Sheila Bellush was murdered in her Florida home in 1997 while her young quadruplets were there. Her teenage daughter discovered the scene. Investigators traced the hired killing to Sheila’s former husband, Allen Blackthorne, and a chain of intermediaries. The prosecution showed that the attack was an arranged murder, not a random intrusion.
Content note: violence, abuse, or loss. Linked material may contain graphic descriptions. Screen dramatizations may change events and dialogue.
Sarasota, Florida. The map provides regional context; individually verified historical places are listed below.
Map sources checked September 14, 2026. No case-specific Odd Stops location was found in this review.
See this case’s source review
Odd Stops
No verified match found. Source imagery is linked; only separately licensed photos are reproduced.
MurderData
No verified match found.
ArcGIS essay
Not included in this essay.
Reddit map
Reviewed as a general resource. Its coordinates and victim counts were not adopted as case evidence.
“No verified match” describes the accessible material found in this review, not proof that a source has never covered the case. MAP’s anonymous records were not individually matched to people.
Watch links, previews, and historical title listings are identified below. Availability varies by service and region; rentals or subscriptions may be required.
A verified movie listing has not been added yet.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
03TV & documentaries
4 items
Watch links, previews, and historical title listings are identified below. Availability varies by service and region; rentals or subscriptions may be required.
IMDb · TV episode
American Justice — Brutal Revenge (2002)
IMDb episode reference connected to the Sheila Bellush case. Listed release: 2002. Cast, credits, and title information; viewing availability is separate.
The New Detectives: Case Studies in Forensic Science — Murder for Hire (2002)
IMDb episode reference connected to the Sheila Bellush case. Listed release: 2002. Cast, credits, and title information; viewing availability is separate.
IMDb episode reference connected to the Sheila Bellush case. Listed release: 1999. Cast, credits, and title information; viewing availability is separate.
IMDb episode reference connected to the Sheila Bellush case. Listed release: 2000. Cast, credits, and title information; viewing availability is separate.
Original newspaper coverage, hosted by Newspapers.com. Read each article in the context of its publication date; later findings may differ. Full-page access may require sign-in.
Featured newspaper clipping
Read a featured clipping here, then explore more reporting in the newspaper archive.
Sarasota Herald-Tribune · 1997-11-12 · Page 1
Police name a suspect in Sheila Bellush’s killing
Local reporters trace the evidence behind an arrest warrant for Jose Luis Del Toro Jr.
Early police allegations, before the later trials; includes other front-page material.
Loads the article viewer from Newspapers.com. That service receives your browser and connection information and may use cookies. Access is controlled by the publisher; a subscription may be needed for additional archive material.
Case videos, posts, family pages, and creator communities. Creator channels and groups cover multiple cases; each includes a link to the relevant episode. Facebook or TikTok may require sign-in, and groups may require membership approval. Community opinions are separate from verified reporting.
Southern Fried True Crime
Episode 144: Sheila Bellush
Video from Southern Fried True Crime covering the Sheila Bellush case. Length: 1:27:45.
Outside blogs, personal essays, and creator write-ups. These reflect each author’s perspective. Check publication dates and compare claims with reporting and court records.
This section is awaiting its first entry.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
09Internet Archive
1 items
Individual records from Internet Archive: library books, historical broadcasts, and preserved web pages. A catalog listing does not guarantee free reading or full playback. Access, previews, and borrowing are controlled by Internet Archive.
Internet Archive · Library record · 2001
Every breath you take : a true story of obsession, revenge, and murder
Rule, Ann. A library catalog record for a book connected with Sheila Bellush. The record may offer a preview or borrowing options; full reading access is not guaranteed.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
11Court records & documents
1 items
Court opinions, filings, transcripts, and dockets, alongside clearly labeled parole records, released investigative files, and courtroom recordings. Each item identifies its source and scope. Allegations in filings are not findings of guilt. These selections are not complete case files. Where an online document could not be verified, a separate guide identifies the records office or archive to contact.
Court opinionArchive copy
United States v. Blackthorne — new-trial appeal
Federal appellate review of Allen Blackthorne’s request for a new trial in the murder-for-hire prosecution involving Sheila Bellush.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
13Where are they now?
0 items
The latest information verified for this collection is listed below. Each source has its own date; these are not live custody records.
A current-status update has not been verified for this case yet.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
14Positive Outcome
0 items
Documented laws, advocacy, and reforms connected to this case. Changes do not undo the harm, and listing a law does not claim that it is effective or universally supported.
No case-specific law, reform, or advocacy initiative has been verified for this collection yet. This does not mean that none exists.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
Sheila Bellush — media, court records & case files | Unforgotten Casebook
07Social Media
7 itemsCase videos, posts, family pages, and creator communities. Creator channels and groups cover multiple cases; each includes a link to the relevant episode. Facebook or TikTok may require sign-in, and groups may require membership approval. Community opinions are separate from verified reporting.
Southern Fried True Crime
Episode 144: Sheila Bellush
Video from Southern Fried True Crime covering the Sheila Bellush case. Length: 1:27:45.
Watch on YouTubeThe New Detectives
The Murders Of Wendy Kratzert And Sheila Bellush | The New Detectives
Video from The New Detectives covering the Sheila Bellush case. Length: 7:22.
Watch on YouTubeRadio Daily News
THE FIRST DEGREE | Justice: The Sheila Bellush Story, Part II
Video from Radio Daily News covering the Sheila Bellush case. Length: 1:05:19.
Watch on YouTube48 Hours
Justice for Sheila? | Full Episode
Full episode or film as labeled by the publisher from 48 Hours covering the Sheila Bellush case. Length: 42:11.
Watch on YouTubeThe New Detectives
Murder For Hire | FULL EPISODE | The New Detectives
Full episode or film as labeled by the publisher from The New Detectives covering the Sheila Bellush case. Length: 48:54.
Watch on YouTubeTrue Crime Brewery
Four Little Witnesses
Video from True Crime Brewery covering the Sheila Bellush case. Length: 1:59:08.
Watch on YouTube10 Tampa Bay News
Man convicted in gruesome death in of Sarasota woman in 1997 asking for a new trial
Video from 10 Tampa Bay News covering the Sheila Bellush case. Length: 1:23.
Watch on YouTube