The upcoming episode of Dateline NBC explores the case against Timothy Bliefnick, who killed his wife, Rebecca “Becky” Bliefnick, in February 2023 in Quincy, Illinois. The episode titled “Ghost Rider” will delve further into the gruesome case of cold-blooded murder and how they caught Timothy. The episode airs on the network this November 2, 2023, at 10 p.m. EST.
Becky’s father found the mother-of-three dead in her home with 14 gunshot wounds after her family became concerned that she had not picked up her sons from school. Court records revealed the separated couple’s messy divorce. A former Family Feud contestant, Timothy Bliefnick infamously joked about regretting marriage on the show.
Moreover, in a sneak peek at The Game Show and the Murder, Bliefnick stated that his Family Feud quip was a jest. The question was, “What is the number-one regret that people have from their wedding day?” To this, he replied, “Honey, I love you. But… Said, ‘I do.'” When host Steve Harvey gave him an expressionless look, Bliefnick continued, “It’s not my mistake! I love my wife.”
In March 2023, the police arrested Timothy and put him on trial. The trial concluded in May, with the jury convicting Bliefnick of murder, home invasion, and firearm use in Becky’s death.
Becky Bliefnick’s murder: How was the case solved?
The murder case took a shocking turn when a neighbor informed authorities about possessing surveillance footage from that night. The neighbor had installed CCTV cameras outside his home for his and his family’s safety. However, that footage proved to be crucial in solving the horrifying murder case of Becky Bliefnick.
Police identified Tim Bliefnick, a former Family Feud contestant, as a person of interest in the footage. In the trial, the prosecution illustrated Timothy’s bike ride from his house to Rebecca’s. The bike was purchased under the name “John Smith” from Facebook Marketplace.
The authorities used surveillance footage from the QPS bus barn, a residence on South 20th Street and Becky’s next-door neighbor. They all connected within minutes of each other, coinciding with the times when Timothy Bliefnick’s phone was locked and his laptop didn’t perform a search. Timothy left the bike in an alley near his home later.
Timothy’s erratic behavior scared Becky
As the investigation progressed, the police uncovered numerous disturbing details about the couple’s marriage. Authorities discovered a crucial text message from Becky to her sister, Sarah Reilly, who testified in court. As per The New York Post, the victim named Timothy her top person of interest to her sister.
“I am putting this in writing that I’m fearful he will somehow harm me, come after me, or will try to [do] something to me that takes me away from the kids or the kids away from me. He already has lied multiple times to paint himself as a victim and me as the perpetrator when it is the other way around,” the message read.
Aside from that, in September 2021, Becky texted one of her friends and told her about Timothy’s erratic behavior. She added, “I am scared of what he might do and his erratic behavior.”
During the trial, the state presented over 200 pieces of evidence and listened to 46 witnesses. However, the defense did not present any evidence, nor did they summon any witnesses. Despite his consistent claim of innocence, Timothy faced charges for shooting and killing his estranged wife. A jury convicted him, and the court sentenced him to life in prison.
