Murder in the Heartland: How did Robert and Norma Bean die?

Robert and Norma Bean, a well-respected and generous couple who owned a trucking business in Oakfield Township, Michigan, were found shot to death in a gravel pit miles away from their home in October 2008. The murder weapon was determined to be a Browning 7mm rifle that the victims owned.

Two individuals known to the couple, namely Timothy Stephan and Bobby Fisk, were later identified as the shooters. A witness claimed to have seen the suspects at the gravel pit on the day of the shooting. A subsequent investigation revealed that Stephan and Fisk initially attempted to rob the elderly couple before abducting them for more cash and then shooting them at the crime scene.

This week's episode of Murder in the Heartland will revisit Robert and Norma Bean's murders. The episode, titled The Gravel Pit Murders, airs on ID this Wednesday, April 5, at 9:00 pm ET.

The synopsis states:

"In Howard City, Michigan, detectives investigate a night of horror that ends with the shooting of beloved couple Robert and Norma Bean in a gravel pit; local tips provide alarming new clues, revealing the shocking timeline of their final hours."

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Trucking business owners Robert and Norma Bean were shot to death in a gravel pit with a rifle they owned

Robert and Norma Bean, both 66, were a Howard City-based elderly couple from Michigan. They were parents to three children who attended the Luther Bible Chapel in Morley for nearly a decade. The couple owned a successful trucking business and were decade-old members of the Farmer Hall of Fame and Michigan Trucking Association.

They were valued and devoted members of the community, often offering their trucking company's resources to rescue workers. The people of the city frequently referred to them as "guardian angels."

On October 6, 2008, Robert and Norma Jean Bean were found shot to death with their faces blown to the point where tissue and blood were splattered yards away from where their bodies were located. Their bodies were found in a gravel pit near Dick Street NE and Johnson Avenue, about 30 miles from their Howard City home, as per The Cinemaholic.

The medical examiner determined that Norma was shot first and fell backwards given that she was found lying on her back. Robert's body was found facedown and the entry point of the bullet suggested that he was crawling near his wife's body when he was shot in the face. Spent cartridges found at the crime scene matched the Browning 7mm rifle that Norma once gifted her husband.

Reports state that witnesses spotted two men, namely Timothy Stephan and Bobby Fisk, at the gravel pit that day. According to a witness' statement, they saw the latter running to his car and pulling the door handle. Authorities soon unearthed the truly shocking events that led to the double homicide.

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The double homicide was the result of a botched robbery carried out by two men known to Robert and Norma Bean

In the early hours of October 6, Timothy Stephan and Bobby Fisk broke into the Beans' home and stole Norma's purse along with the Browning 7mm rifle. The elderly couple knew both the suspects, Stephan, who was their neighbor, and Fisk.

Unsatisfied with the limited items in the purse, the duo returned to the Beans' house and abducted the couple at gunpoint. The robbers then drove them around, forcing them to use their credit and debit cards until they froze. A fraud investigator claimed that someone tried to use Norma's card to withdraw $50 to $500 at 3:30 am in Howard City but failed to do so. Robert's ATM card was also used.

Stephan and Fisk then drove Robert and Norma Bean to the gravel pit where they first shot Norma and then Robert. However, their vehicle broke down, which led them to part ways. Their blood-spattered van, the couple’s phones, and crumpled credit cards were found at the crime scene.

Timothy Stephan pleaded guilty to two counts of felony murder in 2009, receiving two life sentences without the possibility of parole. Bobby Fisk went on trial and was found guilty of multiple charges including first-degree murder and kidnapping. He was convicted on all charges and was also given two consecutive life sentences with over 50 years in additional charges.

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ID's Murder in the Heartland will further delve into Robert and Norma Bean's case this Wednesday.