a luminol test conducted on the boat indicated there might have been a lot of blood in the boat, but that it was cleaned up, matching tina's testimony about blood everywhere. and of course, there was tina herself. despite her past and her criminal record and her drug use, she rang true to you? >> yes, absolutely. >> reporter: who would the jury believe? and would tina's past make a difference? >> it doesn't matter what i did before or after i met him. you know, what i did with myself, has nothing to do with what he did. >> reporter: after seven days, the verdict. guilty of first degree murder. >> you're thrilled that the man who did it is behind bars, but nobody wins in this situation, nobody. so there is no winner. >> reporter: but the jury did not believe eric killed pegye for the money. he was found not guilty of murder for financial gain. at his sentencing, eric bechler addressed the judge, once again denying he killed pegye. >> the accident was a horrible tragedy that has befallen both of our families. as much as the marshalls are hurting, my family is also hurting because i did