Quincy, Illinois –
A former contestant on the long-running video game show Family Feud has been charged with first-degree murder and burglary in western Illinois for the murder of his estranged wife.
Timothy Briefnick, 39, pleaded not guilty to arraignment Friday afternoon in Adams County Circuit Court in Quincy, according to court records.
Bliefnick was indicted Thursday by a county grand jury, KHQA-TV reported.
The body of 41-year-old Rebecca Briefnick was found inside Quincy’s home by her family after she failed to pick up the children from school. She had been shot many times.
Timothy Briefnick was arrested on March 13th. His Quincy home was searched by him on March 1st.
The couple have separated and are in the process of divorcing, the TV station reported from court records.
A restraining order was filed against Timothy Briefnick, and he also filed an order against his estranged wife.
In 2020, Timothy Briefnick and some of his family members appeared on ABC’s “Family Feud,” reported KHQA.
One of the questions from host Steve Harvey was, “What was the biggest mistake you made at your wedding?” Briefnick replied, “Yes.” He immediately told Harvey, “Not what I say, not what I say. I love my wife.” He also said, “That’s a problem.” Harvey replied, “You’re going to have a hard time paying for it at your house.”Bliefnick’s answer was his second, with 20 out of 100 saying the same thing. The number one answer out of the 30 questions was “I’m exhausted.”
A status meeting was held on April 12th, and a motion hearing is scheduled for April 20th.
The Associated Press left a message for Timothy Bliefnick on Friday afternoon seeking comment.
