29-year-old track and field athlete Matthew Molinaro was known for winning the 2018 NCAA Division III Indoor 800m championship. He later garnered attention when he turned professional with the HOKA New Jersey-New York Track Club. But now, he’s in the headlines for murder charges that have shocked those in Michigan and the running world.

Molinaro, a native of Sterling Heights, has been charged with first-degree murder after allegedly stabbing his ex-girlfriend’s boyfriend. The victim was identified as the 26-year-old Peyton Bilbia, who was reportedly stabbed multiple times on New Year’s Eve.

The authorities have pinned Molinaro as the primary suspect in the case, stating the action was premeditated. “One thing I want to get out is this was not random,” Milford Police Chief Scott Tarasiewicz said. “This was more something of a targeted attack.”

The investigation began on the afternoon of December 31, 2025, when Milford police responded to a welfare check request made by Bilbia’s girlfriend, who had been unable to contact him.

When police and the fire department forced entry into his apartment, they found Bilbia dead with multiple stab wounds. After collecting evidence that pointed to Molinaro as a suspect, he was arrested that same evening at a club in Royal Oak, Michigan.

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Authorities stated that he did not resist arrest and was taken into custody without incident. Interestingly, the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office later revealed that Molinaro had previously been in a relationship with Bilbia’s girlfriend.

Earlier in December, she had also obtained a personal protection order against Molinaro, claiming she felt unsafe. The new detail led investigators to believe the attack was personal, not random.

“[Peyton Bilibia’s] life was cut short because of what appears to be a domestic dispute,” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said in a statement. “This case is a tragic reminder that the danger from domestic violence doesn’t end when a relationship ends.”

Matthew Molinaro is currently being held at Oakland County Jail without bond. If convicted of first-degree murder, he could be handed a life sentence in prison without the possibility of parole. For now, his probable-cause hearing is scheduled for January 19, 2026, where the court will decide if enough evidence exists for the case to move to trial.

So far, there have been no public statements from Molinaro himself or his representatives about the case. Nevertheless, track and field fans were left unanimously shocked at the news online, considering his history in the sport.

Matthew Molinaro’s journey from college champion to retired pro

Matthew Molinaro was known for running middle-distance track events, especially the 800m. He attended Ohio Northern University, where he became one of the best 800m runners in NCAA Division III. In 2017, he recorded some of the fastest 800m times by a Division III athlete in the United States.

At the Raleigh Relays, he ran a time of 1:48.92 in the 800m. His coach, Jason Maus, at that time praised him after the race, saying, “That was an incredible race for Matt. For him to be able to double back and run this fast of a time after his race yesterday just shows where he is at.”

In that same year, Molinaro achieved his personal best of 1:47.73 in the 800m. But Matthew Molinaro’s standout moment came in 2018 when he won the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championship in the 800 meters.

After college, Molinaro continued running competitively at the NJNY Track Club as a professional runner and was sponsored by HOKA, known for supporting elite distance runners.

His career, however, came to a quicker end than anticipated.

According to World Athletics records, his last official race was recorded June 30, 2019, at the Princeton Qualifier in New Jersey, where he clocked a time of 1:52.16.

His Instagram bio confirmed what the records hinted at. Molinaro described himself as a “retired pro T&F athlete with HOKA.” A retirement that would later be eclipsed by a story no one saw coming.

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