Is there a new episode of Dateline this week? Explored
Dateline season 33 episode 11 is set to be released this week and covers the murder of a BNSF railyard worker named Robert Limon. On August 17, 2014, Limon was shot in cold blood by a masked man on a motorcycle while on his way to the office.
Robert was married to Sabrina Limon, and they had two children together. The couple was once known for throwing lavish parties, but Sabrina eventually shifted her choices towards the Bible. However, as authorities investigated Robert's murder, they found some disturbing details that questioned the legitimacy of the couple's wedlock.
Investigators discovered that the shooting of Robert Limon involved pre-planning, which not only terrified the community of Silver Lakes but also shocked police officers from Kern County, California. Dateline season 33 episode 11, titled Deadly Mirage, is set to air on January 10, 2025, at 9 pm EST on NBC. Viewers can stream the episode the day after its release on Peacock.
What is the story of Dateline season 33 episode 11 subject Robert Limon?
Robert Limon, the subject of Dateline season 33 episode 11, was married to Sabrina Limon, and the couple was known for throwing lavish parties among their close group of friends. Both Robert and Sabrina frequently consumed excessive alcohol, earning them the nickname the "it couple."
As per an ABC 7 article, published on April 8, 2023, the couple publicly announced their marriage in 2008. Now declared to be husband and wife, they went on several boat rides and adult vacations where they would throw more parties.
However, things started to change for Sabrina after she had two kids. She started avoiding frequent parties and wanted to redeem her past mistakes. Julie Cordova, Sabrina's sister, noted that Sabrina felt an urge to return to church and change her life. However, Robert was resistant to this shift, as he was pretty much comfortable with a life of booze and parties.
Despite repeated pleas and confrontations, Dateline subject Robert Limon denied embracing spirituality. Meanwhile, Sabrina still suffered from alcohol addiction, reportedly drinking until she felt numb. During this time, Sabrina began attending church by herself, trying to walk on the path of Christianity.
It was during this time that Sabrina formed an extramarital relationship with a man named Jonathan Hearn. As per an Oxygen article, published on October 22, 2019, Jonathan was a firefighter who shared similar religious beliefs to Sabrina. The couple would embark on long conversations, where Jonathan tried to justify their affair with figures from the Bible.
The killing of Dateline season 33 episode 11 subject Robert Limon
According to Oxygen, Robert discovered the affair after finding out intimate texts exchanged between Sabrina and Jonathan. He told his wife to end the affair immediately, however, this is when things took a grave turn. Jonathan began to lure Sabrina to eliminate her husband, insisting that Robert had to die for them to move forward with their relationship.
To justify his decision, he reportedly referenced the story of King David and Bathsheba from the Old Testament. He explained how Bathsheba allowed her soldier husband Uriah to go to the front lines to die so she could be with her lover. Eventually, Sabrina agreed, and the couple started devising plans to carry out their deed.
At first, the duo decided to put arsenic in Robert's banana pudding, but this was unsuccessful. As per ABC 7 News, on August 17, 2014, Robert Limon was shot dead while working at the BNSF railyard in Tehachapi. Detective Darin Grantham from Kern County reported that the scene was fabricated to look like an unsuccessful burglary.
Surveillance camera footage from the workstation captured a man limping around. Another camera detected Robert walking toward the office. As per Oxygen, the investigators detected a man on a motorcycle wearing a helmet and a bandana to cover his face. Authorities quickly realized that this was the prime suspect.
The murder was pre-planned, and investigators struggled to find more evidence until two weeks later when they found crucial evidence. One of Robert's friends, Jason Bernatene, reported receiving a mysterious voicemail from a man named Jonathan Hearn, who apologized to him for Robert's death. Upon investigation, authorities found out about Sabrina's affair with a man having the same name.
The investigation behind Dateline season 33 episode 11 subject Robert Limon's murder
Sabrina's phone was soon traced, and her conversations with Jonathan were retrieved. As per ABC 7 News, the duo could be heard saying:
"Hi God. We are on our knees for a reason. We have been didirtbagswe've been sinners. We've been selfish and we sinned."
However, these conversations didn't have any element that could potentially serve as evidence for the murder plan. Consequently, investigators brought Sabrina in for questioning and misled her with false information about Jonathan. They later followed her and detected her alerting Jonathan about the police with a burner phone.
As per Oxygen, Jonathan Hearn was arrested on November 18, 2014. When investigators obtained a warrant and searched his residence, they found the same motorcycle, helmet, and red bandana that the masked motorcyclist wore at the crime scene. Jonathan's trial was scheduled for January 6, 2017.
Two days before, he was offered a chance to reduce his sentence to 25 years if he would testify against Sabrina as being involved in the murder. Sabrina Limon was arrested and put on trial nine months later. As per Oxygen, Jonathan testified against Sabrina as the prime witness. He said:
“She expressed that [Robert] would honestly rather be dead than divorced."
Jonathan said that he prayed to god before killing Robert. He tried to justify his actions by saying:
“I specifically remember praying, seeking that purpose I had set out to find. It was inevitable that Rob needed to die for Sabrina and I to move forward with our relationship.”
As per a KGET.com article, Sabrina tried to defend herself, but her arguments were rejected by the 5th District Court of Appeal. The jury found that Sabrina provided crucial evidence about her husband Robert while he was working an extra shift at the BNSF railyard on August 17, 2024.
Both Jonathan Hearn and Sabrina Limon were found guilty by the jury. Jonathan received 25 years and four months in prison, while Sabrina was sentenced to 25 years to life imprisonment. Both are currently serving their time behind bars.
To know more about the case, watch Dateline season 33 episode 11 on January 10, 2025, at 9 pm EST on NBC.
