Bechler’s brother-in-law takes the stand

Insurance agent Larry Marshall, the brother-in-law of accused murderer

Eric Bechler, began testifying Thursday about helping the couple get

their life insurance policies.

Bechler, 33, has been charged with dumping his wife, Pegye, overboard

during a 1997 boating trip off the Newport Beach coast. He has pleaded

not guilty.

Marshall is expected to return to the witness stand Monday.

Also, Coast Guard special agent Dan Richard Motley on Thursday

continued to describe an investigation into Pegye’s disappearance at sea.

Bechler has said his wife slipped and fell into the ocean as she was

steering the boat that pulled him on a bodyboard.

Motley said he conducted sea trials days after the wife’s

disappearance, driving the boat different ways, making sharp right and

left turns, taking his hands off the wheel and even steering with his

feet. During the experiment, Motley said he slipped and fell once toward

the middle of the boat.

Defense attorney John Barnett countered that Motley was not under the

influence of alcohol when he drove the boat. A half-empty bottle of a

cocktail was found on the Bechlers’ boat.

The prosecution also submitted into evidence the objects that were

found on the boat, including two duffel bags, a backpack and a pair of

sunglasses. The items sat on courtroom tables wrapped in crumpled brown

bags.