ABC’s new true crime series “Bad Romance” premieres Monday with an episode about a man who made a joke on “Family Feud” about regretting marriage and was later convicted of murdering his wife.
Each episode in the series will cover a love story gone criminal, and its premiere covers a case that gained national attention, thanks to a resurfaced “Family Feud” clip. The man in the clip, Tim Bliefnick, made a joke about regretting saying “I do” at a wedding, although he professed to love his wife. However, Bliefnick was convicted of killing his wife, Becky, less than four years later, People reports.
What is ‘Bad Romance’?
“Bad Romance” is a new limited series hosted by ABC News contributor Ryan Smith. The series is slated to run for eight weeks, airing in the Monday night spot following “The Bachelor.”
Each episode of “Bad Romance” will feature a different true story that began with love and ended in crime. ABC reports the series will include “the twisted love triangle between a husband, wife and lover; the murder of an NFL star’s pregnant girlfriend; and the case of a man found guilty of murdering his wife by two separate juries.”
The series will air its first story of love turned sinister on Monday, Jan. 22, just weeks before Valentine’s Day. The series premiere, “Dangerous Game,” promises to tell the story of Becky Bliefnick, whose estranged husband, Tim, was convicted of her murder in 2023.
What happened to Becky Bliefnick?
Rebecca “Becky” Bliefnick was a 41-year-old nurse and mother of three who regularly volunteered at her children’s school and a local animal rescue, according to her obituary. She was found dead on Feb. 23, 2023, having been shot 14 times, NBC reports.
Investigators soon turned their focus to Becky’s estranged husband, Tim Bliefnick, as the two had been embroiled in a tumultuous divorce. According to NBC, the two had each tried to take out restraining orders against the other, and Becky had accused Tim of emotional abuse.
Tim’s lawyer told NBC there was no evidence of abuse in the marriage and that Tim denied any role in Becky’s murder. However, prosecutors alleged Tim had grown angry with Becky during the divorce proceedings and had murdered her after seeing another man’s car outside her house, per People.
Where is Tim Bliefnick now?
Tim Bliefnick was convicted of killing Becky Bliefnick in August 2023 and was sentenced to life in prison, per NBC. Tim has maintained his innocence and has appeared on several television shows featuring his case, including NBC’s “Dateline” and CBS’s “48 Hours.”
Bliefnick remains behind bars at Graham Correctional Center in Illinois, KHQA reports. His original sentence makes him ineligible for parole, meaning he is expected to spend the rest of his life in prison.
Where to watch ‘Bad Romance’
“Bad Romance” premieres on ABC at 8 p.m. MST and will be available for streaming later on Hulu.