Goodnight, Sugar Babe: Who Killed Vera Jo Reigle & Where Are the Killers Now?

Goodnight, Sugar Babe documentary chronicles the gruesome murder of Vera Jo Reigle, whose killers are now in prison. Reigle, a young mother with mental disability, was tortured and killed by Daniel Bixler and his then-teenage girlfriend, Nicole Peters. The crime occurred in March 2011. The following year, both her killers faced justice, receiving lengthy prison sentences.

Reportedly, train operators were the first to find Vera Jo Reigle’s body on the tracks of a CSX trestle bridge on March 27, 2011. An autopsy revealed she suffered from multiple blunt and sharp trauma wounds, which caused her death. One of Reigle’s killers, Daniel Bixler, later pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the case and described the events leading up to the murder. Bixler claimed he and his then-17-year-old girlfriend, Nicole Peters, planned the crime together. The duo took Reigle to the railroad tracks, where Bixler killed her.

Vera Jo Reigle’s killers: Where are Daniel Bixler & Nicole Peters now?

According to the Ohio Department of Corrections, Vera Jo Reigle’s killers are now serving lengthy prison terms. Daniel Bixler, who stabbed Reigle multiple times, is in the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility. Meanwhile, Bixler’s then-girlfriend, Nicole Peters, who was a teenager at the time, is serving in the Dayton Correctional Institution.

The Blade and WTOL reported that Daniel Bixler and Nicole Peters planned the murder of Vera Jo Reigle. The killers beat Reigle repeatedly on the day of the murder, March 26, 2011, before leading her to the train tracks of CSX trestle bridge over the Blanchard River. There, Bixler stabbed the 24-year-old mother multiple times, which resulted in her death. Later, train operators found the victim’s body on the tracks.

However, the true story behind Vera Jo Reigle’s abuse only surfaced after the murder. The Cinemaholic reported that at the time of the incident, Reigle used to live with the father of her child, Zachary Brooks, and his family. The Brooks family allegedly abused her and forced the young mother to do all household chores. The killers, Daniel Bixler and Nicole Peters, later revealed that Zachary’s mother, Cheri Brooks, had planned to get rid of Reigle.

The outlet stated that sometime before Reigle’s murder, Zachary’s cousin Bixler, who had a criminal background, moved in with the Brooks family. His girlfriend, Peters, also moved along with him. They reportedly tortured Reigle for four days before leading her to the tracks and murdering her. Zachary Brooks was also allegedly involved in the crime, per surveillance footage authorities found. The video showed Zachary, Bixler, and Peters walking away from the crime scene.

Vera Jo Reigle’s killers had tossed the murder weapon into a nearby lake and when questioned, they also tried to mislead investigators. However, they found evidence in the Brooks home including a blood-covered t-shirt belonging to Nicole Peters and the victim’s hair. Authorities then used this evidence combined with the surveillance footage to make arrests in the case.

Daniel Bixler and Nicole Peters admitted to the crime, claiming Cheri Brooks was behind it all. They alleged that Cheri forced Reigle to consume drugs before asking them to murder her. In 2012, Bixler and Peters accepted separate plea deals. The former pleaded guilty to aggravated murder, felony assault, and tampering with evidence, receiving a term of 40 years to life in prison.

Elsewhere, Peters pleaded guilty to kidnapping, conspiracy to commit aggravated murder, and kidnapping. She received a 23-year prison sentence. Zachary Brooks also faced one count of obstruction of justice, getting a four-year sentence. According to the Ohio Department of Corrections, Zachary is serving time in the Lebanon Correctional Institution. Despite all claims, his mother, Cheri Brooks, never faced any charges.

The documentary Goodnight, Sugar Babe: The Killing of Vera Jo Reigle details the 2011 murder case.