Naman Shrestha
In NBC’s ‘Dateline: Wrong Turns,’ the focus is on the chilling and mysterious murder of a 25-year-old father named Justin Hilbert in the summer of 2016. When another brutal killing took place a few weeks later, the police could not help but wonder if the two murder cases were connected and if the same perpetrator was responsible for both killings. The episode also features insightful interviews with the loved ones of the victims, highlighting the key details of the case and the impact that the tragedy caused.
Justin Hilbert Was Engaged to Be Married to the Mother of His Child
The day of August 23, 1990, is when Justin Kenneth Hilbert entered the world of Kenneth Hilbert and Cathy Hudson and filled their lives with joy. Growing up with his brother Jesse Cole Kirkendall and sisters Mallory Marie Hilbert and Danielle Marie Hudson, he was known to make others smile and laugh, earning himself the nickname “Buddy.” Described as having a contagious smile, Justin could light up any room with his mere presence. He also had a stepfather named Steven Hudson, with whom he shared an amicable bond. Always eager to help others, Justin even used to mow the lawns of the elderly in his neighborhood and carry out other necessary chores for them. When he had time to spare for himself, he listened to music, went to the beach, and rode motorcycles.
His visit to the beach also meant that he would bring home numerous seashells from the shore, which his parents put on a display case. Given his sharpness in mathematics, he became a licensed machinist in the aerospace industry. His joyous and caring personality, coupled with his ability to lift people’s spirits and make them laugh, is what made Tonya Reppe fall in love with him. When they realized they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together, Justin and Tonya got engaged, promising to navigate through life’s ups and downs as one unit. One thing led to another, and the two welcomed their own bundle of love in the form of their son, Logan.
Justin Hilbert’s Life Was Cut Short in a Brutal Incident in 2016
Along with being a responsible son, partner, and friend, Justin was a devoted father who wanted to do his best to ensure his son got all the best things in life. He had high hopes for his future and enrolled at the National Tooling and Machining Association Center in Ontario, where he was taking classes. He was working really hard to build a good life for his family. He doted on Tonya and their 6-month-old son and would drop by her place in Riverside every day after attending classes and working as a machinist to spend time with them.
Following the conclusion of his course in April 2016, Justin put all his focus on becoming a Military Weapons Designer and Mechanical Programmer. However, his dream remained unfulfilled as he was taken from this world on June 21, 2016. At 2:15 am that fateful morning, the police found the remains of a man near the intersection of La Sierra Avenue and Tin Mine Road. The exact spot of discovery was on the side of the road that lies near a reservoir south of Riverside. Post identification, the authorities theorized that the 25-year-old was badly beaten, stabbed, and shot in the face with a shotgun someplace else and that the killer/s moved him to the spot later.
The Killer’s Motive For Murder Was Jealousy
Upon launching the murder investigation, the authorities held interviews with Justin Hilbert’s family and friends in order to paint a clearer picture of his life around the time of his brutal killing. Soon after he was murdered, his fiancee, Tonya Reppe, proceeded to legally change her last name to Hilbert. Prior to being engaged to Justin, Tonya was married to a guy named Jared Bischoff, who was one of the people of interest in the murder case. During the interview with Tonya, the police learned that Jared’s girlfriend at the time, Bailey Sharp, had sent friend requests to the couple on Facebook and even exchanged a few texts with the victim via Snapchat.
About a week into the investigation, the detectives took a trip to the Naval Base San Diego to question the potential suspect, Jared Bischoff. He claimed that although he was in Riverside on June 20, he had left in the evening and returned to the base. Since there was no basis to place him under arrest, the police let him go. Later, the police would learn that in the summer of 2016, Jared was furious to learn that Tonya had moved on and gotten engaged to Justin, with whom she even had a child. Thus, motivated by jealousy and the desire to get back at her, he devised a plot to murder her and her new family.
A Key Witness Helped Crack the Case of Justin Hilbert’s Murder
When Jared offered to give Bailey a part of the military life insurance policy money that would come his way after Tonya’s death, she also agreed to help him in executing the plan. In order to carry out the deed without getting caught, he hired another man named Danny Serrano, offering him a portion of the payout as well. A few days before Justin’s murder, on June 17, 2016, Bailey, via Facebook, told Tonya that he had started doing drugs again and that he had been unfaithful to her. Although Justin denied both those allegations upon confrontation, he admitted that Bailey had met him recently and offered to cut him in on a drug deal.
This led to an argument between the couple, which was resolved when Tonya convinced Justin not to get involved in the drug business. After he left for the night, Bailey texted Tonya and asked her to meet her outside. At the time, she was at her mother’s place with her child, so she refused. After the plan failed, Bailey feared for her safety and distanced herself from Jared. However, nearly three weeks later, on the evening of July 10, 2016, Jared and Bailey met near Calmhill Drive and California Avenue in Riverside. The meet-up ended up in the former allegedly stabbing Bailey multiple times, who later died in the hospital. The following day, after a hot pursuit from San Diego to Riverside, the police arrested the suspect and charged him with the murder of his girlfriend.
After his arrest, the detectives had every reason to suspect that he might be involved in the killing of 25-year-old Justin Hilbert as well. Their suspicion was turned into confirmation when a key witness named Ricky testified against Bailey, Jared, and Danny. Ricky was one of Bailey’s friends who worked at a bar where the three of them hung out regularly, and he had overheard them devising the plan for the murder of Tonya and her new family. Thus, with enough evidence against them, Jared Bischoff and Danny Serrano were found guilty of murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy, in connection with Justin’s death. In June 2024, both of them were sentenced to life in prison. The tragedy forced Tonya to raise their child all alone, who would not have his father to lead him in his life.
Read More: Jared Bischoff: Where is Tonya Bischoff’s Ex-Husband Now?
You must be logged in to post a comment.