Stevie Blackthorne is one of the two daughters of Sheila Bellush, who was brutally murdered by a hired gunman in 1997. Her father, Allen Blackthorne, was the mastermind behind the crime, and he died in prison in 2014. Stevie was only 13 years old when she found her mother’s body in their home in Sarasota, Florida. She had to take care of her four younger siblings, who were quadruplets, and witnessed the horrific scene. How did Stevie cope with the tragedy and move on with her life? Here is what we know about Stevie Blackthorne now.
A Difficult Childhood
Stevie was born in 1984 to Sheila and Allen Blackthorne, who had a tumultuous marriage and divorced in 1987. Allen was abusive and controlling, and he tried to get full custody of Stevie and her sister Daryl, but he failed. Sheila remarried Jamie Bellush in 1993, and they had four babies at once: Frankie, Timmy, Joey, and Courtney. Jamie became the legal father of Stevie and Daryl, and they moved to Florida to escape Allen’s harassment.
However, Allen did not give up on his obsession with Sheila and his children. He hired a private investigator to track them down, and then he paid some people to kill Sheila. One of them was Jose Del Toro, who broke into their house on November 7, 1997, and shot Sheila in the face and slit her throat. He left her to die in front of the quadruplets, who were two years old at the time.
Stevie was the one who discovered her mother’s body when she came back from school. She called 911 and tried to comfort her siblings, who were covered in blood and wearing life vests that Sheila put on them to prevent them from drowning in the pool. Stevie showed remarkable courage and maturity in the face of such a horrific situation.
A Long Road to Justice
The police soon identified Allen as the prime suspect in Sheila’s murder, but he denied any involvement. He claimed that he loved his children and wanted to see them. However, Stevie and Daryl hated him and refused to call him “Dad”. They testified against him in court and said that he was a monster who ruined their lives.
It took several years for the authorities to arrest and convict all the people involved in the murder plot. Del Toro fled to Mexico after killing Sheila, but he was extradited to the US in 1999. He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and armed burglary charges in 2000, and received two consecutive life sentences. Daniel Rocha, who arranged the hit for Allen, also pleaded guilty and got life in prison. Samuel Gonzales, who introduced Rocha to Del Toro, was sentenced to 19 years for his role.
Allen was finally arrested in January 2000, after a grand jury indicted him for murder-for-hire. He went on trial in October 2000, where he faced overwhelming evidence against him. The prosecution presented phone records, bank statements, witness testimonies, and even a recorded conversation between Allen and Rocha, where they discussed the murder plan. The jury found him guilty of murder-for-hire and interstate domestic violence charges, and he was sentenced to life without parole.
Stevie and Daryl were relieved that justice was served for their mother, but they also felt sad that their father was capable of such evil. They said that they wished he could have been a good father to them instead of a killer.
A New Beginning
After their mother’s death, Stevie and Daryl stayed with their stepfather Jamie and their four half-siblings. They moved to Texas, where they tried to heal from their trauma and rebuild their lives. They received counseling and support from their family and friends. They also got involved in various activities, such as sports, music, art, and volunteering.
Stevie graduated from high school in 2002, and then she attended college. She studied psychology and sociology, hoping to help other people who suffered from abuse or violence. She also got married and had a daughter of her own. She named her daughter Sheila Rose, after her mother.
Stevie has not spoken publicly about her mother’s murder since the trial ended. She has chosen to keep a low profile and protect her privacy. She has not shown any pictures of herself or her family online. She has also avoided watching any documentaries or reading any books about her mother’s case.
Stevie has said that she misses her mother every day, but she also feels grateful for the time they had together. She said that her mother taught her how to be strong, compassionate, and resilient. She said that she hopes to honor her mother’s legacy by living a happy and meaningful life. She said that she loves her mother and forgives her father. She said that she is proud of herself and her siblings for overcoming the tragedy and finding happiness. She said that she is Stevie Blackthorne now, and she is not defined by her past.
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