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The new episode of Dateline: Unforgettable tells the story of Joe Gentz, who was coerced to kill Jane Bashara. The primary person of interest in Jane's murder case, Bob Bashara, had requested his handyman, Gentz, for help moving boxes when the tragic incident took place.
Joseph "Joe" Gentz walked into a Grosse Pointe Park police station and confessed to the murder on the day of Jane Bashara’s funeral. According to ABC News, he was afraid that he would be considered the killer with a motive in the investigation.
The Dateline: Unforgettable episode titled S*x, Lies & Murder showcases how Joe Gentz was forced to kill Jane Bashara as it airs on June 27, 2024, at 8 p.m. EST on Investigation Discovery. The official synopsis reads,
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"When a woman is found dead in her SUV, the investigation into her murder reveals a tangled web of s*x and lies. Dennis Murphy looks back on his unusual interview with the lead suspect."
How did Joe Gentz kill Jane Bashara?
Jane Bashara was found dead in the backseat of her Mercedes Benz ML350 parked in an alleyway in the east of Detroit, per The Detroit News. A failed polygraph test and an inconsistent alibi turned Jane's husband of 26 years, Robert "Bob" Bashara, into the primary suspect.
In a turn of events, the suspicion was solidified when Joseph "Joe" Gentz walked into a Grosse Pointe Park police station and confessed to the murder of Jane Bashara on January 31, 2012. Gentz (48) was a developmentally challenged handyman who would work odd jobs for Bob Bashara.
According to ABC News, Joe Gentz had an IQ of 67, equivalent to that of a third-grader. He was reportedly asked for help moving boxes, and upon arrival, he found himself caught amid an argument between the Basharas. According to the Detroit Free Press, Jane reportedly wanted Bob to take his golf clubs, a Rotary sign, and other belongings out of the garage.
As the argument escalated, Gentz addressed the Wayne County Circuit Court during Bob Bashara's trial to share that Bob pulled a gun on him and asked him to "shut her up," after which Gentz broke her neck.
Gentz reportedly shared,
"I broke her neck, I'll be honest, I did do it."
However, Bob shrugged off Joe's claims and took to a Good Morning America interview to share,
"I don't own a firearm. And I, I absolutely had nothing to do with this. That is a, a sick assessment on his part. It just shows how deranged he is."
Bob Bashara had reportedly offered Joe Gentz a ring, $8,000, and a Cadillac in exchange for the killing. However, he also threatened to kill him if he told anyone about the murder. While the Grosse Pointe Park police refused to take him seriously and threw him out of the police station three times, he was determined to make the authorities believe that he had the key to the murder mystery.
Joe's long-time friend, Steve Virgona, reportedly drove him to the police station and also called in Charlie Langton's Talk Radio 1270 morning show to reveal that Gentz was not the only person involved. Joe Gentz led the detectives to the garage to check for DNA evidence for proof.
Watch all the details of Jane Bashara's death on Dateline: Unforgettable as it airs on Investigation Discovery on Thursday.
