Bad Romance: A Dangerous Game (Revisited)

Summary

20/20 (ABC News)

Episode: Bad Romance: A Dangerous Game (Revisited)
Date: December 24, 2025

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Episode Overview

This episode revisits the gripping true crime case of Tim and Becky Bleifnik—a seemingly perfect couple whose marriage turned into a high-profile, chilling murder case in Quincy, Illinois. The episode explores their relationship, the events leading up to Becky's tragic death, and the subsequent investigation and trial that captured national attention, especially due to Tim's infamous appearance on Family Feud, where a joke would later gain haunting significance.

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Main Discussion Points & Insights

The Bleifniks: The American Dream (02:33–06:09)

• Tim and Becky Bleifnik were respected community members, described as energetic, outgoing, and focused on family and career.
  • Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister): "My sister Becky was a people person. She can walk into a room and talk to anybody, and they would be her best friend by the end of the night." (03:02)
• Tim was a "charismatic performer" and star athlete; Becky was academically accomplished and practical.
• Their pragmatism extended to their marriage—foregoing luxuries to build a stable future.

Mounting Pressure and Marital Struggles (11:23–13:16)

• As Becky's career advanced, stress mounted. She returned to school to become a nurse while balancing two (soon three) children and work.
• Tension built as Tim took on more parenting, and Becky, with deep faith, made career sacrifices to sustain the family.
  • Friend/Family Member: "She was willing to sacrifice her own happiness really for the stability of the family." (11:42)

The "Family Feud" Moment (07:28–08:13; 12:03–13:05)

• Tim and his family appeared on Family Feud. When asked, "What was the biggest mistake you made at your wedding?" Tim replied, "Honey, I love you, but said I do."
  • Tim on Family Feud: "Honey, I love you, but said I do." (07:51)
  • Steve Harvey responds: "I'm gonna get in trouble for that, aren't I? Yeah. It's gonna be a lot of hell to pay at your house." (07:56)
• The joke went viral and, in retrospect, became a dark foreshadowing.

The Breakup and Escalation (13:16–15:49)

• Tim filed for divorce. The split was acrimonious, with both parties requesting (but being denied) restraining orders over claims ranging from harassment to threats.
  • Becky expressed documented fear for her safety:
    Becky (in a text): "If something ever happens to me, please make sure the number one person of interest is Tim. I'm putting this in writing that I'm fearful he will somehow harm me, come after me, or will try something to me that takes me away from the kids." (15:16)
• Custody battles fostered resentment and anxiety for the children's wellbeing.

The Night of the Tragedy (16:33–18:48; 19:23–20:13)

• In February 2023, Becky failed to pick up her children—unheard of for her—which raised alarms. Her father discovered her dead in the bathroom, shot 14 times.
  • Debra Roberts: "She had been shot 14 times through her hand, in a lung, in a paralyzing shot in her spine." (18:39)
• The killer had broken in by scaling the roof and forcing a second-floor window.

Investigation: Clues and Circumstantial Evidence (20:13–23:16)

• Surveillance footage showed a "ghostly figure" on a bike near Becky's home around the time of the murder, but the image was too grainy for ID.
• Police focused on Tim due to Becky's warnings and the custody dispute, but hard evidence was elusive.
  • Detective: "Tim was compliant... He didn't talk to the police. He didn't have to talk to the police." (22:48)
• No fingerprints or murder weapon were found, but shell casings at Tim's house matched those from the crime scene.

The Trial: Rushing Towards Justice (26:01–29:58)

• Illinois law required a trial within 90 days due to Tim being held without bond, placing pressure on both sides.
  • Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock): "In my career, 17 years in homicide, I never even heard of a murder trial going... as quickly as this one." (26:01)
• Prosecution built its case on:
  • Ballistics link between shell casings.
  • Tim's suspicious internet searches (such as inquiries about opening doors with crowbars, police response times, and how to wash off gunpowder residue).
    • Detective: "The most chilling one was, can I just wash gunpowder residue off my hands?" (30:55)
  • The presence and activity of a figure on a bike matching up with shutdowns of Tim's phone and computer.

Key Evidence: The Bike and Digital Footprint (33:21–34:19)

• Investigators found Tim (under a fake name) had recently bought a blue Schwinn mountain bike—matching the one seen in surveillance—without reflectors, as seen on video.
  • Detective: "The bike purchased by that... John Smith is just like the one on that ghostly surveillance video." (33:52)
• Still, the defense argued the evidence was circumstantial: no DNA/fingerprints definitively linked Tim to the murder.

Closing Arguments and Verdict (36:46–39:00)

• Jury deliberation was tense and emotional.
  • Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister): "It's the longest four hours of our life. Time went by impossibly, slowly." (37:33)
• Verdict: Guilty of first-degree murder.
  • Jury Foreperson: "We, the jury, find the defendant, Timothy Blick, guilty of first degree murder." (38:53)

Sentencing and Family Reflections (39:42–44:42)

• Tim Bleifnik received three life sentences; the court labeled the act as meticulously researched, premeditated, and brutal.

  • Judge (paraphrased): "You planned this murder. You broke into her house and you shot her... The court believes that the appropriate sentence would be natural life in prison." (39:50–40:10)

• Becky's family and friends shared moving statements, highlighting the profound impact of the loss and what Becky meant to her community.

  • Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister): "Maybe you should have Googled childhood PTSD in between your Internet searches for homemade silencers and VIN numbers." (41:00)
  • Friend/Family Member: "Even though she was murdered, like, Becky didn't live life that way. She was this incredible, capable, amazing mom and friend. And she was a whole person before that." (41:34)

• Becky's parents gained temporary custody of her three boys and vowed to raise them in her spirit.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Tim’s "bad joke" on Family Feud:
  "Honey, I love you, but said I do." (07:51)
  In hindsight, this viral moment became a grim touchstone of the story.

• Becky’s chilling message to her sister:
  "If something ever happens to me, please make sure the number one person of interest is Tim. I'm putting this in writing that I'm fearful he will somehow harm me..." (15:16)

• Prosecutor’s closing:
  "After he executed Becky in cold blood and left her there on that bathroom, he went back to his house, where police would later find 27 shell casings that exactly matched the eight shell casings that were fired by the gun that shot and killed and executed Becky." (35:21)

• Sarah Riley (at sentencing):
  "Your children's future will be forever impacted by your crime. They are already suffering. Maybe you should have Googled childhood PTSD..." (41:00)

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Key Timeline Segments

• 02:33 — The Bleifniks’ backgrounds and idyllic early years
• 07:51 — The infamous "I do" joke on Family Feud
• 15:16 — Becky’s written fears of Tim
• 16:33–18:48 — Discovery of the murder and early investigation
• 22:09 — Police focus turns firmly to Tim
• 26:01 — Legal battle and compressed trial timeline
• 30:37–30:55 — Prosecution’s unveiling of Tim’s incriminating internet searches
• 33:21–34:19 — The "ghost bike" evidence
• 38:53–39:00 — Verdict is read: guilty
• 39:42–41:00 — Family and sentencing statements

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Episode Tone

The episode maintains a somber, investigative tone, with moments of deep empathy from family members and friends. The interplay of methodical legal reporting and emotional testimony provides a full portrait of the tragedy and its aftermath.

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Summary Takeaways

• The Bleifnik case is a harrowing example of how strained relationships and hidden fears can escalate into tragedy, even in the most picture-perfect communities.
• Circumstantial evidence—digital footprints, surveillance, and behavioral patterns—played a decisive role in the absence of direct forensic ties.
• Becky Bleifnik is remembered not as a victim, but for her kindness, resilience, and community spirit.
• The story also highlights systemic challenges in protecting individuals amid domestic disputes, and the devastating impact on families left behind.

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This summary is intended to provide a comprehensive guide to the episode for those who have not listened, highlighting the key narrative arcs, emotional moments, and evidentiary details that shaped this unforgettable true crime story.

Transcript

[Debra Roberts]

This is Debra Roberts. We're taking a few weeks off from new podcast programming on Wednesdays while we work on a new interesting series to share with you. So in the meantime, we're bringing back some of our installments from our classic series, Bad Romance. Here's this week's episode.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Marshall's buyers are hustling hard to get amazing new gifts into stores right up.

[Debra Roberts]

To the last minute.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Like a designer perfume for that friend who never RSVP'd wishlist topping toys for her kids who came too.

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

Mm.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

Belgian chocolates for the neighbor. A cozy scarf for your boss. And a wool jacket for your husband.

[Narrator/Reporter]

That you definitely did not almost forget.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

Marshalls. We get the deals, you give the.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Good stuff, even at the last minute.

[Debra Roberts]

Phew.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Find a Marshall's near you.

[Debra Roberts]

Hey there, 2020 listeners. This is Debra Roberts, co anchor of 20 20. We've got a new spinoff series we think you're going to want to hear, so we're making it available for you right here on our podcast. It's called Bad Romance. Have a listen. A couple in love, building their family. A TV joke that goes viral. And a murder that shocks a small town. So few clues except a dim figure on a neighbor's video. Is it enough to point to a killer? Someone is playing a dangerous game. It begins with a crowbar, a fall of bullets.

[Friend/Family Member]

I heard sirens, and this iron sound just couldn't stop.

[Debra Roberts]

And a ghost on a bicycle caught on camera.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

It just boggles your mind.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Your call cannot be completed as dialed.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

That somebody could do that to another human being.

[Debra Roberts]

Someone planned this carefully, quietly.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

Nobody had called the police to report the disturbance. Loud noises, screaming, gunshots. No one was able to explain what happened.

[Friend/Family Member]

And I was thinking to myself, whatever happened, it's really bad. Like, somebody's very hurt.

[Debra Roberts]

You couldn't meet a couple with more going for them than Tim and Becky Bleifnik.

[Friend/Family Member]

Becky was just so alive and bubbly. Tim was very charismatic, just very. They looked like they had everything ready. Becky was blonde, bright blue eyes, and her face was just always lit up. She always looked happy.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

My sister Becky was a people person. She can walk into a room and talk to anybody, and they would be her best friend by the end of the night.

[Narrator/Reporter]

When I think of Tim Bleifnik, he's fun to be around. He can talk about anything. He can find humor in anything.

[Friend/Family Member]

Tim is always very goofy and very fun. Every time you saw him, he would run up and, like, hug you and, like, hey, how's it going?

[Debra Roberts]

He's a performer. Likes to put himself out there.

