'Family Feud' Contestant Found Guilty of Murdering Estranged Wife
The former "Family Feud" contestant, who joked he regretted getting married on the show, has been found guilty of murdering his then-estranged wife -- after her sister testified the victim previously said she was worried her husband would harm her.
Timothy Bliefnick was convicted Wednesday of first-degree murder and home invasion following a nearly week-long trial in Illinois.
You'll recall, Becky Bliefnick was found dead inside her home back in February -- and her estranged husband was charged with breaking into her home and shooting her multiple times. The former couple was living apart at the time, and in the process of divorcing.
Perhaps the most sinister testimony came when Becky's sister took the stand, and said Becky worried [Timothy] might harm her, as they fought over custody of their 3 kids.
The sister said Becky texted her in 2021, saying ... "If something ever happens to me, make sure the No. 1 person of interest is Tim."
As we previously reported, Bliefnick had joked back in 2019 -- while on "Family Feud" -- that the biggest mistake he made at his wedding was saying "I do."
His sentencing is set for August where he faces life in prison.
related articles
Lil Durk Supports Homeless Fan Playing His Vid ... Here's 30 Days Room & Board!!!
Lil Durk is expected to pull in big numbers with his new "Already Healed" album, and he's taking time out to assist a fan who helped spread awareness of the music ... despite not having a proper roof to blast the tunes!!!
On Thursday, a video surfaced of Durk linking up with L.A. resident Pedro Ramirez, a homeless man who went viral on TikTok for playing Durk and J. Cole's "All My Life" video from inside his tent on a big-screen projector.
Durk thanked Pedro for pumping the music and blessed him with a hotel room for 30 days, a phone, a gift card, and some spending money for being an OTF loyalist.
Earlier in May, Pedro talked to FOX 11 news, and explained how he uses a personal generator to power his projector, and recharges at a nearby Metro station.
Pedro says he's been living on the streets for 2 years and chooses his tent setup over L.A.'s assisted living programs, which he claims treat people like prisoners.
"All My Life" peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and still sits in the Top 10 at No. 7. So, yeah ... Durk's got good reasons to thank Pedro!!!
related articles
NYC Police Report Filed ... After Man Allegedly Pulls Woman's Wig Off
-
Exclusive
- 679 shares
The woman who claims a man pulled her wig off for no apparent reason in the streets of NYC has now gone to the police for help, filing a report in a bid for justice.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ an official complaint was filed Sunday with the NYPD by a local artist named Lizzy Ashliegh, who's Black. We're told the crime alleged is misdemeanor assault ... and that Ashliegh is claiming to have suffered a minor injury to her neck.
Our sources tell us Ashliegh declined medical attention when she filed the report -- although, she claimed on social media she's seen a doctor -- and that her report triggered an investigation. We're told Lizzy identified a man named Anthony Orlich -- a lawyer whose law firm has since said he is no longer employed with the firm following the alleged incident.
Ashliegh posted a video that she claims showed the aftermath of the alleged incident, which went viral. You see her repeatedly ask the man why he snatched her wig off, this as she holds the blue-green wig in her hands.
Other guys in the clip -- who are reported to have been friends of Orlich -- were also trying to get him to apologize for it ... to no avail. The internet was up in arms about it too -- especially because he's white and Ashliegh's Black.
Orlich hasn't publicly commented on the allegations.
related articles
MMA Fighter Mike Dragich Wrestles 10-Foot Alligator ... Wild Scene Outside FL School!!!
-
Exclusive Details
- 118 shares
7:26 AM PT -- TMZ Sports just spoke with Mike Dragich about the gator fight ... and he told us, thankfully, no one suffered any injuries.
He added that the gator is now set to be "harvested" following its capture ... and the local community will enjoy a nice cookout soon.
MMA fighter Mike Dragich is used to squaring up against proverbial beasts inside of a cage, but last month, he got to go up against a literal one -- wrestling a 10-foot alligator away from onlookers ... and the wild scene was all captured on video!!!
