The Devil Speaks on ID: What happened to John Riebe?

John Riebe's body, riddled with bullets, was found by his two daughters just days before Christmas in 2004. He was an HVAC specialist from Toledo, Ohio, and installed furnaces and other heating equipment for a living. Authorities believe the shooter fled the scene shortly before his daughters' arrival.

The ensuing investigation and interviews with multiple people involved in business with Riebe indicated the involvement of one of his good friends and work assistant, Eric Babos, over financial matters. Babos' inconsistent statements and suspicious behavior before and after the murder led investigators to believe he was the shooter. He was eventually found guilty in a 2005 trial.

An upcoming episode of The Devil Speaks on ID is scheduled to revisit John Riebe's murder case. The episode titled Dead Man Talking will air this Tuesday, April 25, at 7:00 pm ET.

The synopsis states:

"Father of two John Riebe is found dead from bullet wounds on the floor of his home in Toledo, Ohio; the investigation quickly turns on those closest to Riebe, and a series of phone calls and voice mails prove key in uncovering a shocking betrayal."

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John Riebe was shot seven times with a .38 caliber handgun

John Riebe was a 39-year-old father of two daughters, Nicole, 12, and Jamie, 13, living in Toledo, Ohio. He was separated from his wife and mother of his two daughters, Lisa Richman, but the duo remained on good terms and talked frequently.

A few days before Christmas, on December 15, 2004, Riebe's daughters returned home from school and found him dead on the living room floor. He was shot seven times with a .38 caliber handgun, confirmed by shell casings found at the crime scene. As per The Cinemaholic, his daughters had to crawl into the house through a window. Authorities alleged that the killer fled the scene just minutes before the girls arrived.

Toledo father and shooting victim John Riebe pictured with his children (Image via Find a Grave)

Reports state that Riebe's daughters found his body sometime around 3:15 that afternoon. Phone records revealed he texted his estranged wife, Lisa Richman, at 2:58 pm asking her to pick up a paycheck from a heating company where he had recently worked. Richman told authorities that in those panic-stricken messages, the victim told her that someone else was waiting for the money.

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Calls made by Riebe's good friend and work assistant Eric Babos were considered suspicious

The heating company's manager, Daniel Boyle, and owner, Robert Pfeifer, told authorities about the strange calls they received on the afternoon of John's death. Boyle stated that he received the first call from the victim at around 3:00 pm regarding the money. This was soon followed by another call from Eric Babos, Riebe's good friend and work assistant, who was angry about the delay in the payment.

Shortly after, Pfeifer also received a call from Babos, asking about money. Authorities believe that Riebe was gunned down sometime after the calls were made before his daughter returned home. His daughter Jamie alleged that they received a call from Babos at around 4:00 pm, after the body was discovered and while the police were at their house. Jamie said the caller sounded angry.

During an interrogation, Babos informed authorities about a party at Riebe's house a few days prior to the incident when a man showed up with a handgun. He soon changed his statement after others present at the party denied seeing the gun in question. Tests later revealed that there was gun residue present on Babos' shirt sleeves, the one he was wearing on the afternoon of the crime.

Eric Babos was found guilty in John Riebe's shooting death in August 2005 and was handed an 18-year prison sentence.

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ID's The Devil Speaks will further delve into John Riebe's death this Tuesday.