and in the winter of 2000, eric bechler went on trial. the star witness, tina new. t eric's guilt and her own checkered past, but also by one detail in the story tina says eric told her, something defense attorney john barnett says is critical. >> you'd expect if pegye's head was caved in by 35 pound dumbbells, there'd be blood. >> quite a lot of it. >> everywhere. and -- and there wasn't. >> reporter: on the stand, tina tried to defend herself. >> i'm a horrible witness when it comes to looking at me on paper. >> did you think anybody would believe you? >> no. you know, i knew that i told exactly what he had said to me and i knew that i was doing the right thing. and i honestly didn't care what anybody thought. >> reporter: then there was the conversation she had recorded at el torito. eric's own words. the jury heard all of them. >> nobody knows anything but you! >> barnett offered his own explanation. >> i argued that the reason he said it is to shut her up, to calm her down. in any event, the defense said -- eric never said on tape that he hit pegye. the only per

just show me a sign. >> the universe sent you eric bechler. >> the next day i meet him. s are gone. >> she had taken a modeling gig, eye candy at a trade show. eric was there promoting his new business. it was three months to the day since pegye had disappeared. >> i just thought he was really handsome. >> there was some serious chemistry from the beginning. >> yes. we went out that night actually. he asked me out that night. i moved in the next day. really fast. >> you don't wait, do you. >> no. not then. >> eric lived in a giant house and drove a porsche. and he was a gentleman in her life after a long string of men who were not gentle. >> i had never been spoiled like that. i remember thinking i was like julia roberts in "pretty woman." >> tina was moved by eric's story. >> he said to me that his wife died in a tragic boat accident, and that they were never able to find her. >> she couldn't help noticing how great he was with his kids. >> he would sit on the floor and play with them. i actually thought he was a great dad. >> and she was eager to help, taking care of th