Martin "David" Pietz pleaded not guilty Wednesday, April 4, in King County Superior Court to the murder of his wife, Nicole Pietz.

Nicole Pietz's body was found in Burien.

Friends and family of Nicole Pietz filled the courtroom.

Speaking about her former son-in-law, Nicole's mother, Gael Schneider told KOMO News, "I've known all along it was him. I think he deserves an Academy Award, because he sure had us convinced (otherwise.) If he does get off, I suggest he goes to Hollywood because he certainly is a good actor."

Here is our previous coverage:

In January 2006, the body of Nicole Pietz was found dumped in blackberry bushes by a hiker near Des Moines Memorial Drive and South 144th Street in Burien.

Nobody was immediately arrested in the strangling death.

But six years later on Wednesday, March 21, her husband, Martin David Pietz has been booked into jail for investigation of murder. It is not known what new eveidence may have led investigators to her husband.

The 33-year-old Pietz disappeared after leaving her Lynnwood home. Her car was recovered near the University of Washington about two weeks after her body was found in Burien.

Her mother told KOMO News that Nicole Pietz’s body was found without a wedding ring, there were no signs of a struggle and she was wearing a night guard she used while sleeping. Gael Schneider also said her daughter was on her way to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

“I don’t think she’d be wearing a night guard going to her 8-year sobriety meeting,” Schneider told KOMO News. “She would have been dressed to kill.”

Schneider said that soon after her daughter’s death, she came to suspect David Pietz.

"I knew that it couldn't have been anybody but him," Schneider said.

The probable cause papers said Martin Pietz’s DNA was found all over Nicole Pietz’s car when it was found while there was little of her DNA. His DNA was on the gearshift, steering wheel and windshield wiper knob, the last places a driver would have touched, according to investigators. They noted there was no unidentified DNA in the car.

Only one outgoing call from her cell phone was recorded after her disappearance. According to charging papers, recent technology allows the pinpointing of the location of cell calls in particular areas using cell tower information.

The call originated from a range of no more than three or four blocks from the fitness gym where Martin Pietz worked. The defendant left his work area two minutes before the call and the gym receptionist did not recall receiving a call from Nicole, investigators said.

The probable cause document also said that Martin Pietz failed a polygraph test about his involvement in his wife’s death.

Witnesses told detectives that the couple was having financial and other marital problems.

The document concluded, “Nicole told friends and associates that Martin appeared to have lost interest in her and she feared he may be having an affair. Searches on their computer included queries regarding ‘swingers’ clubs and how to cheat on your spouse.
“Within a few weeks of Nicole’s body being found, the defendant began seeking out the phone numbers of new women to date.”

The Seattle Times reported that the defendant’s lawyer, David Allen, said his client will strongly contest the charges.
"Martin 'David' Pietz is innocent," Allen said in a statement. “The charging document indicates that there are no witnesses ... the State is relying upon what appears to be unreliable and inadmissible assumptions based on questionable evidence."