Breaking News
July 23, 2023 | By J. Robert Gough, Publisher
QUINCY: Jack R. Blanke, who was given probation earlier this month after being caught in mid-coitus with a horse by Adams County Sheriff’s deputies is back in the Adams County Jail. At about 1 a.m. Sunday, deputies were dispatched to 5505 North Bottom Road regarding a suspicious person who had been captured on surveillance cameras…
Read Full Article July 18, 2023 | By MATTHEW HENDRICKSON, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois is set to become the first state in the nation to eliminate cash bail after the state Supreme Court justices ruled Tuesday that a landmark criminal justice reform law did not violate the state’s constitution.
Read Full Article July 17, 2023 | By Muddy River News
QUINCY — An Adams County jury took 2 hours and 45 minutes to find Bradley Yohn guilty of all six felony counts at a trial that lasted a week. Yohn was charged with home invasion, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated vehicular hijacking and aggravated criminal sexual assault with a weapon — all Class X felonies — that…
Read Full Article July 13, 2023 | By Mike Troup, Mayor, City of Quincy
Quincy Mayor Mike Troup has issued a statement that his office requested go to media as well as the Quincy City Council. The statement is below.
Read Full Article July 10, 2023 | By J. Robert Gough, Publisher
QUINCY – Before a packed Quincy City Council chambers, the city’s aldermen voted 7-6-1 that they had no longer had confidence in the administration of Mayor Mike Troup. While the unprecedented action has no real consequences, it sends a message that the city’s governing body hasn’t been pleased with the first two years of the…
Read Full Article July 7, 2023 | By Muddy River News
QUINCY – The proposed agenda for next week’s Quincy City Council meeting has an item that calls for aldermen to take a vote regarding their confidence in Mayor Mike Troup. At the July 3 meeting, the past and current presidents of the Quincy Police Benevolent and Protective Association Labor Unit 12, asked the council to…
Read Full Article June 9, 2023 | By Megan Duncan Muddy River News Correspondent
HANNIBAL, Mo. — Hannibal City Council members unanimously voted Tuesday not to retain Angel Zerbonia as city clerk. The vote was taken during a closed session meeting on Tuesday after the regularly scheduled City Council meeting. Zerbonia had been on paid administrative leave since November 2022 and under investigation by an independent third party since…
Read Full Article June 7, 2023 | By Muddy River News
BUSHNELL, Ill. — The Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation has arrested Davin M. Purden, 18, and Nicholas C. Lafary, 17, both of Bushnell, for first-degree murder. ISP investigators were asked June 2 to conduct a death investigation in the 600 block of Osbourne Street in Bushnell. During the investigation, Travis Purden, 43, was…
Read Full Article June 6, 2023 | By J. Robert Gough, Publisher
HANNIBAL, Mo. — In a letter addressed to Hannibal’s city council, city clerk and city manager, Mayor Jim Hark has tendered his resignation. The Hannibal City Council has its regularly scheduled meeting tonight at 7 p.m. at Hannibal City Hall. Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Mike Dobson will serve as the interim mayor until a…
Read Full Article June 2, 2023 | By J. Robert Gough, Publisher
MRN Publisher J. Robert Gough had a text conversation Friday morning with a juror who wished to remain anonymous as they didn’t know if any other jurors were or had been talking to the media. MRN: “Was there a first head count? Like 10 guilty, 2 not guilty? What was the feel of the room?…
Read Full Article May 31, 2023 | By J. Robert Gough, Publisher
QUINCY — Courtroom 2A in the Adams County Courthouse was a mixture of gasps, shrieks and tears as three guilty verdicts were read in the first degree murder trial of Tim Bliefnick late Wednesday afternoon. Becky Bliefnick was shot by her estranged husband on February 23. Her parents, sister and other family members filled two…
Read Full Article May 31, 2023 | By J. Robert Gough, Publisher
QUINCY — A jury of six men and six women found Tim Bliefnick guilty Wednesday on two counts of First Degree Murder and one count of Home Invasion in the Feb. 23 shooting death of his estranged wife Rebecca Bliefnick. The Adams County jury took 4 hours and 15 minutes to decide Bliefnick’s fate. Bliefnick…
Read Full Article May 30, 2023 | By Muddy River News
