Ex-girlfriends tell of Schwartz's hatred for Stidham

They look alike, work in real estate and met Dr. Bradley Schwartz through Internet dating sites.

They also heard words of love and marriage from Schwartz on their second and third dates with him.

And they both testified Wednesday that the eye surgeon told them he wanted to hire a hit man to kill his former medical associate, Dr. David Brian Stidham.

The dark-haired, slim and attractive women took the stand one after the other Wednesday during Schwartz's first-degree murder trial on charges he hired Ronald Bruce Bigger to kill Stidham, who was found dead outside his office Oct. 5, 2004.

Bibb testified she met Schwartz, 41, shortly before July 4, 2004. Soon thereafter, Bibb said Schwartz told her he wanted Stidham "gone" because Stidham had stolen his patients.

With Stidham gone, Schwartz felt he could get his patients back, Bibb said.

"He wanted to have his eyes poked out or his fingers hurt so he couldn't perform surgery," Bibb said. "He also said he wanted him six feet under."

One night, Bibb said, Schwartz drove her through the medical plaza at First Avenue and River Road where Stidham, 37, worked.

"He drove me down there and told me that there were no cameras outside so no one would be able to see anything," Bibb said. "He knew Dr. Stidham would leave late at night and that he wanted it to look like a robbery."

Schwartz asked her to find him a hit man, Bibb said, saying he trusted her.

Although Bibb said she had no intention of helping Schwartz, when he stopped calling her toward the end of July, she left word that she'd found a hit man.

Schwartz immediately began trying to reach her, Bibb said.

"I wanted his attention," Bibb said. "I didn't want him to stop dating me before I could get something out of him."

Bibb explained that she needed $350 for rent and Schwartz had offered her a loan early in their relationship.

Bibb spoke with Schwartz just once after that — when detectives asked her to confront him on the phone about Stidham's death.

During that taped conversation, Bibb said she told Schwartz that DNA could be found on Stidham's body if the killer touched him.

"He said, 'What if the murderer wore something that covered him all up?' " Bibb said.

Goldberg started dating Schwartz in August 2004.

She learned of Schwartz's hatred for Stidham during the first of their five dates.

Schwartz told her Stidham had stolen all his patients while he was in drug rehab and had "screwed up" his life, Goldberg said.

On a later date, Goldberg said Schwartz spoke about hiring a hit man while they watched "The Sopranos" and "Traffic," a movie about drug running.

She, like Bibb, said she didn't think Schwartz was serious.

On the day of the slaying, Goldberg testified she met Schwartz at his office. She also met a man in the waiting room named "Bruce," whom she later identified as Bigger.

Later that night, Goldberg said she went with Schwartz to Karuna's, a Thai restaurant on East Grant Road. During dinner, Schwartz received some phone calls.

Schwartz told her it was a friend from rehab who was having car problems, Goldberg said. He asked if the man could join them for dinner.

A short time later, "Bruce" arrived in a taxicab, she said.

"He was very agitated. To me he appeared to be on drugs," Goldberg said. "His eyes were huge. I guess it's called dilated. His pupils were huge. He was very fidgety, agitated."

After dinner, Goldberg said the three of them left together. First, they went to Schwartz's office and tried unsuccessfully to get "Bruce's" bicycle in Schwartz's SUV. Next they went to an ATM and then they went on a 90-minute search for a hotel room for "Bruce."

They finally found a room at a Residence Inn and Schwartz paid for it with his credit card, Goldberg said.

Goldberg said she learned of Stidham's death three days after the fact from Schwartz. She then called detectives.

"I felt he did it," Goldberg said.

However, Goldberg said she still had feelings for Schwartz when detectives asked her if she would be willing to wear a recording device during a meeting with Schwartz.

When Schwartz asked to meet her at a Marshall's store a few days later, Goldberg said she passed a note to him and told him detectives had interviewed her about the Oct. 5 events. She said she also told him they had asked her to wear a wire.

Right after the meeting, Goldberg said she hired a lawyer.

In January 2005, Goldberg said she signed an agreement that required her to testify against Schwartz in exchange for not being charged with hindering prosecution.

Later Wednesday, Karuna's hostess Megan Louvres and Residence Inn clerk Teresa Vasquez identified Bigger as the man with Schwartz at the restaurant and the hotel.