Bechler murder trial postponed

Deepa Bharath

SANTA ANA -- Eric Bechler, charged with murdering his wife on a boat

off the coast of Newport Beach in 1997, will likely have to wait a few

more days for his trial to begin.

Bechler’s trial is expected to be continued from Monday, the

originally set date, his attorney, John Barnett, said Thursday.

Barnett said he believes the trial will be continued because he is

currently involved in a trial in Riverside. He also noted that he has

received new information from the prosecution and is still reviewing it.

Orange County Deputy Dist. Atty. Debbie Lloyd, who is prosecuting the

case, could not be reached for comment.

Bechler, 33, is suspected of killing his 38-year-old wife, Pegye, and

throwing her body overboard while they were celebrating their fifth

wedding anniversary on a boating trip in July 1997.

Bechler has contended that he was being towed on a bodyboard by a

rented boat piloted by his wife, a triathlete and an expert swimmer. He

claims a large wave knocked him off the board and underwater, saying that

when he surfaced, his wife had disappeared.

Prosecutors allege that Bechler staged the accident to collect a

multimillion-dollar life insurance policy. Her body was never found.

Bechler was arrested in October 1999 after a two-year investigation.

Authorities had Bechler’s girlfriend, actress Tina New, wear a recording

device and capture a conversation about the murder. He has since been

held without bail in Orange County Jail.