Justice for Sheila? | Full Episode | Forensic Files

48 hours we take you there [Music] it's a terrible crime we've been reporting on from the start
Sheila belush was a proud mother of six including quadruplets we got four so we just filmed four times
black here then for no apparent reason she was murdered in Cold Blood to kill that little girl in front of those
babies how could he do that there were Clues everywhere we have obtained a first degree murder warrant the gunman
was quickly hunted down then this man was convicted for his role in The Conspiracy when she rebellious
ex-husband Alan black going involved in her death but authorities were still after the suspected Mastermind
Sheila's ex-husband it was a nasty divorce the first person that came into my mind was Alan Blackthorne your father
now almost three years after the crime Sheila's wealthy ex-husband is on trial for murder Peter Van Sant investigators
Ellen did you want Sheila murdered never Pure Evil the dramatic final chapter of
a 48 Hours mystery I don't know if you've ever seen these pictures what you did to my wife will there be
Justice for Sheila [Music] this is the case we've been following closely since the start about the
terrible crime against a young woman who had so much to live for a mother of six
with quadruplets and two older children as well she was just making a new start for herself
the authorities were convinced that there had been a cold-blooded plot against this young mother
there were the telltale signs of murder For Hire they said so even though the suspected gunman was caught there was
always someone else suspected of being The Mastermind catching up with him would be a daunting task for
investigators the victim's family always feared that someone was getting away with murder Peter Van Sant reports now
on what could prove to be the final chapter in the search to find Justice for Sheila
Helen did you have anything to do with killing your wife it was a sight the family of murder
victim Sheila belich thought they would never see Alan Blackthorne Black Thorn you have
anything to say about this Sheila's billionaire ex-husband being led to court for his murder trial on charges he
allegedly arranged her brutal killing just months earlier Blackthorne a retired businessman was living the
country club life in San Antonio Texas all right please others had been convicted of Sheila belush's killing we
find it the defendant is guilty and although they had implicated Blackthorne in the 1997 murder for higher plot he
had never been arrested Alan did you want Sheila murdered never in no way I didn't want her murdered I didn't want
her hurt I didn't want anything in that nature to ever happen to her period despite blackthorne's denials Texas
authorities kept digging it was a murder case they couldn't let go because of who
had witnessed Sheila's violent death her four babies I don't understand how anybody in this face of the Earth could
do that Gene Smith is Sheila's mother I've spent so many nights crying over those children
because they were Sheila's angels she always said mama look at my angels we wanted a baby really bad and then we
got four so we're like we just filmed four times luckier those angels were Sheila's quadruplets whose birth made
Sheila and her new husband Jamie bellish local celebrities in San Antonio Francis
Anthony is named after my father the day their quads were born the Bellis quadruplets have turned this household
upside down baby care times four the updates on the bellish quads became a feature on local newscasts the first
week oh that was scary she would just sit with them all around her and just say look at my babies you know and it
was such a source of pride and joy for her going outside for the first time yes I'm
going home now life was good for Sheila she had come a long way from a bitter divorce and custody battle with her
ex-husband Alan Blackthorne it was a short marriage that wasn't good for either one of us it was a nasty divorce
it was a adversarial relationship always say hi Danny when the quads were nearly two a b c d e f g Jamie a
pharmaceutical salesman was offered a promotion and the family moved to Sarasota Florida
Sheila had custody of her two daughters from her marriage to Blackthorne Daryl and Stevie now 16 years old people say
you're like your mother do you like that compliment I think that's best compliment you know I've ever gotten
but just two months after moving to Florida is it on yep should I make faces Stevie's warm-hearted mother became the
victim of a cold-blooded crime some days I just I can't stop crying you know because I keep thinking about November
7th November 7th 1997. the day started well I was actually running home from school I had some good
news news she was anxious to share with her mom I found out a guy that liked me was
going to ask me out so I was so excited and I had to run home and tell her that I was going to
sit by the phone all weekend I walk through the front door the first thing I really saw is uh the babies
[Music] crying that was the only noise I heard was babies crying and so I didn't understand you know how
she could just let them sit there and cry because she didn't do that I had done two circles around the house
trying to find her and kind of struck me to check the laundry room There Was You Know blood like all over