[Friend/Family Member]

He was in a play. It was Quincy Community Theater. I was very impressed with his skills. Just thinking like, wow.

[Narrator/Reporter]

He applied for American Gladiators in 2008 when they tried to bring that back.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

Each week, two men and two women.

[Debra Roberts]

Will go head to head.

[Narrator/Reporter]

He made it all the way up to the final cut. Tim's social media, it's funny and it's silly and I think that that is a really good snapshot of what life was like with Tim as a dad.

[Debra Roberts]

The picture of a family man.

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

Good job.

[Debra Roberts]

Tim was also an all around star athlete at his Catholic high school. Grabbing headlines.

[Detective/Investigator]

Tim, well known in the community, football standout, hall of famer at Quincy University.

[Debra Roberts]

Becky's big sister, Sarah Riley. What was your sister like growing up?

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

We were very close. We were 16 months apart. Our childhood was a lot of playing outside, you know, catching toads in buckets, going fishing, you know, riding bikes on a gravel road. She played tennis for Quincy University.

[Debra Roberts]

What did she study there? How did she do?

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

So she studied biology. Right after college she went into the pharmaceutical world. He was a recycling broker, a great.

[Debra Roberts]

Salesman, hard working and well liked. Tim and Becky are also very practical. Did they go on a honeymoon or anything like that?

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

They did not go on a honeymoon. Tim did not give Becky a ring prior to getting married because he wanted to buy a house. And you know, Becky's very practical, so she went along with that.

[Debra Roberts]

Rachel, who prefers we use just her first name, says Becky and Tim shared common goals, like, oh, we could go.

[Friend/Family Member]

Spend $15,000 on a wedding or we could take that money and do something that will truly help us and get us further ahead.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

Being a mother was her number one goal in life. You know, even though she had very specific career goals for herself, they were always countered by this desire to be a mom.

[Debra Roberts]

So she wanted to put family first.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

Absolutely. Family always came first. Hun. Julia. She always wanted four kids. She originally wanted to be a doctor, but she didn't want to delay her life as a mom through the seven to 12 years that it would take to be a doctor.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Tim was active in the CrossFit community in town. He competed in a lot of CrossFit competitions. That was a huge part of their life as a couple. I mean, you want to talk about the American dream, they had it.

[Debra Roberts]

With two sons born, Becky decides to pursue a new career, going back to school to become a nurse. She's still working in pharmaceuticals, but as a nurse, she could bring in more money.

[Friend/Family Member]

I don't even know if there's nights or she slept more than four hours. It was pedal to the metal, like all the time.

[Debra Roberts]

It's during this hectic time in the Blevnik household that Tim gets the idea to go on the game show Family Feud.

[Friend/Family Member]

Tim was very excited to do it with his family, but Becky couldn't do it because of school.

[Debra Roberts]

Who went with him?

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

It was his two brothers, his mother and his father.

[Debra Roberts]

Camera Duke.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

Where's Michael?

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

Tim's family, Tim himself, they all like the limelight. Family Feud fit right into the mold of who they were. For a game show, they are looking for people that are going to be outlandish.

[Debra Roberts]

It's part of the show.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

It's part of the show.

[Debra Roberts]

From Decatur, Illinois, it's the Bleaknik family. The point of Family Feud, of course, is for families to answer a question and try to match how randomly surveyed people answer. And when host Steve Harvey asks, what was the biggest mistake you made at your wedding? Tim Bleifnik's answer is unforgettable. What's the biggest mistake you made at your wedding?

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

Honey, I love you, but Sid, I do.

[Debra Roberts]

To be fair, it was the second most popular answer. I'm gonna get in trouble for that, aren't I? Yeah. It's gonna be a lot of hell to pay at your house. And there will be hell at the Blefnik house.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

There was a struggle. The door was damaged. The window had been forced open from the outside.

[Debra Roberts]

But inside their quiet small town home, police will find no prints and no weapons. But one of the Beliefniks is dead.

[Narrator/Reporter]

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[Debra Roberts]

Go behind the scenes with Taylor Swift.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

Disney invites you to experience a streaming.

[Debra Roberts]

Event for the eras.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

I wanted to give something to the.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Fans that they didn't expect. And we're going to do everything in our power to blow your mind.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

Don't miss the exclusive six episode docu series.

[Narrator/Reporter]

This is the biggest challenge we've ever done. Tonight we complete that challenge.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

The end of an era.

[Debra Roberts]

First two episodes now streaming only on Disney plus. Inside Tim and Becky Belief Nick's home. Something unspeakable has happened. Behind broken windows. A killer has left shell casings in the hall and a body upstairs. How could something like this happen? Here it is. Quincy. Quincy, Illinois isn't known for its high crime rate.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

Violent crime is very rare.

[Friend/Family Member]

I grew up here in Quincy and I can tell you that it was never a situation where you ever felt unsafe.

[Debra Roberts]

For many, Tim and Becky included, Quincy is an ideal place to build a life, raise a family. It's a small city, proud of its sense of community.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

It's hard to not fall in love with Quincy.

[Friend/Family Member]

It was home of one of the Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas debates.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

This is one of the sites of the Underground Railroad.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

It really is small town America. Most people in Quincy know everybody in.

[Debra Roberts]

The community and they know Tim and Becky Blefnik. Nice family, nice neighborhood, nice house.