The crazy matchup happened outside of an elementary school in Jacksonville ... when Dragich -- a 33-year-old amateur fighter and licensed gator trapper -- was summoned to help Florida fire and rescue officials wrangle a giant reptile away from a campus full of students.
You can see in footage that Dragich posted to his social media page, he didn't look nervous about the upcoming fight at all ... strolling up to the gator in a cut-sleeve shirt and tight pants.
Video shows Dragich tried to grab the alligator by its tail multiple times ... but the animal wasn't budging.
Finally, Dragich was able to hook its head with a catch pole ... but the alligator didn't go down easily, causing a group of spectators nearby to scream with fear.
It rolled multiple times in an effort to break free from Dragich ... though, eventually, the man was able to corral it with the help of JFRD responders.
After the battle, the gator wrangler told Fox 35 Orlando, "I felt like Batman, for real."
"A lot of fighters will understand that uh, when you go to the cage, you're nervous but once that cage door closes, you gotta be focused and honestly that's what I remembered from that night," Dragich said.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
The mixed martial artist is no stranger to these kinds of situations, in addition to taking multiple fights in his career ... he's also taken down a bunch of gators over the years too, showcasing many of his conquests in videos on his IG page.
Of course, he's far from the first notable figure to get in brawls with scary creatures -- UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov gained fame for wrestling bears regularly. And, who could forget Chuck Norris' own tilt with a bear?!?
Begs the question, what's crazier ... fighting a gator, or a bear???
Originally Published -- 6:38 AM PT
related articles
Crazy Chicago Crooks Rob People At Gunpoint ... Caught On Camera
A brazen gunpoint robbery in broad daylight was captured on dramatic video -- kicking off another crime-filled day in the Windy City.
Check out footage, obtained by NBC Chicago, which shows the gun-wielding thieves in masks approaching several people outside a house at sunrise this past weekend.
The criminals ordered one guy to the ground and rifled his pockets for money. They also frisked two other men to steal whatever they had before fleeing. What's scary ... the suspects pointed their firearms directly at the victims throughout the whole ordeal.
CBS Chicago interviewed Vincent Galena Jr. whose dad was one of the victims. Galena said his father, Vincent Sr., blocked a doorway to protect family members who were sleeping inside their home.
Galena also said Vincent Sr. was ready to "fight back" if the gunmen tried to force their way inside the house.
Vincent Sr. was robbed of his money to buy construction tools and lost an entire day's pay, Galena added.
NBC Chicago said the theft was just the latest in a string allegedly committed by the same group of bandits.
Police believe the suspects have been targeting people on their way to work and were responsible for 10 other robberies that same day.
related articles
GA Car Wreck Car Catapults Through Air After Hitting Tow Truck Ramp
A scene straight out of 'Fast and the Furious' unfolded on the side of a busy highway ... as a distracted driver hit a tow truck ramp and hurled through the air.
The insane video was captured on body cam from May 24 along Highway 84 in Southern GA. Officials from the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office were on scene for a crash that had happened just minutes earlier ... but things quickly turn from bad to worse.
You see two other vehicles traveling down the highway on the same side a tow truck is parked and waiting to load up another busted ride. Clearly not paying attention, one of the new drivers hits the tow truck's ramp ... and goes flying through the air.
Debris shoots everywhere, and officers rush over to the car while requesting EMS.
The driver in the car that hit the ramp was reportedly hospitalized with serious injuries. It's unclear if the driver will face any charges for driving in the lane next to the shoulder while emergency vehicles were stopped.
related articles
Island Boys We've Never Even Met Jeffrey Epstein ... Kids In Viral Photo Aren't Us
-
Exclusive
- 285 shares
The Island Boys are setting the record straight on a rumor swirling around the internet ... they say they are NOT the kids who took a photo with Jeffrey Epstein back in the day.
Here's the deal ... an old photo showing Epstein posing on a tropical beach with four young kids recently resurfaced online, with lots of folks claiming the kids flanking JE were the Island Boys.