the floor there was blood everywhere even on the babies three of them had it like
streaked on them one of them had it in his hair it was their mother's blood I don't think it registered in my mind
that she was right at my feet you know I didn't believe it I looked at her at her face again
and and when I actually bent down and looked at it that's when I realized that she
was 10. hello hello hi this is the 911 Center what's the matter laughs [Laughter]
Janie rushed home to confront an unimaginable horror sometimes the whole experience is somewhat surreal and I
can't believe it's really going on [Applause] and he tried to comfort Stevie here's
Stevie I mean 13 year old girl comes home from school and finds her mother with a bullet
through her face and her throat cut it's gonna be tough for her do you think the babies somehow remember
oh sure they do hug Timothy I think he has a cognitive recollection of the murder
he says you know mommy had a bad boo-boo and a man did it the man who did it left a trail of Clues
at the murder scene a fingerprint a knife a bullet shell and that's not all the day of the murder neighbors saw a
suspicious man wearing combat fatigues on Mark Rich Road near the bellish home they saw a man wearing camouflage they
saw a man in a white car they saw a man with a Texas plate police tracked the out-of-state license plate number and
four days later we have obtained a first degree murder warrant charging Jose Luis
Del Toro Jr with a November 7th murder of Mrs bellish Jose Luis Del Toro a former High School football star is on
the Run launch a massive Manhunt for Del Toro in Florida Texas and Northern Mexico
[Music] The Savage crime becomes national news America's Most Wanted we've named him
our Public Enemy Number One and the cops are hoping you can help find him tonight
two weeks later Del Toro is arrested in Monterey Mexico police believe they have a strong case
against Del Toro there's his fingerprint found at the bellish's home a gun discovered inside del Toro's car was the
weapon used to shoot Sheila also found in del Toro's car incredibly were the directions to Sheila's house
but why was Sheila murdered the house wasn't robbed and police say Del Toro didn't know Sheila
Stevie belush had no doubt who was behind her mother's murder the first person that came into my mind
was Alan Blackthorne your father it's the only logical explanation I had for this but Alan Blackthorne was
playing golf at the time of Sheila's murder more than a thousand miles away in San Antonio
could he really be involved there is no evidence that I had any involvement in this whatsoever that's next thank you
hello ready happy birthday to you Courtney Bellis just turned three so did Frankie belich
Timmy belt their father Jamie bellish certainly has his hands full you know having quadruplets is pretty
easy when they're in the hospital the problem is when you bring them home that's when he gets tough
and it's even tougher for Jamie and the kids now because missing from this celebration
and from their lives is the quadruplets mother Sheila belush I don't think a day goes by when I don't
think about her big hug hug and a kiss Jamie bellish is also trying to cope with his wife's
murder there's days when I do great and there's days when I break down and cry but more than anything Jaime wants
Justice for Sheila I believe with all my heart that everyone involved in this crime will be eventually put behind bars
Joey Del Toro accused of killing Sheila is already behind bars in a Mexican jail
Sammy what message do you have for the embellish family today I said how you doing Texas police have also arrested
del Toro's cousin Sammy Gonzalez do you regret happened and a golf Hustler named Danny
Rocha all three men now Stand Accused of conspiring to kill Sheila belush none of
the suspects apparently knew Sheila but investigators quickly focused on someone
who did Sheila's ex-husband Alan Blackthorne he's evil Pure Evil Sheila's mother Gene Smith he's the only person
on the face of the Earth that ever hurt Sheila put your faces right next to each
other Sheila's younger sister Carrie says she heard Blackthorne threatened to kill Sheila he made the common show
would never leave me because she'd never see her children and she'd never leave her children and by chance she did get
the children I would just kill her you heard him say I heard him say that yes did you ever threaten
in front of Sheila's sisters to kill her if she were to ever leave you and take the girls no never
no threat of any kind period Alan you have been described by your enemies as evil insane manipulative
who are you well I'm a husband I'm a father um I'm a golfer Alan Blackthorne is a wealthy San
Antonio businessman who can afford to play a lot of golf maybe maybe oh he made his fortune
selling medical equipment play golf Monday through Friday play with my family on the weekends
Blackthorne lives in this million dollar mansion with his fourth wife and their two children we're a strong family my
wife is awesome my kids are great Alan can be very very Charming and it took me a long time to see the
real Allen was Sheila afraid of Alan yes Sheila's older sister Kathy says the real Alan
is a violent man shortly before she decided to leave Allen they had gotten into an argument
and he had pulled her hair and hit her in the face and busted her lip this 1987 San Antonio police report
