Shivangi Sinha
When Robert Limon was killed at his workplace in August 2014, the police worked quickly to find answers. It was only when those close to him began to speak up that the truth started to emerge. Investigators uncovered a carefully orchestrated plot involving his wife, Sabrina Limon, and her then-lover, Jonathan Hearn. While the latter pulled the trigger, he alleged that Sabrina was the mastermind behind the crime. ABC’s episode of ‘20/20’ titled ‘Unholy Matrimony’ details the investigation and how both were ultimately brought to justice.
Sabrina and Jonathan Were Reportedly Dating When the Former’s Husband Was Killed
Sabrina was born in 1980 in Prescott, Arizona, where she spent her childhood. At just 18 years old, she met Robert Limon, who also lived in the town with his mother. Deeply in love, the couple decided to marry on August 19, 2000, and begin their life together. When Robert secured a job as a mechanic with the BNSF Railroad, they relocated to Helendale, California, and purchased a home on Strawberry Lane in the Silver Lakes area. Their happiness grew with the arrival of their children, Robbie in 2003 and LeAnna in 2006, and it felt like things were going very well for them and their family.
Reports suggest that in 2008, Robert and Sabrina decided to explore a different dynamic in their relationship by opening up their marriage. They soon became part of a social group that shared a similar lifestyle, frequently attending parties and going on vacations together. However, it is alleged that Sabrina eventually grew weary of this lifestyle and no longer found it enjoyable. In 2012, she began working at a Costco in Victorville, California, where she first met Jonathan Michael Hearn. He was from Hesperia, California, had been homeschooled and was deeply religious. At the time, he worked as a paramedic for the San Bernardino Fire Department. Through mutual acquaintances, Jonathan became part of Robert and Sabrina’s social circle, though he wasn’t particularly close to many members.
However, he and Sabrina grew close, eventually starting a romantic relationship — something that Robert was reportedly unhappy about. On August 17, 2014, Robert was shot and killed at the BNSF Railway Building in Tehachapi, California. The police quickly secured CCTV footage and identified a suspicious man. When they informed Sabrina of her husband’s death, she appeared devastated and heartbroken. However, suspicion grew when Jason Bernatene, a close friend of the couple, contacted the police. He revealed that Jonathan had left him an apologetic voicemail and sent a similarly remorseful letter. Upon further investigation, authorities uncovered the ongoing affair between Sabrina and Jonathan, and they decided to wiretap both their phones.
Jonathan Hearn’s Testimony Helped Police Re-Arrest Sabrina Limon on the Murder Charge
Neither Sabrina Limon nor Jonathan Hearn made a direct confession, and their conversations often revolved around religion and the Bible. However, Sabrina was heard sharing confidential updates from the police investigation with him, which gave the police probable cause to issue arrest warrants against them for first-degree murder. At Jonathan’s home, the police recovered a motorbike matching the one seen on the CCTV footage. They also found a red bandana, identical to the one worn by the suspect identified in the footage. Additionally, a collection of large-caliber guns was discovered, though none matched the bullets recovered from the crime scene. While the evidence against him was substantial, there was no concrete proof linking Sabrina to the crime, leading to her release.
Following the intense scrutiny and alleged social ostracization she faced in her community, she relocated to Camarillo, California, where some of her cousins lived. There, she attempted to move on with her life. Jonathan’s trial was scheduled for January 2017, but just days before it began, he changed his plea and agreed to testify against Sabrina. According to his testimony, the latter had started planning Robert’s murder around April 2014 after he asked her to stop communicating with Hearn. He also claimed that Sabrina told him she couldn’t leave her husband due to their social status but expressed her desire to raise their children in a more religious environment. He also alleged that they had previously attempted to kill Robert by adding arsenic to a banana pudding he took to work.
However, when Sabrina panicked, she allegedly called Robert and falsely told him that it had spoiled and warned him not to eat it. Jonathan also testified that Sabrina came up with the idea of shooting Robert at his workplace to make it appear like a robbery. He revealed that he had fashioned a silencer out of a flashlight, which was later recovered from his home during his arrest in 2014. Following his testimony, Sabrina was immediately arrested and charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy, solicitation to commit murder, and being an accessory to a crime. Her trial began in September 2017, during which the prosecution argued that she had orchestrated her husband’s murder to be with Jonathan and benefited from her husband’s $300,000 life insurance policy. Jonathan testified against Sabrina during the trial, while she also took the stand to defend herself.
Sabrina Limon and Jonathan Hearn Are Serving Long Sentences Today
In October 2017, Sabrina Limon was found guilty of all charges. By February 2018, she was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. Jonathan Hearn had previously pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, attempted murder, poisoning, and accessory charges. In November 2017, he was sentenced to 25 years and four months in prison, with the possibility of early parole. Now 35 years old, he is incarcerated at Ironwood State Prison in Blythe, California. His parole suitability hearing is scheduled for November 2028.
Sabrina, on the other hand, has maintained her innocence and pursued an appeal of her conviction. However, in October 2022, the appellate court upheld her sentence. In 2023, the California Supreme Court declined to review her case. Now 45 years old, she is serving her sentence at the California Institution for Women in Chino, California. She will be eligible for parole in 2033.
Read More: Where is Sabrina Limon’s Sister Julie Cordova Now?
