Who was Bob Bashara? Details of his alter ego Master Bob explored

The murder of Jane Bashara in Detroit had brought to the surface the dark side and alter ego of her long-time partner, Bob Bashara, dubbed as Master Bob. Robert "Bob" Bashara had been an active participant in the sadomasochistic circles of Detroit and had reportedly kept Jane in the dark for years.

The Grosse Pointe Park entrepreneur owned a dungeon in the basement of Hard Luck Lounge at the Detroit-Grosse Pointe border, wherein he entertained his mistresses. Bashara was also involved with another woman, Rachel Gillett, whom he allegedly promised marriage.

The Dateline: Unforgettable episode titled "Sex, Lies & Murder" outlines the details of Master Bob and his activities as it airs on June 27, 2024, at 8 p.m. 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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Who was Bob Bashara and why was he known as Master Bob?

Robert "Bob" Bashara was a well-known face in the small community of Grosse Pointe Park. He was an entrepreneur who managed multiple properties in and around the Detroit area. Robert was the son of the state appellate court judge, George Bashara. His father was also a member of the Board of Governors at Wayne State University.

Bob served as the president of the Grosse Pointe Rotary Club and was regarded a philanthropist in the area. Bob earned himself the title of The Mayor of Middlesex for his selfless work for the community. The Detroit News reported as Jane Bashara's aunt, Barbara Naeyaert, shared,

"The pictures you see of him on the golf course where he's smiling and happy — that's how he appeared to us. He was Big Bob, the guy who raised money for charity."

As Jane Bashara's body was found in the backseat of her SUV on January 25, 2012, the investigators named her husband as the primary person of interest within a few days. The authorities brought to the surface Bob's alter ego, Master Bob, who was allegedly unknown to Jane.

Not only did Bob have multiple s*xual partners, but he also shared an extramarital affair with Rachel Gillett, a former employee at the office of alumni affairs at Wayne State University. He often took Gillett to the BDSM parties he attended and also promised her marriage with a diamond ring in 2010, per the Detroit Free Press.

Bob Bashara also operated a s*x dungeon in the basement of the Hard Luck Lounge.

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Why did Bob Bashara kill Jane Bashara?

Patrick Webb, one of Master Bob's associates, testified at his trial saying that his bondage, discipline, and sadomasochism community had over 70,000 members, including reputed professionals from the city, per The Detroit News.

Webb often hosted parties with Bob and shared that the latter had expressed his intention to get rid of Jane at one point. Bob reportedly said,

"Sometimes I think it'd be cheaper to kill the bitch."

Jane and Bob had been having marital problems often, as she wanted to condone the lifestyle. According to CBS News, another of Master Bob's mistresses, Lydia Porter, stated Jane and Bob allegedly shared an open relationship.

Master Bob's dungeon at the Detroit-Grosse Pointe border was reportedly destroyed in a fire in October 2016, per The Detroit News.

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Watch all the details of Jane Bashara's death on Dateline: Unforgettable as it airs on Investigation Discovery on Thursday.