Murdered Illinois nurse Becky Bliefnick buried

Friends and family gathered at an Illinois church on Friday to mourn the loss of Becky Bliefnick, the award-winning nurse and mother of three who has been described as a selfless and passionate police officer found shot at her house last week.

After pictures showed her estranged husband Timothy Bliefnick at home before the end of Friday’s funeral, his family told Fox News Digital that he was indeed present during the service, although he was seated separately from the couple’s sons, who are on were on the maternal side of the family.

“I was present briefly at the visit (on Thursday night) to pay my respects to my sons and then left to avoid distracting while the boys stayed with the family at their parents’ request,” he told Fox News Digital through his Attorney. “I asked her parents if they could attend the funeral service and they said I could. The boys sat with them while I sat with other members of my family.”

The couple’s three young sons have lived with their father ever since the shoot, according to his attorney Casey Schnack. The parents lived a mile apart and were going through a divorce.

ILLINOIS NURSE REBECCA BLIEFNICK SHOOTED, COPS SEARCH ALIEN HUSBAND’S HOME

“Out of respect, Tim is giving the Postle family space to grieve together,” his attorney Casey Schnack previously told Fox News Digital. “His presence today would have been a distraction from what mattered most – honoring and celebrating the life of Becky.”

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“Tim worked with Mr. Postle [his father-in-law] to make sure the boys have enough time with their family,” she added.

Quincy Police said they found Rebecca Bernadette Postle Bliefnick, a 41-year-old nurse and mother of three. died from multiple gunshot wounds at her home on February 23.

They served a search warrant at her husband’s home, a mile from hers, on Thursday morning, but no arrests have been made and police have not publicly identified any suspects.

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Her family gathered for a funeral Mass in St. Peter’s Church in Quincy on Friday morning, the day after her husband attended the wake with their sons in tow.

By all accounts, Bliefnick was selfless in her healthcare profession and her devout Catholic faith.

In July 2020, she received honors from the Daisy Foundation after helping a woman whose husband was en route to emergency surgery for gangrene and sepsis.

Because of the coronavirus pandemicthe wife had not been allowed to stay with her husband when they first arrived at the emergency room, which she said would be “on and off day”.

However, after some tests, he called her and asked her to come immediately.

“When I got to his room in the ER, it was empty,” the Daisy Foundation woman said. “I lost my composure and started crying. All I could think about was maybe I’ll never see him again.”

But Bliefnick told her not to worry, jogged her down the hall and helped her catch up with her husband before he went to the surgeon’s room.

“I had to kiss him and tell him how much I loved him because of Becky,” she said. “There are no words to express how grateful I am to her for what she has done for me and my husband.”

Police served a search warrant at her husband’s home on Monday. They briefly detained him during the search, but made no arrests on the case.

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Schnack said earlier this week that the search was an important step in excluding her client. His focus, she added, is entirely on the couple’s three sons.

In addition, the police made it clear that they had not asked the prosecutor for an arrest warrant after the search.

“During a criminal investigation It is not uncommon to receive and serve numerous search warrants for a variety of reasons,” police said. “Search warrants are a normal part of the investigative process.”

Police are asking anyone with information about the case to call them directly at 217-228-4470 or anonymously through the Quincy Regional Crime Stoppers at 217-228-4474.

“Additional information will be released when we are able and when it is appropriate to do so,” police said. “It is important to remember that all persons are innocent until proven guilty in court.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated with a statement from Tim Bliefnick.