backs up Kathy's claim Blackthorne was arrested and pled guilty for assault you don't deny that you physically abused
Sheila is that true I did I did hit her it was a very low point for me in my life I've never denied it but I struck
her once and that's all I ever struck her in 1987 after five years of marriage Sheila filed for divorce her ex-husband
was always dragging her into court some way or another it was a constant battle a battle that continued years after the
divorce this San Antonio police log shows that there were many family disturbance calls in the middle of all
this turmoil well do you like to barbecue I love it yeah girlfriend shoot the Met Jamie bellish I'm gonna drive
her home soon after they were married [Applause] Sheila's new start seemed complete when
Blackthorne finally gave up custody of his daughters Stevie and Daryl agreeing to have nothing to do with them
ever again Sheila Beatty she took him back to court because she wanted to get on with her life and
get away from him and she had gotten the girls something that he said would never
happen if she left him now free to leave San Antonio Jamie bellish accepted a job promotion in
Sarasota Florida and the family moved here it was a fresh start for the bellish family 1200 miles away from
Ellen Blackthorne two months later Sheila belush was dead when you heard that Sheila had been murdered
what did you think well at first it's disbelief and then it's horror and then it was like
he finally did it blackthorn's Alibi on the day of the murder checks out playing golf and who was his partner
that day a man named Danny Rocha was Sheila belush's ex-husband Alan Blackburn involved in her death the same
Danny Rocha who would stand trial for his role in the murder of Sheila Bella why would you hire someone to kill her
why would Danny Rocha who says he didn't know Sheila why would he get involved in
a plot to kill her if you didn't ask him to I don't have any idea I don't know what has gone on with Danny rocheck was
Alan black throwing a ball will Rocha linked Blackthorne to the murder of his ex-wife I don't think anybody believes
that I acted alone that's next foreign [Music] [Applause] months since Sheila belush was murdered
he fellas and his stepdaughter Stevie are heading to Sarasota Florida for the trial of one of the alleged conspirators
Danny Rocha Rocha is the man accused of organizing the murder plot and paying Joey Del Toro to kill Sheila belush I
want to make sure the sun is put in jail for the rest of his life so does Sarasota prosecutor Charlie Roberts good
afternoon this is a case ladies and gentlemen of a heinous murder Roberts is out to prove
that although Rocha didn't pull the trigger he's still guilty of first-degree murder this is a case of
the murder of a woman named Sheila belich who had her throat slashed and was shot in the face
would you please take your name Stevie bellish the trial will not be easy for Jamie Stevie or Sheila's mother
Gene Smith I have almost died over this the grief has been unbearable just comes
flooding back that the brutality of her murder it's so senseless not only do prosecutors want
Rocha they're hoping he will implicate the man they believe is The Mastermind behind the murder Sheila's ex-husband
Alan Blackthorne Danny roach is the key to this thing Henry Lee is a member of the prosecution team the only witness
that met with Alan Blackthorne have any comments sir that was involved in this conspiracy with Danny Rocha was Sheila
belush's ex-husband Alan black going involved in her death he was the one that could tell us what was actually
said how did this tragic event begin the defendant Daniel Rocha met a wealthy man named Alan Blackthorne he made it
obvious to me that he wanted something done Danny Rocha has never denied his involvement in the conspiracy but he
insists the plan never included murder just beat the hell out of her so that she couldn't take care of the kids no no
it wasn't it wasn't that Rocha who decided not to take the stand in his case did agree to speak to 48 Hours well
I'm at uh Alan Blackthorne just after the New Year of 96. we became friends we played golf quite a bit played golf and
gambled sometimes as much as seven thousand dollars a hole roaches says it was on the golf course that Alan
Blackthorne would complain to him that Sheila was physically abusing their two daughters Stevie and Daryl What
specifically did he ask you to do he asked me if I knew anybody that and at the time she was living in Bernie Texas
that would go to Bernie and um you know rough her up a little bit so Rocha who had never been arrested
agreed to find someone who had beat up Sheila I knew it was wrong but I thought it was helping
I thought it was helping two children but prosecutors say Rocha was out to help himself in a nutshell
the defendant would be set for life that Blackthorne was going to reward Rocha with a partnership in a new golf
course regardless of the reason Rocha called up his friend Sammy Gonzalez I said how you doing the third man
arrested in the murder conspiracy Gonzalez who cut his own deal with prosecutors is now testifying against
his friend Danny Rocha is it Court started saying that um this but if he said it has an ex-wife that he wanted to
get beat up did you ask him who the person was yes when I told him who's this person that was his ex-wife beat up
