20/20 Menu About Bios Episodes Photos Releases The Secret in the Water - Releases April 30, 2026 A MYSTERIOUS FIRE, A MURDER AND A TWO-DECADE QUEST FOR JUSTICE EXPOSES THE DOUBLE LIFE OF A MAN HIDING A DEADLY SECRET What started as a suspicious house fire in a quiet Cincinnati suburb soon led to something far more sinister. When firefighters arrived at the scene, investigators quickly determined the blaze had been intentionally set, and security footage showed two people appearing to orchestrate the fire. Homeowner Paul Hicks accused his ex-girlfriend of being behind it, but as authorities dug deeper, her alibi held … as did his. The case took a startling turn when evidence, including a custom mask made to resemble his ex and a matching wig, led investigators to question the homeowner himself. Hicks denied that he had any involvement in the arson or the purchase of these items and eventually pleaded to a single misdemeanor count of insurance fraud, receiving a sentence of probation. He was not convicted in connection with setting the fire at his home. Around the same time, investigators were looking at Hicks in the unsolved death of his ex-wife, Regina. In October 2001, she seemingly vanished and Press Release - Series
April 30, 2026 A MYSTERIOUS FIRE, A MURDER AND A TWO-DECADE QUEST FOR JUSTICE EXPOSES THE DOUBLE LIFE OF A MAN HIDING A DEADLY SECRET What started as a suspicious house fire in a quiet Cincinnati suburb soon led to something far more sinister. When firefighters arrived at the scene, investigators quickly determined the blaze had been intentionally set, and security footage showed two people appearing to orchestrate the fire. Homeowner Paul Hicks accused his ex-girlfriend of being behind it, but as authorities dug deeper, her alibi held … as did his. The case took a startling turn when evidence, including a custom mask made to resemble his ex and a matching wig, led investigators to question the homeowner himself. Hicks denied that he had any involvement in the arson or the purchase of these items and eventually pleaded to a single misdemeanor count of insurance fraud, receiving a sentence of probation. He was not convicted in connection with setting the fire at his home. Around the same time, investigators were looking at Hicks in the unsolved death of his ex-wife, Regina. In October 2001, she seemingly vanished and Press Release - Series
