Shivangi Sinha
In August 2014, Robert Limon was fatally shot at his workplace in Tehachapi, California. Initially, police suspected it was a botched robbery. However, as the investigation progressed, they uncovered a more intricate plot involving people close to Robert. The authorities meticulously gathered evidence and ensured no detail was overlooked. The episode titled ‘Unholy Matrimony’ of ABC’s ‘20/20’ provides a comprehensive timeline of the investigation and reveals how the perpetrators were ultimately brought to justice.
Robert Limon Was Fatally Shot Twice at His Workplace
On August 11, 1976, Sharon and Robert Mendoza Limon Sr. welcomed their son, Robert M. Limon, into their lives in Prescott, Arizona. He grew up surrounded by the love of his sisters and shared a particularly close bond with Chris Wilson and Lydia Marrero, who cherished him deeply. From a young age, he aspired to build a meaningful life and dreamed of making a positive impact on others. With his friendly and outgoing nature, he easily formed connections and made lasting friendships. He attended Abia Judd Elementary School and Granite Mountain Junior High. After his parents separated, he moved with his mother to Mojave Valley, Arizona. There, he quickly adapted and found a sense of belonging at River Valley High School, where he finally graduated.
Robert eventually returned to Prescott, Arizona, to live with his mother and shared his dream of becoming a firefighter. However, life took a different path when he met 18-year-old Sabrina, who had grown up in the same town. The two fell in love and got married on August 19, 2000. When Robert secured a job as a mechanic at the BNSF Railway facility in Tehachapi, California, he eagerly relocated with Sabrina to Helendale, California. They were excited to start this new phase of their lives, and their joy multiplied when they welcomed their son, Robbie, in 2003. Their family felt complete with the arrival of their daughter, LeAnna, in 2006.
On the evening of August 17, 2014, Robert was called into work and reported to the BNSF railyard. He was working alone, and his colleagues later found him with gunshot wounds. They immediately reported it to the police. An autopsy confirmed that Robert had been shot twice — once in the chin and once in the chest. The latter bullet traveled through his neck and was recovered from his brain. Investigators determined that a large-caliber gun had been used in the attack, and the police launched an immediate investigation.
The Police Used Wiretap Technology to Zero Down on Robert Limon’s KIller
While assessing the crime scene, the police noticed the area was in disarray, and it led them to suspect a botched robbery initially. However, with no substantial evidence supporting this theory, they shifted their focus to other leads. Upon reviewing security footage from around the time of the murder, investigators identified a suspicious man wearing a red bandana and walking with a limp. As the investigation progressed, the police delved into Robert and Sabrina Limon’s personal lives. They discovered that around 2008, the couple had opened their marriage to other couples and shared this lifestyle with a circle of friends. A breakthrough came when Jason Bernatene, one of their close friends, contacted the police. He provided them with a voicemail he had received, which seemed suspicious.
Jason informed the police that Jonathan Hearn, a 24-year-old firefighter, had left an emotional voicemail regarding Robert’s death despite not being particularly close to him. Additionally, Hearn had written a letter seeking forgiveness, though it was unclear what he was apologizing for. Further investigation led the police to review more CCTV footage from around the workplace at the time of the murder. They managed to identify almost all the individuals captured in the footage except for a motorcyclist wearing a red bandana, matching the description from the earlier video. When the police spoke to Jason’s then-wife, Kelly Bernatene, she shared her suspicions that Hearn might be having an affair with Sabrina Limon.
The police lacked concrete proof, but based on their suspicions, they decided to wiretap both Sabrina and Hearn’s phones. Through the wiretap, they discovered that the pair were communicating frequently, with the former using a burner phone to provide Hearn with updates about the investigation. Their conversations often revolved around religious topics, discussing Bible verses and expressing feelings of guilt. Believing they had probable cause, the police issued arrest warrants. On November 18, 2014, both of them were arrested and charged with first-degree murder. A search of Hearn’s house uncovered significant evidence, including the motorcycle seen in the surveillance footage, the red bandana, and a homemade silencer fashioned from a flashlight. Additionally, a large collection of firearms was found at his residence. However, without substantial evidence directly linking Sabrina to the crime, she was released while the investigation continued.
One of the Killers Testified Against the Other, Which Led to Their Conviction
After her release, Sabrina Limon moved to Camarillo, California, near her cousin’s house. Meanwhile, Jonathan Michael Hearn initially pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. However, just two days before his trial in January 2017, he changed his plea and agreed to testify against Sabrina. He alleged that Sabrina had orchestrated her husband’s murder because she wanted to raise their children with stronger religious beliefs. He claimed their romantic relationship had led to discussions about killing Robert after she expressed her unwillingness to leave her husband. According to Hearn, the two had previously attempted to poison Robert by mixing arsenic into his banana pudding. However, they abandoned the plan out of fear of getting caught, with Sabrina calling Hearn to tell him not to eat it.
Hearn further testified that Sabrina then devised the plan to kill Robert at his workplace and stage it to look like a robbery. In January 2017, she was arrested once again and faced charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy, solicitation to commit murder, and being an accessory to a crime. Hearn’s first-degree murder charge was dismissed after he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter and agreed to testify as the prosecution’s star witness against Sabrina. She was ultimately convicted on her charges, and both of them are now serving their sentences in prison.