[Friend/Family Member]

It was a block from where the children went to school, which is a Catholic school, Has a church right there, Very nice area.

[Debra Roberts]

But little kids. The working dad and a mom who's now pregnant with their third child. Also has a job and is finishing her final year of nursing school. It's beyond exhausting.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

You want to go down there?

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

No.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

Things started to go downhill between her and Tim because with Becky having to dedicate herself to her studies, he had to pick up the slack.

[Friend/Family Member]

Becky was a very faith filled person. Her faith encouraged her to stay married.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

Becky was the one to make the sacrifice. She cut her hours to part time so she could, quote, unquote, meet needs in the household. She was willing to sacrifice her own happiness really for the stability of the family.

[Debra Roberts]

And then comes the Family Feud appearance. Local family, national attention.

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

Tim Blifnik and some of his family.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Members traveled to LA to be one.

[Debra Roberts]

Of the featured families on the popular game show. There is a watch party at Revelry in Quincy Wednesday morning.

[Detective/Investigator]

That was a really big deal around here in a positive way. You don't see many people from our area make it to the national stage on a show like that.

[Debra Roberts]

The station asks Tim about Steve Harvey, the show's host.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

His suit line is very nice.

[Debra Roberts]

He has a bunch of different ones.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

That he wears for every episode, even.

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

Though they tape several in a row.

[Debra Roberts]

And so if he finds a snazzy.

[Detective/Investigator]

Dresser when people really want to dress.

[Debra Roberts]

Through, impressed to be on the show.

[Detective/Investigator]

Like he he relates to that.

[Debra Roberts]

Then the Feud episode airs. What's the biggest mistake you made at your wedding? Honey, I love you, but said I do. As it turns out, Tim really means that answer. In just a matter of months, divorce is in the air. The Blefnik family's three episode stint on Family Feud earns them over 20 grand, which the five family members who competed will split. That doesn't include Becky.

[Friend/Family Member]

It was the separation of this is mine and not yours. And, you know, we're not a team on this. I think that's the part that really got to her.

[Debra Roberts]

Tim is the one who files for divorce, not Becky.

[Friend/Family Member]

Seemed like once he had decided that's what he wanted, it was just steadily moving towards that direction.

[Debra Roberts]

They finally separate in 2021. What did that mean for Becky?

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

I think she was relieved when he finally filed.

[Debra Roberts]

Tim moves out into a home just a few blocks away. Now on her own, in the house that she and Tim used to share, Becky's trying to move on.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

She had an acquaintance that she was dating.

[Debra Roberts]

Becky and her new boyfriend, Ted Johnson. Well, they have a lot in common. He also works in healthcare, a director of cardiac services.

[Friend/Family Member]

The last several years, she had gone through so much, and Ted made her happy.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

Their relationship was never public because, you know, Becky was still in the process of the divorce and she didn't want to muddy the waters in any way.

[Debra Roberts]

Becky tells her friends that she's increasingly worried about Tim, about the children.

[Friend/Family Member]

I just remember her telling me over and over again, she's like, our kids are so young. What is this going to do to them?

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

There was a divorce proceeding, a continuous divorce proceeding that was taking place.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

He was extremely resistant to any type of co parenting.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Maximizing his time with the boys was his ultimate goal. He wanted to spend as much time with his kids as he possibly could, as did Backy. As do most parents, they can't agree.

[Debra Roberts]

On custody arrangements and then their legal filings. Both Tim and Becky ask for orders of protection.

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

Becky's document claims that Tim threw a tray of food across the room in front of their toddler, punched a hole in the wall, and even went into her yard to cut down her favorite maple tree.

[Debra Roberts]

When did she first communicate to you that she felt fear for her own safety?

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

Becky sent my husband and I a text stating that she was fearful of Tim, of what he would try to do.

[Debra Roberts]

Becky writes, if something ever happens to me, please make sure the number one person of interest is Tim. I'm putting this in writing that I'm fearful he will somehow harm me, come after me, or will try something to me that takes me away from the kids.

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

In Tim's request for an order of protection, he makes claims of his own.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

He claimed that that Becky was harassing him.

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

He says that Becky made a scene at their son's school during curriculum night, chasing him to grab A document even pounding on the door of his car as he tried to drive away.

[Debra Roberts]

A judge denies both requests, Becky's and Tim's because the court finds there isn't enough evidence and there are no physical threats.

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

When you grant a protective order or a restraining order, the court is limiting the rights of one of the parents in one of these things. They really infringe on the rights of parents and judges are very reluctant to start granting those in bitter divorces.

[Debra Roberts]

The boys are going back and forth from Becky's house to Tim's house. One weekday in February. They spend the night at their dad's while Becky is staying at her home alone. But oddly, Becky doesn't show up at the end of their day.

[Friend/Family Member]

The fact that she didn't pick her children up from school was unprecedented. It just wouldn't happen.

[Debra Roberts]

That's when alarms start going off for everyone.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

I instantly felt like something was wrong.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

Tim just hadn't gotten any reply from Becky via text message that he had sent her.

[Friend/Family Member]

When she didn't pick them up from school, Tim contacted her father.

[Debra Roberts]

Tim texts his father in law, Bill. Did he know where Becky was? Could he go over and look for her?