Flyysoulja tells TMZ … he and his twin brother Kodiyakredd have seen the viral photo but the kids in the image are NOT them.
There's speculation the photo was snapped on one of Epstein's private islands in the Caribbean, and Flyysoulja says he and his brother never left Florida until they were 18, and the photo doesn't look like it's from their home state.
What's more, Flyysoulja says he looked exactly like his fraternal twin when they were growing up ... meaning they didn't have different colored hair like the boys in the Epstein photo.
Flyysoulja also points out that the boys in the photo appear to be Caucasian, while the Island Boys are Cuban.
Sorry conspiracy theorists, Flyysoulja says the Island Boys never met Epstein and they didn't even know who he was until he was in the news for being accused of horrific sex crimes.
related articles
DOLLAR STORE TAKEDOWN I WAS FIRED AFTER HITTING ALLEGED THIEF WITH MY CAR
-
Exclusive
- 1.9K shares
The Dollar General cashier who took down an alleged shoplifter with her car says she's been fired after footage of the incident went viral.
The ex-Dollar General employee in the wild video is Jessie Sotto and she tells TMZ ... she's upset about her firing because she loved her job, and thought she was a good cashier who had her former employer's best interests at heart.
Jessie, who was a criminal justice major in college, says the alleged shoplifter had been a known problem at her Fresno, CA store ... ignoring prior warnings to stop stealing. She says she'd finally had enough, and decided to take matters into her own hands.
As we reported ... doorbell footage shows Jessie smashing her car into the alleged shoplifter while he was riding a bike down a residential street, with the crash scattering the alleged stolen items all over someone's front yard.
The incident went down earlier this month, and Jessie says once the video was on the internet she was canned.
Jessie claims the guy walked out with flowers, chips, donuts, bread, cheese, bologna and other items without paying ... and says she chased him down and asked him to give the stuff back. When he refused and called her a "bitch," Jessie says she tried to stop him with her car.
The guy in the video threatened to press charges against Jessie, but she says she hasn't seen or heard from him and police tell us they responded to the scene but the guy was nowhere to be found so no report was taken.
The frustration in her voice is clear ... and Jessie is now working for DoorDash.
related articles
Elizabeth Holmes Starts Serving 11-Year Prison Term ... Jen Shah In Same Facility
-
Exclusive
- 460 shares
It's the end of the road for Elizabeth Holmes now that she's behind bars, and one of the reporters who covered her rise and fall at Theranos has some strong thoughts on her saga.
Ken Auletta, who first profiled Elizabeth for the New Yorker way back in 2014 when she was just getting her company started, joined us on "TMZ Live" Tuesday and told us why he hopes her story sparks change in Silicon Valley.
What's more, Ken thinks Elizabeth tried to use her young children to get a lighter sentence ... calling her a "very self-centered individual" and questioning her decision to have kids despite knowing she would be in prison for a good chunk of their early lives.
Elizabeth Holmes has traded in her customary black turtlenecks for prison fatigues ... 'cause she just surrendered to authorities at a federal lockup.
The disgraced former Theranos CEO arrived Tuesday at the Federal Prison Camp in Bryan, Texas, where she will serve her 11-year sentence after her 2022 conviction on four counts of wire fraud and conspiracy resulting from her phony blood testing scheme. She made several requests to stay free while appealing her conviction, but the judge denied her each time.
During her incarceration, Holmes will be far apart from her family ... making the prison experience that much harder.
'RHOSLC' Star Jen Shah Fears for Her Safety After Prison Photos Leak
Her husband, William Evans, lives in California with their 1-year-old son and 3-month-old daughter, which could make visiting Holmes a challenge.
On the flip side, Holmes will be in close proximity to another familiar face ... "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star Jen Shah is serving her 6.5-year sentence at the same facility for running a fraudulent telemarketing enterprise. The two will have plenty of time to get to know each other.
As we reported, Holmes was indicted for telling investors her company -- Theranos -- created a one-of-a-kind machine to streamline a full range of clinical tests using blood samples. But, her promise of conducting cheaper and easier blood testing was all just a ruse to get her investors to hand over hundreds of millions of dollars. A judge has ordered Holmes to pay $452 million in restitution to the victims of her scam.
