TYLER, Texas — Forensic scientists on Friday revealed a likely DNA profile matching a Tatum man accused of killing a Tyler woman was found on a sheet in her apartment.
Jesse Lee Williams is charged with murder in the death of Paula Belonga, 51, who was last seen in April 2023. On Friday, detectives and DNA scientists testified about items found in her apartment and vehicle as well as a necklace found on a rural Rusk County road.
This marked the fourth day of testimony in the trial. Williams pleaded not guilty to the charge on Tuesday.
Williams was arrested after officials obtained evidence allegedly pointing to his involvement in Belonga’s disappearance last year. Belonga was last seen on April 7, 2023 leaving her apartment complex on Paluxy Drive in her Chevrolet Impala. She hasn’t been heard from since.
Amber Moss, a forensic scientist at the Texas Department of Public Safety crime lab in Garland, testified there is a very high likelihood the DNA profile found on a fitted sheet in Belonga's bedroom had DNA from both Belonga and Williams.
During the search on May 22 through 24, a silver necklace that appeared to be a woman's was recovered on the side of CR 4148 in Rusk County when a deputy on horseback found it shining in the sun, an official with Texas EquuSearch said.
Officials say there are numerous photos in which Belonga can be seen wearing a necklace identical to the one that was found.
A Tyler Police Department detective testified that she and other investigators found the necklace along the CR 4148 area in Rusk County. The detective said a standard black glove was found in the general area near the necklace.
However upon testing, Moss said there was not enough DNA on the glove or necklace to interpret the samples further confidently.
While reviewing Belonga’s car, the detective said there was scrape in the front, and there were also smudges of dirt all over the car. Damage underneath the vehicle seemed like the vehicle was driving on rough terrain. She noted the amount of grass and dirt under the car.
The Tyler police detective also told the defense that parking too close could’ve caused the scrapes seen underneath the car. She said although the dirt road, where the necklace was found, is difficult to drive on, it is possible.
She recalled testing one part of the car for potential blood, but the test came back negative.
Inside the car, the detective found a backpack with a large knife coming out of it. She conducted a swab of the knife to be tested later. The keys to Belonga's vehicle were also found with dirt on them.
Unspent .22 long rifle bullets were found inside the bag as well. A debit card with Belonga's name on it was located inside the center console of the vehicle, the detective said.
The detective also found money from the Dominican Republic, cigarettes, jeans and an alcoholic drink bottle.
Another DPS crime lab forensic scientist in Garland testified the hunting knife that was found in Belonga's vehicle tested presumptively positive for blood, but the test does not show if it was animal or human blood.
Later on, Moss testified the hunting knife did not have enough DNA to interpret the sample at the lab.
John Stone, a former Tyler police crime scene investigator, performed the search warrant on Belonga's apartment on April 17, 2023, and he took various items in her home for evidence, including the sheet shown to likely have Belonga and Williams’ DNA.
Stone testified they found a black trash bag with a blue comforter and sheet inside, and it was taken into evidence. He noted an odor was coming from the bag. Stains were found on the bedding that Tyler police marked for testing.
Leggings that were very wet and had dirt on them were found in the hamper with dry clothes that seemed different than the surrounding items. So the leggings were taken into evidence, Stone testified.
Stone told the defense he had limited knowledge of the case, and he was just told to issue the search warrant. He only knew that a person was missing. He testified a dog could've caused blankets to be moved around or stained.
No blood or anything that appeared to be blood was found at the scene, Stone testified. Stone told the defense he saw no signs of someone forcing themselves into the apartment.
The trial will resume Monday morning with more testimony.