[Friend/Family Member]

Becky's dad went to her house and the door was open. I was sitting on my couch at home. I heard sirens about 3:15. The sound just kept, didn't stop.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Quincy police are currently conducting investigation after finding a dead body Thursday afternoon.

[Debra Roberts]

Becky Bleifnik is dead, lying face up in the second floor bathroom. Such an ordinary place and such a disturbing picture of the last minutes of Becky's life. They find some bullet casings and no fingerprints and a murder weapon. But there is one strange detail from the night before on a neighbor surveillance video. Almost a shadow, a ghost appearing in the long hours after midnight. Is it somehow connected? Is it Becky's killer? Under cover of darkness, Becky Blefnik's killer managed to pull off a murder without attracting any attention.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

Becky was home alone. Clearly somebody had gone into this house and had done this and then had left. And nobody had called the police to report the disturbance. Loud noises, screaming, gunshots.

[Debra Roberts]

She had been shot 14 times through her hand, in a lung, in a paralyzing shot in her spine.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

We learned that she didn't die right away after she was shot, that she would have survived up to a couple of minutes. And to just be left in her bathroom like that, it just boggles your mind that somebody could do that to another human being. It was very clear that something significant had happened at point this house. And immediately we Went into major crimes mode. It really was an all hands on deck type of situation.

[Debra Roberts]

As they're piecing together the crime, police believe the intruder climbed up on the side of the house and onto the roof. They used something to pry a window open on the second floor. There's a footprint on the carpet inside.

[Narrator/Reporter]

If you go through the window, her bedroom is just a right and then it's to the left. It's a very short walk down the hall. It appeared that the door was shut and she was trying to run and hide from whatever was coming in at her.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

She had tried to do something to thwart the attack. I would imagine that she was absolutely terrified. Her cell phone was found behind the bedroom door.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Becky attempted to call 911 and misdialed and the call never went through.

[Debra Roberts]

Records show Becky tried making that emergency call at 1:10am Barely one minute later, Becky's killer flees through the front door and vanishes into the night.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Quincy police department continues to investigate the shooting death of Rebecca Belief Neck.

[Friend/Family Member]

We started to look back and try to find surveillance video of the area around Becky's house. We found surveillance video from the day of the murder.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

We had found video that showed an individual riding a bike. The detail was very grainy.

[Debra Roberts]

There's no way to make an id. The figure just seems to dissolve away into thin air. But that video does show between 1 and 2am the night of the murder. Someone is riding a bike to the streets surrounding Becky's home. Just hours before, on the same night, Becky is texting with her new boyfriend.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

How's your evening going?

[Narrator/Reporter]

Fine. Just doing laundry and paying bills. Ted Johnson. He was one of the last people to have contact with her. Last person to stay with her.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

I just got back to my house.

[Detective/Investigator]

We then Talked to Ted. The 9mm handgun was what was used to kill Becky. We learned that he did not have access to a 9mm handgun that he didn't own one.

[Friend/Family Member]

We obviously, as part of the investigation, downloaded Becky's entire phone and reviewed the messages that Becky had with everybody.

[Detective/Investigator]

We found the text messages that she had sent to Ted that night. There was no indication in their messaging that there was anything going on. Ted Johnson was eliminated as a suspect because there was. There was nothing there that would point in his direction. At that point, we're going to focus our investigation on another person.

[Debra Roberts]

Focus on the person in that text that said, if something ever happens to me, please make sure the number one person of interest is Tim.

[Detective/Investigator]

Police performed a search warrant at Tim's house, and Tim is Becky's estranged husband. They found some shell casings, a crowbar, and they took shoes. They also obtained his laptop computer and cellular phone.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Tim was compliant when they served the search warrants and was respectful and did exactly what he was told to do. He didn't talk to the police. He didn't have to talk to the police.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

The initial investigation, I think took longer than anybody wanted it to because the curiosity community wanted answers. Of course, we wanted to identify a suspect and make an arrest. But there's no rushing the initial investigation.

[Debra Roberts]

With no arrest yet for Becky's murder, Quincy is now a town locking its windows and doors and asking one basic question.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

Is this going to happen to someone else? Friday, Avatar Fire and Ash arrives in theaters.

[Friend/Family Member]

I am the fire.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

Get your 3D tickets now for the.

[Debra Roberts]

Greatest chapter of the biggest saga in history. Whatever happens, protect this family. Critics rave. It's by far the best Avatar movie.

[Friend/Family Member]

If your father and I do not.

[Debra Roberts]

Return, you go as far and as fast as you can move.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

Movies don't get any bigger than this. Avatar Fire and dash.

[Debra Roberts]

Rated PG 13. Get tickets now.

[Detective/Investigator]

Hey, guys, it's Kamel Nanjiani.

[Debra Roberts]

My new stand up special, Night Thoughts is now streaming on Hulu. I promise you're gonna laugh.

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

I am an immigrant.

[Debra Roberts]

I am. Are there any other immigrants here?

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

Okay.

[Detective/Investigator]

What you can't do is point at someone else.

[Debra Roberts]

My Thoughts is now straight streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney for bundled subscribers. Terms apply. That wasn't my call. If it wasn't my call, terms would not apply. But it's not my call. Terms apply.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

Our entire city was on edge because no one was able to explain what happened.