Originally Published -- 10:42 AM PT
related articles
Bahamas Nightmare Vid Shows Chaos After Teen Jumps from Cruise ... Search Called Off
A multi-day search for a Louisiana teen who jumped from a sunset cruise in the Bahamas has come to its tragic end -- and the last known sighting of him was caught on harrowing video.
Footage has surfaced showing 18-year-old Cameron Robbins -- who'd just graduated high school in Baton Rouge -- swimming in the open seas at night near Athol Island last week ... where he was on a sunset cruise with a bunch of his peers celebrating their achievement.
Word is Cameron went overboard on his own accord, and not just that -- but, apparently, it was on a dare. In the clip, you can kinda tell his buddies were getting a kick out of it.
That is until he vanished behind the boat and out of view of everyone, who began screaming at him to grab a life preserver that'd been thrown to him -- which was pretty far away, and he didn't end up reaching it. Once he disappeared, everyone began to panic.
Since he went missing, a multi-day search was undertaken by both Bahamian authorities and the U.S. Coast Guard -- but Robbins was never found, and the search has now been called off after several unsuccessful days of scouring the area for any sign of him.
It sounds like Cameron is presumed dead, as the Coast Guard issued a statement saying ... "We offer our sincerest condolences to Cameron Robbins' family and friends." His family flew into the Bahamas last week, and prayer vigils have been held for him for a few days now.
His family has also spoken out ... "The Bahamas government has called off the rescue for Cameron and we are returning to Baton Rouge. We want to thank the Bahamas government, the U.S. Coast Guard, the United Cajun Navy, and Congressman Garrett Graves for everything they have done for us. In this time of grief, we thank our family, friends, and well-wishers for granting us the privacy we need to properly remember our son and mourn his loss."
RIP
related articles
Brazil Beauty Pageant 2nd Place Winner's Hubby Goes Berserk ... Smashes Crown On Stage In Crazy Vid!
The husband of a recent beauty pageant contestant was in an all-out rage after his wife was named the runner-up ... rushing the stage and chucking the winner's crown on the floor!!!
Here's the deal -- Emannuelly Belini, representing Várzea Grande, was being crowned at Brazil's Miss Gay Mato Grosso 2023 on Saturday when the husband of 2nd place-winner Nathally Becker rushed on stage with some obvious qualms.
Check out the insane clip ... the husband grabs the crown just as it's being placed on Belini's head and slams it on the floor! As folks are in pure shock, he throws it down again before trying to walk off with his wife -- ultimately getting stopped by security.
The event put out a statement after the sore loser incident -- reiterating that Belini was indeed deemed the winner of this year's event, while also condemning the actions of Becker's hubby ... claiming the org's camp will be taking appropriate legal action after the ordeal.
Looks like someone took "#1 fan" a little too far.
related articles
Insane Bus Shootout Driver, Passenger Exchange Gunfire ... Caught On Video
A North Carolina bus driver got into a shootout with a passenger while traveling along a designated route ... and the violent encounter was caught on video.
David Fullard was behind the wheel of a Charlotte Area Transit System bus when Omarri Tobias approached and asked to be let off between stops. The two began to argue after Fullard said Tobias would have to wait until the next stop, prompting each to whip out guns.
Check out surveillance footage from inside the bus, which shows the men aiming their firearms at one another and squeezing off shots at close range.
Tobias was hit in the stomach, but he managed to crawl to the back of the bus. Fullard, who was struck in the arm, stopped the bus and continued to fire at Tobias. But, Tobias was able to slither out the side door to safety.
Both men were treated for their injuries and expected to make a full recovery. Two other passengers aboard the bus were unharmed.
Charlotte Mecklenburg Police arrested Tobias and charged him with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injuries, communicating threats and carrying a concealed firearm.
Fullard has not been criminally charged ... but he was fired by RATP Dev, which employs transit system bus drivers in the region.
