Pegye and Eric were parents to three children.

However, their happiness didn’t last as they went on a date for their anniversary, and Pegye never made it back home after that. As per Dateline, Eric told that their rented boat was hit by a wave and his wife, who was driving the boat, fell in the ocean. Even after an extensive search, Pegye's body was never found.

According to Dateline, Eric’s account of a wave didn’t align with the actual weather as the ocean was reportedly calm that day. Moreover, the Deputy Investigator, Gary Jones, shared that the Coast Guard revealed that Pegye couldn’t have fallen out of the boat, making the police suspicious.

After interviews with the family and friends of Pegye, the police found out through Eric’s mother, Hardesty, that the couple was going through some financial troubles and had to sell Pegye’s company.

Later, Eric’s friend Kobi Laker told the investigators that Eric had confided in him about being fed up with his wife and wanting to kill her. Pegye’s brother also revealed helping the couple with their insurance policy of about $2.6 million.

Even after many suspicions, they were unable to gather evidence against Eric Bechler until the arrival of Tina New-Pineda, Eric’s new girlfriend.

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Dateline: Troubled Waters - Tina New-Pineda helped the police in arresting Eric Bechler

As per Dateline, Eric started dating Tina New-Pineda, a T.V. actress and model, just three months after Pegye’s disappearance.

Tina became one of the most important people in the case as after more than two years later, in October 1999, she called the police and told them about Eric’s confession to her about killing his wife.

Tina told the police of Orange County that Eric shared with her that he bought margarita mix, trash bags, two 35-pound weights, and an ice chest a day before the couple’s trip to the ocean. He told her that he hit Pegye on her head with a 35-pound weight.

Tina then helped the investigators by meeting with Eric and recording their conversation, where he confessed about his crimes and also shared that he killed Pegye for the money and also their kids, whom he thought she would take with her.

In 2001, Eric Bechler was convicted of killing his wife by a jury and sentenced to prison for life. He will also not be allowed any parole.

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