[Debra Roberts]

After the murder of Becky Bleifnik. The days go by slowly in Quincy, Illinois, and the police aren't talking until.

[Detective/Investigator]

After about two and a half weeks of investigating the tragic death of Rebecca Bleafnik, Quincy police arrested her estranged husband.

[Debra Roberts]

Tim's mugshot is a stark contrast to the clean cut man in family photos. He's put in jail, and that's right where investigators were. They're afraid he'll run and take his sons.

[Detective/Investigator]

Early on in the case, we decided we wanted him held without bond.

[Friend/Family Member]

I was pushing Josh that we need to hold him without bond because I didn't want anything to happen to those boys. I didn't want them to be gone from Quincy.

[Detective/Investigator]

Do you understand your rights in this case? Yes, you, honor. Not guilty, Ms. Schnock?

[Narrator/Reporter]

Yes, you, Honor.

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

So after pleading not guilty, Tim Scholarship stays in jail. But prosecutors are now rushing to prepare their case Because Illinois state law requires a trial within 90 days for any suspect denied bond, even in a murder case.

[Detective/Investigator]

The idea that we're going to do a trial in 90 days was incredibly scary to me.

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

In my career, 17 years in homicide, I never even heard of a murder trial going from investigation to arrest to trial as quickly as this one. But for Tim Blifnick's defense attorney, this is great. Casey Schnock knows that prosecutors are now under a tremendous amount of pressure, and she's just fine with that.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Giving them any more time would only give them an opportunity to firm up their case, and we didn't want to give them the opportunity to do that.

[Detective/Investigator]

Given the amount of complex evidence in this case and how they had to connect all the dots in that short amount of time was extraordinary.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Day one of the murder trial for Tim Blevnik.

[Debra Roberts]

Tim and Becky's divorce, which, by the way, was never finalized, is a big part of the prosecution's case. Her divorce attorney testifies that when Tim moved out of their house, he took a handgun Becky owned.

[Detective/Investigator]

What did she say about why she wanted that firearm?

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

She wanted it for protection.

[Detective/Investigator]

Protection from who?

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

Her husband, Tim Bleifnik.

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

A judge had ordered Tim to return the gun to Becky. But just two weeks before the murder, Tim calls the Quincy police.

[Friend/Family Member]

He said, my name is Tim Bleifnik.

[Detective/Investigator]

Did he go on to say why he was calling the police? Because he had a gun that he needed to return to his end.

[Friend/Family Member]

He did. He said that he did not want to give it to that crazy bitch.

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

Tim never returns that handgun to Becky. It's a 9 millimeter, the same caliber as the gun that's used to kill her. But they can't find Becky's gun. In fact, they can't find any gun they can point to as a murder weapon. But they do have those two sets of shell casings, One from the murder scene and one from Tim's house.

[Detective/Investigator]

You almost could have heard a pin drop in the courtroom was when they were talking about how several shell casings found in his house were fired from the same gun that shell casings from the crime scene that were discovered.

[Debra Roberts]

The defense says there's no way to prove it was Tim who fired those nine millimeter bullets. Since that gun is missing.

[Narrator/Reporter]

The only thing we know is these shell casings match these shell casings, but we don't know where they came from.

[Debra Roberts]

Then the focus turns to those neighborhood surveillance vehicles. Videos showing that ghostly figure, the one on the bike in the middle of the night. We can't know from looking at the video if it's Tim Bleifnik. But here's the main point. That bike, that person was seen on numerous surveillance cameras on a number of nights, which prosecutors say adds up to a disturbing pattern.

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

According to prosecutors, it all starts on Valentine's. Valentine's Day, February 14th, and again on February 21st, and then again on February 22nd. And the last time is February 23rd, which is the night that Becky is murdered. And they point out that those dates and times match up with something else.

[Detective/Investigator]

Whenever you see a person on that bike, whenever you saw a person on video at Becky's house, every single time that person is seen on the bike or in her yard, Tim's computer is not being used. His cell phone is locked and it's not being used. That's how you can tell it was Tim Beliefnik.

[Debra Roberts]

But Tim's attorney points out that nobody they questioned actually recognized Tim in the videos. Not in the yard, not anywhere. And prosecutors are just chasing phantoms.

[Narrator/Reporter]

We don't know if it's a man or a woman, if they're taller, they're short, if they're fat, or they're skinny. We know that there's a person on a bike and nobody can say anything beyond that. You were unable to recover any fingerprints that were able to be linked to Timothy Bleifnik? Correct.

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

I was unable to find any suitable prints at all.

[Narrator/Reporter]

The crowbar was not a match. The footprint impression was not a match. They did not recover any of Tim's daughter DNA or fingerprints on any of the shell casings that were found at her house. And so as far as the forensic evidence is concerned and the types of evidence that juries really like to hear, their case was really lacking in that regard.

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

So far. There may not be a ton of physical evidence against him, but this is where the trial really starts heating up. Prosecutors introduction evidence about Internet searches conducted on Tim's phone and Tim's laptop.

[Detective/Investigator]

There were searches that were eerily similar to our crime scene. For example, he searched, can I open a door with a crowbar if I lock myself out?

[Debra Roberts]

And searches like average police response time in Quincy and how to make a homemade pistol silencer.

[Detective/Investigator]

The most chilling one was, can I just wash gunpowder residue off my hands?

