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The murder of Jane Bashara in 2012 by her husband, Bob Bashara, occupied the headlines of newspapers in Michigan for years to come. Jane was found dead in the backseat of her SUV parked six miles away from her home.
As investigations into her death unraveled, the suspicion came upon her husband and a confession from the killer sent him behind bars for life.
The Dateline: Unforgettable episode, titled Sex, Lies & Murder, showcases the shocking details of Jane Bashara's murder as it airs on June 27, 2024, at 8 pm EST on Investigation Discovery. The official synopsis reads:
"When a woman is found dead in her SUV, the investigation into her murder reveals a tangled web of sex and lies. Dennis Murphy looks back on his unusual interview with the lead suspect."
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Strangled to death, and 4 other key details of Jane Bashara's murder
1) Jane Bashara was found dead in the backseat of her Mercedes on January 25, 2012
Jane Bashara was last seen by her colleagues after she had attended a meeting in downtown Detroit around 4 pm local time, per HuffPost. Robert Bashara had reported her as a missing person around 11:30 pm when she allegedly failed to turn up at their Middlesex Road.
However, a tow truck driver discovered Jane's Mercedes Benz ML350 parked in an alleyway in an area close to Pinewood Avenue and Annott Street in Detroit. Jane's dead body was found in the back seat of the car.
While Jane's body was found six miles away from her home, her work identification card was found at her home, per the Detroit Free Press.
2) Jane Bashara's cause of death was strangulation
Jane was found dead inside her car with her neck broken and windpipe crushed. The autopsy report stated her cause of death to be strangulation. She had extensive bruising on her upper body and broken fingernails which indicated a violent struggle, per CBS News.
Jane had been in her house slippers inside the car and the contents of her purse were thrown all around inside the car. WXYZ reported the presence of a prescription bottle on the passenger's seat of the car.
3) Joe Gentz confessed to killing Jane Bashara
While the Grosse Pointe Park Police Department named Bob Bashara as a person of interest, a developmentally challenged handyman walked into the police station to confess to murdering Jane on January 31, 2012, per CBS News. Gentz mentioned that he was forced to kill Jane.
The friend, Steve Virgona, who drove Joe Gentz to the police station, however, called into Charlie Langton's Talk Radio 1270 morning show to reveal that Joe was not the only person involved in the crime.
4) Bob had a dark side with mistresses and sadomasochism at play
As the death of Jane turned out to be paid for by Bob Bashara, darker secrets about his personal life began coming to the forefront. Bashara had had a life outside his marriage wherein he attended BDSM parties with his mistress and lover, Rachel Gillett.
The host of one such party, Patrick Webb, revealed to the Detroit Free Press that Bob had previously mentioned his wish to kill Jane. He had shared,
"Sometimes I think it'd be cheaper to kill the b*tch."
Bob Bashara reportedly intended to marry Rachel Gillett after divorcing Jane. Bashara also operated a s*x dungeon from the basement of a property close to the Detroit-Grosse Pointe Park border.
5) Bob Bashara passed away in prison on August 17, 2020
In addition to the evidence collected, the prosecutors argued that Bob had intended to collect Jane's $800,000 from her 401(k) account as well as the insurance payout, per The Detroit News. His alleged plan was to settle in a haven dubbed as "the cottage" and operate his s*xual activities from there.
Robert "Bob" Bashara was found guilty of multiple murder charges and sentenced to life in prison in January 2015, per the Detroit News. However, he passed away on August 17, 2020, at the age of 62 while he was incarcerated at the Woodland Center Correctional Facility.
Watch all the details of Jane Bashara's death on Dateline: Unforgettable as it airs on Investigation Discovery on Thursday.