that's what he said Alan you recognized the name Alan Blackthorne yes Gonzalez says Rocha offered him four thousand
dollars to rough up Sheila he could persistent persistence you gave Sammy Gonzalez four thousand dollars in cash
where did you get the money from out from Ellen blocks right you gave Sammy Gonzalez one picture of Sheila right and
her address where did you get that information yeah so Alan Blackthorne was the Puppeteer
here sure I don't think anybody doubts that I mean I don't think anybody uh believes that I
acted alone why would Danny Rocha who says he didn't know Sheila why would he get involved in a plot to kill her if
you didn't ask him to I don't have any idea I don't know what has gone on with Danny Rocha he says
this was your idea to either scare or beat up Sheila Danny Rocha is a liar Gonzalez then recruited his cousin Joey
Del Toro to do the job athletic very quick very very powerful then according to prosecutors Del Toro got a gun described
to the jury what type of weapon it is a 45 Auto caliber and drove 1200 miles to Sarasota
120 Margaret where he shot Sheila in the face and slashed her throat the tip itself is bent all in front of
her four babies the area around her body there was a large amount of blood I didn't participate in that I didn't
realize that was going to happen in motion you said it I was a part of it if you had said to Alan Blackthorne no I
would be Sheila belush would be alive today that's correct you didn't pull the trigger Danny and I didn't know that
there was a trigger wheeled the knife but you all but opened the front door of the house and said go get her
um didn't you I don't even know how to answer that Peter Peter all right please the only verdict
members of the jury that the evidence supports and that Justice requires is guilty as charged on both counts
during his final statement prosecutor Charlie Roberts closed in on Danny Rocha would Frankie
Timmy Courtney Joey Devi and Daryl's mother still be alive today if it weren't for that man
over there five hours later the jury had the answer the defendant is guilty of principle to
murder in the first degree the defendant is guilty of conspiracy to commit murder in the third degree
for Jamie it was a Bittersweet victory Rocha will spend the rest of his life in prison
but Alan Blackthorne is still a free man something tells me deep down inside that Justice will be done in this case
how long is that going to take [Music] no statue limitations on murder coming up a dramatic Revelation as a
private investigator claims Alan Blackthorne hired him to find Sheila I saw the murder in the newspaper
and it was like Ice Water started to run through my veins because I'm sitting there putting
two and two together that's next [Music] four investigators trying to solve the murder of Sheila belush winning a
conviction against Danny Rocha in a murder-for-hire plot was no small feat but they were still a long way from
proving their Theory and capturing a much bigger prize pinning the crime on Alan Blackthorne millionaire businessman
Danny roaches ex-golfing buddy and Sheila belush's ex-husband for one thing unraveling the whole Twisted scheme
hinged largely on roaches credibility as a witness not exactly money in the bank
the authorities would have to do a lot more digging to prove that Alan Blackthorne was The Man Behind the
murder here again is Peter Van sand the 911 Center what's the matter you're part of all that I am I haven't
denied that who made you God Danny Rocha will spend the rest of his life in prison for his
part in the murder of Sheila belush now your life too is over a woman he never met
but the person he says wanted Sheila killed is still a free man why are you in prison and Alan
Blackthorne is still out playing golf that's that's a question you have to ask the state attorney's office I mean I I
can't arrest them based on the testimony in court why hasn't an arrest warrant been issued for Alan Blackthorne
the only witness that met with Alan Blackthorne that was involved in this conspiracy was Danny Rocha Sarasota
prosecutor Henry Lee the problem is we don't know what Rocha tells us is the truth he has told us so many different
things we don't know what to believe which is why building a case against Blackthorne based on roach's testimony
alone would be risky at best what is it going to take do you think what sort of break in order for you to move
on Alan Blackthorne we need some more evidence and we're looking for that our first involvement was a phone call
from Alan Blackthorne Chuck Chambers runs a private investigation agency near Sarasota hired by Blackthorne just weeks
before Sheila's murder that phone call came in requesting us to locate Sheila belush did you find Sheila yes we did
she was very hard to find now Chambers office wrote up this report after the call it lists blackthorne's name address
phone and Visa card number in the middle of the document it says Target James Jamie and Sheila belich once you've
found Sheila what did you do with the information we gave that directly to Alan Blackthorne
about the same time Danny roaches says he was given Sheila's address where did you get that information I'm from Alan
how did Danny Rocha get Sheila's address in Sarasota Florida oh I haven't got a clue I have no idea
Chuck Chambers claims that he gave you the address to Sheila's home Danny Rocha says he got Sheila's address
