Something tells me that there’s a potential true crime documentary in the making here, and I’m not talking about Anna Kendrick’s upcoming directorial debut, The Dating Game, which will revolve around a convicted serial killer and former game show contestant. The story at hand, though, sits only in the “alleged” realm (for now) and surrounds a one-time Family Feud contestant, Timothy Bliefnick, who was arrested this week in connection with the death of his estranged wife in Illinois.
What makes this story notable, beyond the fact that Timothy once popped up on television while people cooked dinner, is that he has been accused and formally charged with first-degree murder. According to Newsweek, Rebecca Bliefnick was shot and killed in her home at some point before February 23 when her body was discovered. Bliefnick has denied that he’s guilty of her murder, but the Quincy Police Department believe differently.
Via TV Insider, as well, Timothy’s January 2020 Family Feud appearance doesn’t do him any favors. As seen in the above clip from Inside Edition, Timothy responds to Steve Harvey’s joke (about “the biggest mistake you made at your wedding”) with, “Honey, I love you, but I said ‘I do.'” And from there: “I love my wife. I’m gonna get in trouble for that, aren’t I?”
Naturally, Timothy’s attorney, Casey Schnack, did some clean up work, according to Fox News: “It’s a game show. A silly answer to a silly question on a silly show doesn’t make one a murderer.”
The Daily Beast tweeted their coverage of the story (including how police were searching a “lagoon” on Timothy’s property”) with Timothy’s mugshot, as you can see below. He’s looking quite different these days than his clean-cut game show appearance would suggest.
Timothy Bliefnick, a one-time contestant on 'Family Feud,' is accused of shooting his wife to death a month ago. https://t.co/5k1YOCBu7K
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) March 16, 2023
(Via TV Insider & Newsweek, Fox News, The Daily Beast & Inside Edition)