Slain Illinois nurse Becky Bliefnick laid to rest

Friends and family gathered at an Illinois church to mourn Becky Bliefnick Friday, the award-winning nurse and mother of three described as selfless and passionate who police found shot to death in her home last week.

After images showed her estranged husband Timothy Bliefnick was home before the funeral ended Friday, his family told Fox News Digital that he was actually present during Mass, although he sat separately from the couple's sons, who were with their mother's side of the family.

"I was present briefly for the visitation (on Thursday evening) to pay my respects with my sons and then left so as not to be a distraction while the boys remained with the family at the request of her parents," he told Fox News Digital through his attorney. "I checked with her parents about attending the funeral service and they said I could. The boys sat with them while I sat with other family members of mine in attendance."

The couple's three young sons have been staying with their father since the shooting, according to his lawyer, Casey Schnack. The parents lived a mile apart from one another and were going through a divorce.

ILLINOIS NURSE REBECCA BLIEFNICK SHOT DEAD, COPS SEARCH ESTRANGED HUSBAND'S HOUSE

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

"Tim has been working with Mr. Postle [his father-in-law] to make sure the boys get adequate time with their family," she added.

Quincy police have said they found Rebecca Bernadette Postle Bliefnick, a 41-year-old nurse and mother of three, dead of multiple gunshot wounds in her house on Feb. 23.

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

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

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

In July 2020, she received honors from the Daisy Foundation after assisting a woman whose husband was headed for emergency surgery with gangrene and sepsis.

VIDEO: Exterior view of St. Peter Church 

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the woman had not been allowed to stay with her husband when they first arrived at the ER for what she thought would be "an in and out day."

After some tests, however, he called her and asked for her to come right away.

"When I got to his room in the ER it was empty," the woman told the Daisy Foundation. "I lost it and started to cry. All I could think of was I may never see him again."

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

"I got to kiss him and tell him how much I loved him all because of Becky," she said. "There are no words to express how grateful I am to her for what she did for me and my husband."

On Monday, police served a search warrant at her husband's home. They briefly detained him during the search but have made no arrests in the case.

LISTEN: THE FOX TRUE CRIME PODCAST WITH EMILY COMPAGNO

Schnack said earlier this week that search was an important step toward ruling her client out. His focus, she added, is entirely on the couple's three sons.

Additionally, police made clear that they had not asked prosecutors for an arrest warrant following the search.

"During a criminal investigation it is not unusual to obtain and serve numerous search warrants for a variety of reasons," police said. "Search warrants are a normal part of the investigative process."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Police are asking anyone with information in 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 it is appropriate to do so," police said. "It is important to remember that all individuals are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law."

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