from you three weeks later she's murdered at her home it's like connect the dots isn't that a damning piece of
evidence against you I don't think so at all I had nothing to do with the death of Sheila belich
hey Frank where's your pants Jamie bellish has moved his family back to the small town in New Jersey where he grew
up Jamie never gives up hope that someday Blackthorne will be brought to Justice
good morning then an unexpected dramatic announcement in San Antonio Texas I've called this conference this morning to
announce the arrest of Alan Blackthorne on the charges of murder more than two years after Sheila's
murder a Federal grand jury indicts Blackthorne Alan do you have anything to say
it's nice that he's off the golf course it's nice that he's sitting in a cold dark cell but do prosecutors have enough
new evidence to put Blackthorne away for life I'm not going to go into all the specifics of the evidence at that time
we need to do that in a court of law coming up next the murder trial of Alan Blackthorne damn it I'm going to prove
myself innocent thank you ever since Sheila belush's body was found on November 7 1997 her ex-husband
has been a suspect in her murder you're accused of being responsible for your ex-wife's death what do you say and from
the beginning back of the attorney Blackthorne has maintained his innocence you can look me in the eye and say I had
nothing to do with this I had absolutely nothing to do with this period okay how
do you check now all right two and a half years after Sheila's death Alan do you have anything to say the murder
trial of Alan Blackthorne begins in San Antonio Texas this is really it I mean I've waited for this for so long and
finally the day was here the day was here that he was going to be tried for murder the month-long trial was held
here in federal court where no cameras are allowed prosecutors presented the jury with more than 400 pieces of
evidence they claimed linked Alan Blackthorne to the murder of his ex-wife it was really difficult for the jury it
was a complicated puzzle we had to piece it back together in order for it to make
a sense today only one person took to the stand and that one person was Daniel Rocha the chief witness against
Blackthorne was his old golfing buddy Danny Rocha I'm the only way they're going to get to Alan Blackthorne and
they know that oh okay already convicted and sentenced to life for his role in The Killing Rocha was the only member of
the murder conspiracy who had face-to-face contact with Blackthorne do you believe that Alan Blackthorne is
just as responsible for Sheila's murder as you are of course he's more responsible I was just helping a friend
I was just kind of passing this information on in three days of testimony Rocha fingered Blackthorne as
The Mastermind and financier of the murder plot but would the jury believe Rocha a man
who had lied to investigators in the past after his testimony I said thought to myself if this is second day of
testimony and no further questions stays in trouble we knew he lied we knew he had the capability of lying so we heard
what he said and we took certain statements and they had to be backed up by fat prosecutors set out to do just
that they portrayed Alan Blackthorne as a man so obsessed with his ex-wife Sheila he was willing to pay fifty
thousand dollars to have her badly beaten or killed all he needed was Sheila's new address
in Sarasota Witnesses were called to show that Blackthorne would stop at nothing to get it
Chuck Chambers took the stand Chuck when did Alan Blackthorne first get in touch
with you remember he was the Florida private investigator hired by Alan Blackthorne he was very precise in what
he wanted cold straightforward non-emotional finder I want her found another witness a former employee of
blackthorns testified that he asked her to come to this church in Sarasota where
Sheila belush attended Services Blackthorne told the woman to follow Sheila home and write down her address
[Applause] there was more the jury heard a series of recorded telephone conversations in
which Blackthorne posing as a bookie trying to be as discreet as I can be called a bail bonds company trying to
get Sheila's new address I'm not asking you to release any information to me all
I'm trying to find out is have they registered the address with you can you give me that information Blackthorne
didn't know that this company routinely recorded its phone calls and who am I thinking was just my first name oh my
name's Al and prosecutors say Blackthorn even lied to his own daughter Daryl to get Sheila's address she's like
oh I need I need the address and I'm like why do you need it and he's like because I'm going to come visit you this
Christmas and I'm gonna come see you and spend some time with you a promise that
Blackthorne couldn't possibly have kept since he had given up all parental rights to his daughters agreeing to have
nothing to do with them ever again what bothered me was he was so adamant about getting that address that he manipulated
his daughter and telling her I will visit you at Christmas which he knew full while he couldn't do
When Alan Blackthorne took the stand he testified that he wanted Sheila's address for a very different reason to
protect his daughters Blackthorne told the jurors that his girls were being physically abused by Sheila and Jamie he
