Timothy Bliefnick, Quincy, Illinois man who once appeared on Family Feud show with his family is charged with the murder of his estranged wife, Rebecca.
An Illinois man and former football star who appeared with his family on the popular TV game show, Family Feud (yes the irony…) as a contestant has been charged with the murder of his estranged wife.
Timothy Bliefnick, 39, of Quincy, was arrested Monday morning after the bullet riddled body of Rebecca ‘Becky’ Bliefnick, 41, was discovered at her home after she failed to pick up their three kids from school last month.
Bliefnick was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of a home invasion, police said.
‘This brutal crime has had the Quincy community on edge and our residents living in fear,’ Quincy Police Chief Adam Yates said on the department’s Facebook page.
‘I hope today’s announcement can begin to calm some of those concerns.’
Domestic violence cited
Becky Bliefnick a local nurse was found dead at her Kentucky Road home on Feb. 23. The 41 year old woman was shot multiple times.
In announcing the arrest of the estranged husband, Quincy Police said that assistance from the public was ‘key’ for investigators.
The couple, who married in 2009, had been separated for several years and were undergoing divorce proceedings at the time of Rebecca’s death, KHQA reported, citing court documents that were later removed from Illinois’ public records website after a judge ordered them sealed.
According to the deleted documents, Rebecca or a local domestic violence agency working on her behalf had filed restraining orders against Tim and his father, the news outlet reported.
In 2020, Tim appeared with his family on the popular TV game show “Family Feud,” and KHQA reported on their watch party.
Rebecca’s family expressed their relief at the arrest.
‘While the arrest today provides a step towards closure, this journey is far from over and the investigation continues,’ they said, Fox News reported.
Former football star
‘Our highest priority remains protecting and loving Becky’s sons who were the lights of her life. As we continue mourning, we will love and care for them in the ways we know she would want,’ the family added.
According to a recent LinkedIn profile (since made private) cited by KHQA, Tim had been working at Quincy Farm Products in business development.
Philip Hildebrand Jr., the company’s vice president of finance and administration, told FOX that the suspect is no longer an employee and that the company is cooperating with police.
‘Our thoughts and prayers are with Rebecca Bliefnick and her family, and we’re hoping for justice,’ Hildebrand told KHQA.
Bliefnick was being held at the Adams County Jail on a no-bond warrant.
His lawyer, Casey Schnack, told Fox News that she was preparing a series of court filings ‘to protect his interests and preserve his constitutional rights.’
Illinois mom of 3 found fatally shot, police raid home of estranged husband https://t.co/tSLXf9PXA7 pic.twitter.com/KI6VtyyXgB
— New York Post (@nypost) March 1, 2023
Scholarship in Rebecca’s name
‘I have requested but have not received copies of the charging document and arrest warrant,’ she told the outlet, adding that Tim had never been arrested before and that the couple’s three sons had never been removed from their home because of domestic violence.
Tim Bliefnick, originally hailing from Decatur, is a graduate of Quincy University, QU, was inducted in to QU’s 2019 Sports Hall of Fame for football.
Meanwhile, an online fundraiser was launched for a scholarship in Rebecca’s name.
‘Despite the circumstances of her death, she is remembered for the life she cherished — a life of compassion, generosity, faith, and fierce love for her family,’ her sister Sarah Reilly wrote.
‘She leaves behind three young children and an entire community who loved her more than anything. Becky always envisioned herself working hands-on in the medical profession, so it was no surprise when she chose a career in nursing — her true calling — where she was able to provide care and comfort to people on a daily basis,’ she added.
No known motive for the alleged murder was publicly released.
