Timothy Bliefnick has been found guilty of murdering his estranged wife - three years after he made an unsettling joke about his marriage on the game show Family Feud.
A jury returned its verdict on Wednesday following a week-long trial in Illinois, during which prosecutors alleged Bliefnick, 40, broke into Rebecca “Becky” Bliefnick’s home on 23 February and shot her 14 times.
The former couple were locked in divorce proceedings and a bitter custody battle over their three sons at the time.
On 13 March, Bliefnick was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of home invasion.
Becky’s body was discovered by her father William Postle after her family became concerned when the 41-year-old failed to pick her children up from school.
Testifying in Adam County Court on 23 May, Mr Postle said that Bliefnick texted him to check whether Becky planned to pick their sons up.
He also told jurors that the front door of Becky’s home was open, which he said was unusual. He found his daughter in the bathroom and reportedly rushed to a neighbour’s home to call 911, as he had forgotten his phone.
During opening arguments, Adams County Assistant State’s Attorney Josh Jones said Becky, who was a travel nurse, spent her final moments “terrified, bleeding, and alone”.
Prosecutors said that the shell casings found near Becky’s body matched casings found in Bliefnick’s home. They alleged that DNA evidence also tied him to the crime scene, as an Aldi bag used by the killer as a gun silencer was found in Becky’s home.
Another Aldi bag with Becky’s DNA was recovered from Bliefnick’s house.
Becky’s sister Sarah Reilly testified that the mother-of-three had previously expressed she was fearful Bliefnick would “somehow harm me”.
Becky’s message read: “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 absolutely the other way around.”
Becky also filed a restraining order against Bliefnick, before he decided to file for one against her as well.
One of Becky’s friends testified that Bliefnick told her “she’ll be dead before [having] any of [his] money”.
Bliefnick’s conviction comes over three years after his 2020 appearance on the game show hosted by Steve Harvey became the talk of his hometown Quincy, Illimois. Answering one of the prompt questions, Bliefnick joked that the worst mistake he made on his wedding night was saying “I do” to his wife.
After Mr Harvey quipped Bliefnick would have “hell to pay”, the now-convicted murderer clarified he loved his wife Becky.
One year later, Bliefnick and Becky filed for divorce after 13 years of marriage.
Bliefnick is scheduled to be sentenced on 11 August. He faces 45 years to life in prison.