[Debra Roberts]

Tim's attorney says, not so fast. Prosecutors can't even prove Tim made those searches.

[Narrator/Reporter]

He has kids at home, you know, are they getting curious? Are they looking up things about, you know, guns on his phone? They couldn't tell us when these searches were made. We didn't have a day. We didn't have a year. We didn't have a time.

[Debra Roberts]

But the prosecution isn't done yet. There's one last piece of evidence, one more discovery from Tim's computer. Will this be enough evidence to convince the jury that Tim Bleifnik is a killer? The NBA is happening. Christmas Day. Five games, one unforgettable lineup. That's what Christmas is all about. Buckets for breakfast, Breakaways for dessert. It's the holiday tradition. Christmas is our day with star power from across the globe.

[Friend/Family Member]

The stars, they are going to be.

[Debra Roberts]

Out the best gift. You don't even have to unwrap it. We want to say Merry Christmas and happy New Year. NBA Christmas Day begins at noon eastern on ABC and espn.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Fiscally responsible financial geniuses, monetary magicians.

[Debra Roberts]

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[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

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[Debra Roberts]

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[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

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[Detective/Investigator]

A case like this, this obviously drew national attention.

[Narrator/Reporter]

A murder trial resumes today for a man who once appeared on the game show show Family Feud.

[Debra Roberts]

At local station khqa, the story of Tim Bleifnik dominates their website's traffic.

[Detective/Investigator]

One of the the most searched things in the search engine was Tim Blifnick. Family Feud. There's a lot of interest so they brought in a lot of, you know, there were a fair amount of people there.

[Debra Roberts]

With just 90 days to prepare and not much direct evidence, the prosecution's case against Tim Bleifnik is not a sure thing thing.

[Detective/Investigator]

Mr. Jones, you may proceed.

[Debra Roberts]

And that's when the prosecution reveals a late stage smoking gun sorts but in this case it's not actually a gun. It's a bike.

[Detective/Investigator]

A big talking point during Thursday's testimonies in the BLE nick murder trial was.

[Debra Roberts]

Centered around a bike and unknown.

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

Turns out Tim Bleik had a Facebook account on under the name John Smith. And John Smith was looking to buy a bike. He found two.

[Detective/Investigator]

The listed title was change to sold. Isn't her Schwinn mountain bike?

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

Yes.

[Detective/Investigator]

Did you also find a blue Schwinn mountain bike about a half a block from the defendant's home?

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

Yes, sir. The bike purchased by that joint John Smith is just like the one on that ghostly surveillance video. And this becomes really clear when the prosecution shows that they have done their homework.

[Detective/Investigator]

There's no front reflector or rear rear reflector on that bike.

[Debra Roberts]

As well, no, there's not.

[Detective/Investigator]

On the video, you see the defendant riding a bike down the street. And when we looked at that bike, we noticed that the bike didn't have any reflectors on the wheels. And we were able to determine that because we had another detective ride a different bike down the street at the same time. And on that video, you could just see the wheels light up from the reflectors. They really went deep with this bike. And to tie everything together. On February 23, 2023, the defendant rode a bike with no reflectors on it that he had bought on Facebook to Becky Blue's exam. The defendant climbed up a chair in a pergola and onto Becky's roof. The defendant pried open that window with a crowbar, just like he read on the Internet. He shot her with a gun with a homemade silencer that he read about on the Internet. When you. You go back and you look at all the pieces of evidence during this trial, the prosecution really did lay out everything of a timeline. After he executed Becky in cold blood and left her there on that bathroom, he went back to his house, where police would later find 27 shell casings that exactly matched the eight shell casings that were fired by the gun that shot and killed and executed Becky. And you may be thinking in your mind, well, it's a circumstantial case. But the key word in circumstantial evidence isn't circumstantial. It's evidence.

[Debra Roberts]

The defense argues that circumstantial evidence isn't direct evidence. Nobody saw Tim do anything. No prints, no weapon.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Now, we talked about DNA. They did not find any of Tim's DNA on the bike that they think he rode to commit this crime. They swapped his car for DNA evidence. They found nothing. It's not Tim's crowbar. It's not Tim's footprint, and we don't have a witness they want you to take away. Presumption of innocence that all defendants joy that Tim enjoys a as he sits here right now, look at Tim and ask yourself what hasn't been proven.

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

The defense wraps their closing argument on the sixth day of the trial. And Tim Beliefnik's fate now rests in the hands of the jury.

[Detective/Investigator]

Prosecuting attorney Josh Jones says he was.

[Debra Roberts]

Confident in the evidence presented, but he.

[Detective/Investigator]

And Lord Keck were still unsure of what the jury would decide.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

There's never been a moment in our life that had more writing on a decision than that one.

[Friend/Family Member]

One thing I always do when we're waiting on a verdict, once we get into the room and we sit down. I have prayers that I say.

[Debra Roberts]

The defense counsel, of course, hopes they've planted enough seeds of doubt. One juror is all they need.

[Narrator/Reporter]

You hope for a not guilty verdict. You hope that one person is not going to be convinced by a reasonable doubt.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

It's the longest four hours of our life. Time went by impossibly, slowly.

