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48 Hours on ID, April 22, 2024, ID, “The Game Show and the Murder”
The popular true-crime series 48 Hours on ID returns with a new episode, “The Game Show and the Murder,” airing on Investigation Discovery on April 22, 2024. This installment examines the chilling murder of Becky Bliefnick, a 41-year-old nurse and mother of three, who was shot 14 times in her Quincy, Illinois home. The prime suspect? Her estranged husband, Tim Bliefnick, who had appeared on Family Feud years earlier, making a joke about his wedding that would later take on a haunting significance.
On February 23, 2023, Becky Bliefnick was found dead in her home, shot multiple times at close range. Her father, unable to reach her, made the grim discovery of her lifeless body on the bathroom floor. The couple was in the midst of a contentious divorce, and Tim’s behavior had become increasingly erratic and unpredictable.
During their appearance on Family Feud in 2020, host Steve Harvey asked Tim about the biggest mistake someone could make at their wedding. Tim’s response? “Honey, I love you, but said, ‘I do.’” At the time, the audience laughed, but in light of subsequent events, the joke took on a more sinister tone. Tim now claims that the comment was not made with any malicious intent and was simply meant as a lighthearted quip.
However, prosecutors built a compelling case against Tim, including evidence of his internet searches on how to avoid detection, such as “how to force open my door with a crowbar” and “how to make a homemade pistol silencer.” They also pointed to the fact that Tim had a motive—the divorce proceedings were reaching a climax, and he stood to lose custody of his children.
Becky’s sister, Sarah Reilly, expressed her belief that Tim was the perpetrator, stating that her sister had voiced fears about him. “I told Bret it was Tim… Right away,” she said. She also highlighted the emotional abuse Becky endured, which was often overlooked due to the lack of physical signs.
Tim Bliefnick was ultimately convicted of the murder and sentenced to life in prison. During the sentencing, Judge Robert K. Adrian emphasized the calculated nature of the crime, stating, “You researched this murder, you planned this murder, you practiced this murder, you broke into her house, and you shot her… 14 times.”
48 Hours on ID: The Game Show and the Murder airs on Investigation Discovery at 8.00 pm on Monday, April 22, 2024.