The Charlotte Area Transit System said Fullard failed to follow proper procedure, explaining he should have de-escalated the situation by allowing Tobias to exit the bus before arriving at the next stop.
Fullard's attorney said his client was a dedicated, 19-year employee and called for enhanced security measures for all bus drivers following the May 18 shootout.
related articles
Jane Fonda at Cannes Throws Palme d'Or Scroll at Winner ... You Forgot Your Accolades!!!
Jane Fonda isn't chasing award show glory anymore, and she certainly wasn't about to chase the winner of one France's after a director took top honors ... see for yourself.
The actress was on hand Saturday at Cannes, where the the Palme d'Or was awarded to French filmmaker Justine Triet for her flick, 'Anatomy of a Fall' -- with JF announcing her as the winner and there to give her the actual prize ... a scroll/certificate with her name on it.
Ok donc la vraie Queen c’est Jane Fonda pic.twitter.com/cFZwv0Akmq
— andrzej 🇵🇱🇫🇷🇪🇺 (@andzejkra) May 27, 2023 @andzejkra
Watch ... after Triet accepted the award and gave a heartfelt speech, she started heading back to the nearby bleachers onstage where the rest of her team was, as she was prepared to give a round of hugs. Only problem -- she forgot the actual award at the podium!
Jane was right on it, grabbing the certificate and briefly running after Triet to flag her down so she could take her paper hardware with her, but it doesn't look Triet heard her at all.
Merci à Jane Fonda qui lance dans le dos de Justine Triet, son prix oublié sur le pupitre après son discours politisée.
— Seb ! 🇪🇺 🇫🇷 🇧🇪 🇳🇱 🇺🇦 (@seb_a_volonte) May 27, 2023 @seb_a_volonte
pic.twitter.com/3Pf79L4lEw
After quickly realizing it was a lost cause and that Triet wasn't coming back for it anytime soon, Jane stopped in her tracks and chucked the thing at her ... and it made contact. 😅
Everyone in the audience saw it, and the moment was actually captured as part of the broadcast. Funny enough, a gent standing right there picked it up and also tried to giving it to Triet -- but even he was unsuccessful in getting it back to her. She was in the zone!
Le plus beau discours du #FestivaldeCannes. Celui que l’on retiendra, celui de Jane Fonda, l’intelligence au service de l’exception cultuelle française et du 7e Art. Merci pour la grandeur du message. pic.twitter.com/DgnXKYOTWu
— Laurent Dogrel (@laurentdogrel) May 27, 2023 @laurentdogrel
No harm, no foul -- the certificate is as light as a feather and it doesn't appear she even felt it hit her back when Jane threw it at her. All in all, it was hilarious ... and oh so very Jane.
On a more serious note, her speech about female directors at Cannes was moving ... and also very Jane. Congrats on the big win -- if you care about it, we mean. Take it or leave it.
related articles
Selena Gomez Chews Out Security at Beyoncé Concert ... Another Fan Fail???
Selena Gomez was caught on camera yelling at a security guard while heading into a Beyoncé concert this week -- and it certainly has strong echoes of Taylor Swift.
The pop star/actress was one of several stars who hit up Bey's show in Paris Friday -- just one of many stops on her Renaissance tour -- and while she was crossing the main stage area ... you can see she had a heated confrontation with one of the dudes trailing her.
🚨 Selena Gomez ce soir à Paris, lors du concert de Beyoncé au Stade de France ! 🎤 pic.twitter.com/SFpLcYTCFs
— GOSSIP ROOM (@GossipRoomOff) May 26, 2023 @GossipRoomOff
He's with security, no doubt, and it seems he might've done something to piss Selena off -- 'cause she was definitely chewing him out. You can see he comes over closer to talk to her and then points in another direction. As for what this was about ... there are some theories.
Some on social media are claiming the bodyguard -- who was seen following Selena at other points in the show, leading sleuths to believe he might actually work for her personally -- aggressively shut down a fan who was trying to reach/talk to Selena as she was passing by.
