5 Disturbing Facts Surrounding the Murders of Justin Hilbert and Bailey Sharp

The highly anticipated episode of Dateline on NBC will delve into the shocking murders of Justin Hilbert and Bailey Sharp, which occurred weeks apart and had a common link in the form of a suspect responsible for one murder and possibly connected to the other.

Jared Bischoff, who is charged with the murder of his girlfriend, Bailey Sharp, is currently incarcerated. However, law enforcement has not been able to establish a concrete link between him and the unsolved murder of Justin Hilbert.

Set to air on Friday, October 4, 2024, at 9:00 PM on NBC, the new episode of Dateline, titled “Wrong Turns,”will explore these disturbing cases in depth. The episode synopsis states:

“A new father is found dead on the side of a road. Then the stabbing of a young woman leads police on a high-speed chase. Could these two chilling murders be connected?”

With numerous perplexing elements surrounding this case, let’s take a closer look at five significant details related to the murders of Justin Hilbert and Bailey Sharp.

5 Key Details About the Murders of Justin Hilbert and Bailey Sharp

1) Justin Hilbert’s Body Discovered in Disturbing Condition but Lacked DNA Evidence

In the early hours of June 21, 2016, the body of Justin Hilbert, a 25-year-old father, was found shot, stabbed, and beaten to death on the roadside west of Lake Mathews. Despite the gruesome condition of his body, no DNA evidence was recovered at the scene, leading investigators to suspect that he was killed elsewhere and later dumped at the location.

2) Jared Bischoff Became a Suspect Due to His History of Violence

Justin Hilbert's body was found in a terrible condition (Image via Pexels) — Justin Hilbert’s body was found in a terrible condition (Image via Pexels)

Prior to being implicated in the murder of Bailey Sharp, Jared Bischoff was interviewed concerning Justin Hilbert’s death. His violent past and connection to Justin—through his ex-wife and mother of Justin’s child, Tonya, who left him due to domestic violence—raised suspicions, but law enforcement could not establish a direct link to the crime.

3) Bailey Sharp Was Murdered Just Weeks Later

On the night of July 12, 2016, police responded to reports of a domestic dispute near Calmhill Drive and California Avenue, where they discovered Bailey Sharp fatally stabbed and unresponsive in a pool of her blood. The suspect, Jared Bischoff, fled but was apprehended shortly afterward and charged with her murder.

4) Bailey Attempted to Connect with Justin and Tonya Before His Death

Jared Bischoff is the most likely suspect in Justin Hilbert's murder (Image via Pexels) — Jared Bischoff is the most likely suspect in Justin Hilbert’s murder (Image via Pexels)

Prior to Justin’s murder, Bailey—who was dating Jared—had sent Facebook friend requests to both Justin and Tonya, which they did not respond to. This raises the question of her intentions behind wanting to connect with them shortly before Justin’s murder. Additionally, some interpreted text messages exchanged between Jared and Bailey on the night of Justin’s murder as potentially significant, including one where Bailey claimed Jared had no idea what secrets she was hiding.

5) Jared Bischoff Was Sentenced, Leaving Justin Hilbert’s Murder Unresolved

Jared Bischoff received a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the killing of Bailey Sharp. However, he has not confessed to the murder of Justin, and no conclusive evidence has surfaced linking him to that crime. Consequently, while Jared serves his sentence, Justin Hilbert’s murder remains officially unsolved.

To learn more about this intricate case, be sure to catch the upcoming episode of Dateline on NBC.

Source