[Detective/Investigator]

I was down in the basement reliving every mistake I made. For example, we were going to have a photo of Becky on the. On the screen behind me when we were doing the rebuttal, and I forgot to do it. So I sat down and thought, you know, if. If they find him not guilty because I forgot to press a button on a PowerPoint slide, how am I going to feel? And has the jury reached its verdict?

[Debra Roberts]

Yeah.

[Detective/Investigator]

Okay. And if you could hand that paperwork to the bailiff.

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

And that's it. That heart stopping moment. Which side convinced the jury, is somebody going to prison or somebody walking out the door?

[Detective/Investigator]

We are on the record on People vs Timothy Bleifnik.

[Friend/Family Member]

When we were told there was a verdict, I looked at him. I'm like, we did our best. No matter what, we did our best to get justice for Becky.

[Detective/Investigator]

Has the jury reached its verdict?

[Debra Roberts]

Take me through the moment for the decision.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

I feel like I didn't breathe for the entire time.

[Friend/Family Member]

We, the jury, find the defendant, Timothy.

[Debra Roberts]

Blick, guilty of first degree murder.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

It was relief. It was relief.

[Friend/Family Member]

Hearing the juror say that I crumbled. My husband actually physically lifted me up because I just sort of crumbled with the weight of it, of all of it.

[Detective/Investigator]

What I'll never forget is Bill, Becky's dad, He was so stoic and so strong. I had never seen an emotional response from him. After Mr. Believnik was taken away, Bill came up to us and he cried. I think he was holding it together for as long as he could.

[Friend/Family Member]

They said he did it. And I mean, I completely believe them. I just haven't been able to wrap my mind. Mind around it yet.

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

The trial lasted less than a week. His sentence, however, will last a lot longer. The heaviest sentence the court could impose.

[Detective/Investigator]

Mr. Bleifnik, you researched this murder.

[Debra Roberts]

You planned this murder.

[Detective/Investigator]

You broke into her house and you shot her. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

[Debra Roberts]

8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 times.

[Detective/Investigator]

The court believes that the appropriate sentence would be natural life in prison.

[Debra Roberts]

Tonight, an Illinois man who once joked.

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

On TV about regretting his marriage has been given three life sentences for the.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

Murder of his wife.

[Debra Roberts]

It's three life Sentences one for home invasion and two for first degree murder with a firearm.

[Defense Attorney (Casey Schnock)]

One of the most poignant parts of murder trials is during the sentencing, the friends and family of the victim are permitted to stand up and make a statement. It's really their last opportunity to say something that the murderer is going to have to listen to. And they are far and away the most heartfelt and emotional part of any trial.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

Your children's future will be forever impacted by your crime. They are already suffering. Maybe you should have Googled childhood PTSD in between your Internet searches for homemade silencers and VIN numbers.

[Friend/Family Member]

Luckily for the boys, they will get glimpses of their mom from Sarah for the rest of their lives. We should all hold ourselves accountable to a high expectation.

[Debra Roberts]

Friends and family want Becky remembered for who she was, not how she died. To remember her nursing school commencement speech.

[Friend/Family Member]

Snuggle with your kids for 10 extra minutes. Take time to hold someone's hand and let them know they are important. Even though she was murdered, like, Becky didn't live life that way. She was this incredible, capable, amazing mom and friend. And she was a whole person before that.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

You know your sister in one way. And since her death, so many people have reached out and they've shared how much Becky meant to them in their own lives.

[Debra Roberts]

At her son's school, children honor their friend's mom with a rock garden. Sarah hopes her legacy extends beyond the Quincy community. She wants to be a reminder about verbal and emotional abuse, the kind of treatment she says Becky told her she lived through.

[Detective/Investigator]

In some ways, that type of trauma can be just as bad, if not worse than batteries and punches and kicks.

[Debra Roberts]

So much of this tragedy lies in what might have been the new chapter. She was beginning dating, maybe even falling in love.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

I met Ted for the first time at the funeral, and I gave him a hug. And I'm glad that she was able to get a glimpse of. Of what could have possibly been true love in her life.

[Friend/Family Member]

There's all those small reminders of these great plans, our dreams for the future, all of it. When you think you see Becky and she's not there.

[Debra Roberts]

Tim Bleifnik is appealing his case. But if the appeal fails, he will spend the rest of his life in prison for Becky's murder.

[Friend/Family Member]

That's the part I actually hope he lives with for a really long time. That he knows exactly what he has stolen from the world, not just her family and friends.

[Debra Roberts]

With her mom gone and their dad behind bars, where does that leave Becky's three boys? Right now, they're living with Grandma and Grandpa. Becky's parents have temporary custody.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

My parents have dedicated their life to raise them in a way that Becky would want.

[Debra Roberts]

Becky's sister sometimes imagines talking to her one more time than what she'd say.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

Mostly that I love her and I wish I could have done more and I will take care of the boy. Probably try to share a laugh with her. Hear her laugh again.

[Friend/Family Member]

Would be the greatest.

[Sarah Riley (Becky's Sister)]

Treasure.

[Debra Roberts]

You can watch fresh episodes of bad romance from 2020 on Monday nights at 10pm right after the Bachelor. And of course tune in on Fridays at 9 for all new episodes of 2020. Thanks for listening. Everyone deserves to be connected.

[Prosecutor (Josh Jones)]

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[Debra Roberts]

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[Debra Roberts]

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