QUINCY — The woman involved in last week’s shooting in the 1100 block of Jefferson has died. Dana A. Lawton-Marshall, 47, was sitting on the front porch of a home in the 1100 block of Jefferson with another person. The investigation so far has determined that Lawton-Marshall played no part in this disturbance and was…
Read Full Article May 30, 2023 | By J. Robert Gough, Publisher
QUINCY — An Illinois State Police (ISP) ballistics expert with 26 years of experience testified that eight shell casings found by the slain body of Becky Bliefnick were fired by the same gun as 27 shell casings found in her estranged husband’s basement. Tim Bliefnick’s first-degree murder trial resumed Tuesday morning. He is accused of…
Read Full Article May 30, 2023 | By J. Robert Gough, Publisher
QUINCY — A former cross-fit partner of Becky Bliefnick’s testified Becky sent her Facebook messages in March 2022 saying she was nervous about how her divorce from Tim Bliefnick was going to turn out. Christine Mandel, who is from Quincy but now lives in California, worked with Becky Bliefnick at Q-Town CrossFit. Mandel was sobbing…
Read Full Article May 28, 2023 | By Muddy River News
HANNIBAL, Mo. — A Hannibal teenager was killed Saturday night in a crash three miles outside of Hannibal on Route M in Ralls County. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports a 2014 Nissan Pathfinder was westbound on Route M at 8:26 p.m. and travelled off the right side of the road. The vehicle returned to the…
Read Full Article May 25, 2023 | By J. Robert Gough, Publisher
QUINCY — Three members of the Quincy Police Department explained the evidence-gathering process that led to the arrest of Tim Bliefnick, who is charged with the Feb. 23 murder of his estranged wife, Becky Bliefnick. The fourth day of the murder trial was conducted in Adams County Circuit Court. The trial is scheduled to resume…
Read Full Article May 25, 2023 | By J. Robert Gough, Publisher
These videos are from the second day of testimony in the Tim Bliefnick murder trial. Two parts, morning and afternoon. Pool video: WGEM-TV. Pool photos: Matt Hopf, Herald-Whig
Read Full Article May 25, 2023 | By Muddy River News
FROM THE QUINCY POLICE DEPARTMENT: QUINCY — Just after 10 p.m. Wednesday, Quincy Police Department officers were dispatched to a report of shots fired in the 1100 Block of Jefferson. Upon arrival, officers located female victim, 47, who was taken to Blessing Hospital before being life-flighted to Springfield for treatment of injuries. This does not…
Read Full Article May 24, 2023 | By J. Robert Gough, Publisher
QUINCY — Tim Bliefnick filed for divorce from Becky Bliefnick in Jan. 2021. For the next two years, according to testimony in Adams County Circuit Court Wednesday morning, the two didn’t agree on very much, but it appeared the divorce might finally be getting close to final in late Feb. 2023 But Becky Bliefnick didn’t…
Read Full Article May 24, 2023 | By J. Robert Gough, Publisher
QUINCY — MRN Publisher Bob Gough and Editor David Adam will provide real time updates via social media. You can follow via Twitter @MuddyNews or on the Muddy River News Facebook page. As the trial breaks for lunch, Muddy River News will prepare a brief report on the morning’s happenings in the afternoon. Also, we will replay the morning’s…
Read Full Article May 22, 2023 | By J. Robert Gough, Publisher
QUINCY — A six-man and six-woman jury was selected Monday to hear testimony in Tim Bliefnick’s first-degree murder case beginning Tuesday. Bliefnick is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of home invasion in connection with the Feb. 23 shooting death of his estranged wife, Rebecca Bliefnick. Jury selection lasted about 8…
Read Full Article May 19, 2023 | By J. Robert Gough, Publisher
QUINCY — Jury selection begins Monday in the first-degree murder trial of Tim Bliefnick, who is accused of fatally shooting his estranged wife three months ago. Bliefnick and his attorney, Casey Schnack, appeared before Judge Robert Adrian along with Assistant State’s Attorneys Josh Jones and Laura Keck Friday morning. The attorneys confirmed no plea arrangements…
Read Full Article May 18, 2023 | By Muddy River News
QUINCY — Maureen Kahn, President/CEO of Blessing Health, has elected move up her retirement date earlier than previously announced. Kahn. will now retire effective July 1. Last November, she had announced she was retiring in October 2023. She will now remain as an executive consultant until October 6. Brian Canfield was announced as Kahn’s successor…
Read Full Article March 31, 2025
MUDDY RIVER GEMS: THE RELIC HUNTER
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