kept saying that he loved his children so much and this is why he was involved in the whole case because because of his
children and children here and children there and evidence were presented to me that I didn't think he meant what he
said about his children jurors also had trouble with blackthorne's demeanor during his
testimony he was very mechanical he it was like it was very staged it was like he had been scripted the voice was
even killed never High never low never raised an eyebrow took direct air blinked barely I mean it was
very strange and the jurors say with all those phone calls to Florida there was one Blackthorne didn't make that
troubled them he didn't call and check on his kids are you okay did they get hurt did they were they hurt by the
killer despite all of this some jurors weren't convinced it added up to murder I wasn't sure that he had intended for
her to die I thought just the way it was done I thought well maybe he intended for her to get hurt we
will have a hung jury on this count before we feel we just are going along with it
we need to be absolutely sure coming up on 48 hours this jury has been deliberating for over a week now for
more than 30 hours the jury appears to be deadlocked you may feel like he's guilty he may look guilty but the
government has to show that he's guilty my biggest concern was the son of a was going to get off
that this son of a was going to walk that's next [Music] even to this day sometimes I go out to
that grave and I stand there and I go I still can't believe this is real more than two and a half years have passed
since Sheila belush was murdered in front of her four babies and for her husband Jamie I didn't know
what was going to happen the jury's deliberation in its fourth day felt like an eternity I was thinking we're headed
for a hung jury we need to be absolutely sure jurors had spent more than 30 hours
pouring over the evidence there were still a few that were undecided then we took another hour and we took another
hour and based on what was presented testimonial evidence became the decisions this is breaking news the verdict is
guilty guilty on both Federal counts I watched Ellen blackthorne's face as they read the verdict he sat there
stone-faced cold as could be had no expression whatsoever I jumped up and down and kept saying yes it was almost
like my team winning the Super Bowl but why did Alan Blackthorne a man who seemed to have it all a beautiful home a
beautiful wife and children paid to have Sheila murdered once she took those kids
out of the state he'd had it that was it he was just gonna he was just gonna kill
her because he that was those were his kids and he wasn't going to allow her to take advantage of him like that if he
didn't do it how did Rocha get the address unless Blackthorne gave Rocha the address the
chances that he could have got it otherwise were very slim so that eliminated uh most reasonable doubt he was blinded
by his hate he didn't think he was going to get cut he was a gambler a risk taker
he was down Blackthorne nothing was going to happen to him yeah and he felt that something happened
in my mind I'll find a way out of it I always have I always come on top on the same day Blackthorne was found guilty in
San Antonio all right in a Florida courtroom an incredibly dramatic moment what relationship were you to Sheila
Miller Sheila belush with my beloved wife sir for the first time Jamie bellish confronted Joy Del Toro the man who
actually shot Sheila in the face and cut her throat Mr Del Toro I don't know if you've ever seen these pictures what you
did to my wife I'd like to show them to your family does your family realize that when you
stab her in the neck that the blade of the knife bent on her spinal column you are a worthless coward with no remorse
in your heart your honor put this cowardly worthless animal in a cage or he can rot away moments later Joey Del
Toro was sentenced to life in prison with no chance ever for Pearl Jamie you're right I do deserve to die and I
am what you what you told me how would you set up me I am it was finally over everyone involved in the conspiracy to
murder Sheila belush including its Mastermind was now behind bars Alan Blackthorne will be sentenced to
life without parole in November it's satisfying for me satisfying for my entire family Sheila's entire family
including Sheila's mother Gene Smith can Sheila rest in peace now yes she's smiling today Sheila's smiling today but
for the babies the quads Justice for their mother comes with a terrible cost there's going to be recitals and there's
going to be graduations and there's going to be weddings where there's going to be an
empty place and there'll be an empty spot in their heart and as they grow up I'll I'll tell them
I'll tell them about her and what a wonderful woman she was for almost three years it appeared Alan
blackthorne's position of wealth and privilege might spare him from being held accountable for the murder of his
ex-wife the burden of proof on investigators was great in this circumstantial case it had
to be built slowly and painstakingly a case which always seemed to be in danger of collapsing
ultimately though with patience and persistence detectives and prosecutors got their man
Alan Blackthorne would not get away for the victims family there is now at least a measure of peace and closure
and there is Justice for Sheila [Music] [Music] thank you

