Scott Watson was born on June 28, 1971. He grew up in Picton, a small town in New Zealand. 

In December 1997, Ben Smart and Olivia Hope disappeared after celebrating New Year's Eve at Furneaux Lodge in the Marlborough Sounds. On January 1, 1998, they left the party around 4 a.m. and boarded a water-taxi to get back to their yacht, Tamarack. The last sighting of them was with an unidentified man who offered them a place to sleep on his yacht.

On January 2, 1998, when they did not return, they were reported missing. The police began looking for them, initially as a missing-persons case. As weeks passed, it appeared more likely that something terrible had happened. The police investigation eventually became a homicide case.

Guy Wallace, the water-taxi driver, became a key witness. He provided a description of the man who took Smart and Hope to his boat. Wallace was shown montages of photographs that included Scott Watson, but he did not identify Watson initially. Later, after changing the photograph to one where Watson appeared to be blinking, Wallace suggested it could be the man he saw. Wallace later stated he felt pressured by the police and believed he had been misled.

The police seized Watson's boat, Blade, weeks after the disappearances. This surprised many, as it did not match the description of the ketch that Wallace claimed to have dropped the duo off at. Despite analyzing many photos and interviewing boat skippers, the police found no additional evidence supporting Wallace's description of a ketch that night.

As the investigation continued, Watson's criminal record came to light, which included many convictions from his teenage years. Detective Inspector Rob Pope, who led the investigation, pointed out that Watson was the prime suspect. Rumors spread about Watson and his family, and the police reportedly leaked negative information to the media.

Watson was arrested on June 15, 1998, after months in which he was seen as the prime suspect. The trial began in June 1999 and lasted for eleven weeks. Witnesses testified that they saw Watson taking Smart and Hope to his yacht. The prosecution argued that Watson must have caused their deaths and disposed of their bodies in Cook Strait, even though no bodies were found.

Critical evidence came from two prison informants who claimed Watson confessed to them about the murders. However, one of these witnesses later admitted in court that he had lied due to pressure and fear. The other informant was said to have fabricated his testimony as well.

Finally, Watson was convicted in September 1999 and sentenced to life in prison, but he continued to maintain his innocence. Over the years, there have been many appeals and claims of irregularities in the investigation and trial. Concerns were raised regarding the eyewitness identifications and the handling of forensic evidence, especially related to hair samples found on Watson's boat.