Illinois police have arrested a Quincy man in the shooting death of his estranged wife, an award-winning nurse and mother of three found gunned down in her own home last month.
Becky Bliefnick, 41, was discovered on Feb. 23 in her home.
Quincy Police Chief Adam Yates announced the arrest at a Monday news briefing and said that assistance from the public was "key" for investigators.
"At 8:24 this morning, Quincy Police Department detectives and members of the department's emergency response team arrested 39-year-old Timothy W. Bliefnick, of Quincy, for a no-bond warrant on two counts of first-degree murder and home invasion for the murder of Rebecca Bliefnick," he said.
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He was taken into custody without incident at his home on Kentucky Road, Yates said, where police served a search warrant on March 1. The house is about a mile away from where his estranged wife was found shot to death.
"This brutal crime has had the Quincy community on edge and our residents living in fear," Yates said. "I hope today's announcement can begin to calm some of those concerns."
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Prosecutors added that they did not believe the crime was a random act – but rather an act of domestic violence.
Bliefnick's lawyer, Casey Schnack, told Fox News Digital Monday that she had spoken with her client and other family members and was preparing a series of court filings "to protect his interests and preserve his constitutional rights."
"I have requested but have not received copies of the charging document and arrest warrant," she said, adding that her client had never been arrested previously and that the couple's three sons had never been removed from the home for domestic violence.
Bliefnick was being held without bail at the Adams County Jail. He is due back in court Tuesday afternoon.
"We will be evaluating his case and making decisions as more information comes in," Schnack said.
She also addressed reports that Becky Bliefnick had sought an order of protection prior to her death.
"Seeking an OP in a divorce is not uncommon gameplay in Adams County," she said. "The state's attorney's office needs a narrative. It appears that domestic violence is that narrative."
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In a statement last week, a family spokesperson announced a GoFundMe campaign in support of her three sons, who have been staying with their father, and for a scholarship in her name.
"While we remain heartbroken, we are thankful to the Quincy Police Department and all who have worked tirelessly in service of justice for Becky," the family said Monday. "While the arrest today provides a step towards closure, this journey is far from over and the investigation continues. We are thankful for your continued respect for our privacy as we navigate this next painful chapter. Our highest priority remains protecting and loving Becky's sons who were the lights of her life. As we continue mourning, we will love and care for them in the ways we know she would want."
The couple was going through a divorce.
Police are asking anyone with information in the case to call them directly at 217-228-4470 or anonymously through the Quincy Regional Crime Stoppers at 217-228-4474.
Becky Bliefnick was a fixture in the local community throughout her life, according to an online obituary.
She graduated valedictorian from Quincy Notre Dame High School and went on to Quincy University.
She began her career in pharmaceuticals but finished nursing school in time for the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