In 1997 Sheila Bellush, a mother of six, was brutally murdered. Police arrested three men. But was her ex-husband, a millionaire businessman, behind the crime? "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant reports in this episode from September 2000. Watch more full episodes of "48 Hours" on Pluto TV.

True crime. Real justice. "48 Hours" investigates the most intriguing crime and justice cases that touch on all areas of the human experience including greed and passion. "48 Hours," which premiered in 1988, has developed a rich history of original reporting and impact journalism that has helped exonerate wrongly convicted people, caused cold cases to be reopened and solved, and along the way changed lives.

Brief Summary

Sheila Belush was murdered in 1997; her ex-husband Alan Blackthorne was implicated in the crime, leading to a dramatic trial and quest for justice.

Key points

The Murder of Sheila Belush. A proud mother of six, Sheila was brutally murdered in a cold-blooded plot.
Alan Blackthorne's Trial. Sheila's ex-husband faces trial for his alleged role in her murder.
The Aftermath of Tragedy. Sheila's family struggles with her loss and seeks justice.
Alan Blackthorne Arrested. More than two years after Sheila's murder, Alan Blackthorne is arrested for murder.
Guilty Verdict. The jury finds Alan Blackthorne guilty on both Federal counts after a lengthy deliberation.
Jamie Bellish Confronts Shooter. In a dramatic moment, Jamie Bellish confronts Joy Del Toro, the man who killed Sheila.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

I didn't want her hurt.

Alan Blackthorne's denial of wanting Sheila murdered.

3:21WatchOct 24, 2023

Tension

85/ 100High tension

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