A former Family Feud contestant's unsettling joke on the game show has taken on a chilling new meaning after he was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his estranged wife.
Timothy Bliefnick, who appeared on the hit show in 2020, shocked viewers when he quipped about his wedding day during a round of questions hosted by Steve Harvey.
The moment, which drew groans and awkward laughter at the time, has resurfaced as a haunting reminder of the tragedy that followed.
Advert
During the episode, Harvey posed the question: "What's the biggest mistake you made at your wedding?"
Bliefnick, standing at the podium, replied: "Honey, I love you, but 'Said I Do'."
He quickly added: "Not my mistake, not my mistake - I love my wife," seemingly in an attempt to soften the blow of his response.
Three years later, Bliefnick's wife, Rebecca Bliefnick, a nurse and mother of their three children, was found brutally murdered in her home in Quincy, Illinois.
The couple had been going through a divorce at the time, and prosecutors revealed that Bliefnick meticulously planned and executed the killing during a home invasion in February 2023.
Bliefnick was arrested in March 2023 and charged with first-degree murder and home invasion.
At his trial in May, it was revealed that he had extensively researched how to carry out the crime, including searching for tips on breaking into a home and how long police would take to respond.
Judge Robert Adrian, who sentenced Bliefnick to life in prison, condemned his actions, stating: "Mr. Bliefnick, you researched this murder. You planned this murder. You practiced this murder. You broke into her house and shot her 14 times."
The judge highlighted the horrific nature of the crime, noting that the couple's children were asleep at Bliefnick's house at the time of the murder.
"I don't know how long it took you to do that, but some of those shots were fired while she was lying on the ground and you did all of that while your children were upstairs at your house, lying snug in their beds," the judge added.
Rebecca's father discovered her body on the bathroom floor of her home.
According to papers filed in Adams County, she had filed for an order of protection from her husband in 2021.
Bliefnick later reflected on the comment he made on Family Feud on an episode of CBS' 48 Hours.
While maintaining he 'did not murder' his wife, he said: "It wasn’t said with any malice or bad intentions. It was supposed to be funny."
Topics: US News, Crime, Film and TV
The UNILAD Team