The gays went crazy over Selena Gomez at Beyoncé’s concert in Paris tonight.#Beyonce #RenaisanceWorldTour #RenaisanceWorldTourParis #selenagomez pic.twitter.com/pjAtzZx9ep
— João Ramos ⚔️ (@itsjoaoramos) May 26, 2023 @itsjoaoramos
There's no evidence of that from what we can see, but it's plausible -- she was getting pretty close to the front row crowd as she was heading to her VIP area ... and was even high-fiving several along the way. Maybe somebody got a little too handsy past the barricade.
There's one video circulating that purports to show a group of people attempting to mob her on the stadium floor ... but, to be honest, it's hard to make out what's what in the clip.
I mean she was getting mobbed and security were shoving people violently let’s stop policing everything Selena Gomez doing 🙏pic.twitter.com/DeO5o7JTEy https://t.co/yEPK6lfMBP
— ᴍᴏ (@starsbIeedin) May 26, 2023 @starsbIeedin
Of course, right on cue, there are some haters who are criticizing SG over this -- suggesting she overreacted to a tactic used in her best interest -- and others who are praising her. But, again, nobody seems to actually know what this was all about -- it's pure speculation.
Now, if there's any truth to the security/fan story ... you'd naturally compare it to what Taylor recently did at one of her shows -- where she stuck up for a concertgoer who had a run-in with security down on the floor. That incident was much easier to parse, though.
Regardless of what went down, one thing is clear ... the biggest stars sure aren't afraid to speak up if they feel like something's off -- that much we've seen in spades lately.
related articles
Target Pride Controversy Bomb Threat from Angry LGBTQ+ Ally ... Deemed a Hoax
Reports of bomb threats made to several Target stores over three different states have now been classified as a hoax -- and it seems someone was trying to plant a false flag.
Target locations in Utah, Ohio and Pennsylvania -- spanning the greater Cleveland, Salt Lake City and Pittsburgh areas -- reportedly received correspondence Friday threatening to blow up several sites ... and all the emails sent referenced the Pride Month display controversy.
At first, it seemed the threats were coming from folks boycotting Target for supporting Pride Month -- but, Cleveland 19 News published a screenshot of the email in question, and it actually appeared to come from an LGBTQ+ ally angry about Target's decision to back down.
The note -- which was sent by someone named Alsan Akhmedov -- reads in part, "Target is full of cowards who turned their back on the LGBT community and decided to cater to the homophobic right wing redneck bigots who protested and vandalized their store."
It continues, "We won't stand idly by as the far right continues to hunt us down. We are sending you a message, we placed a bomb in the following targets." Four Targets in OH and one in PA were referenced ... the Utah stores were not mentioned in this specific message.
All of those stores -- plus some in Utah, which also received bomb threats -- were evacuated ... but after preliminary investigations, cops are now saying this whole thing is fake.
Some law enforcement agencies have reportedly said the email looks to have originated from overseas, and that there was no credible threat upon inspection at the Targets mentioned. Cops in Utah -- where the stores also appear to have been sent a similar email -- said the same thing ... calling the bomb threats "bogus." In other words, disinformation.
As you know, Target has opted to yank some of its Pride merch amid the ongoing backlash.
related articles
Asiana Airlines Mid-Air Terror Passenger Opens Emergency Exit Door
It was as terrifying as it gets on a flight over South Korea Friday ... after a passenger opened an emergency exit door mid-flight ... triggering chaos and fear in the cabin.
An Asiana Airlines Airbus was cruising high during its 1-hour flight when a passenger somehow was able to open the emergency exit just behind the wing. Other passengers tried to thwart the effort but failed.
The plane -- which normally cruises at around 500 MPH -- became a wind tunnel inside the cabin, and the video graphically shows the force of the gusts that enveloped the 194 passengers.
The plane landed safely and the passenger who opened the door was taken into custody. The motive is unclear.
Miraculously, none of the passengers suffered any injuries -- however, some were taken to the hospital for observation.
Unreal.