TYLER, Texas — Jurors on Tuesday learned what led a Tyler woman's family to report her missing in 2023 as her brother took the stand in the trial of her presumed murder.
Jesse Lee Williams is charged with murder in the disappearance of Paula Belonga, 51. Tuesday marked the sixth day of testimony. He pleaded not guilty to the charge last week. 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.
Her brother Robert Baldinell testified his sister essentially never met a stranger. He described growing up with her as having a best friend always. He said their family was there for each other and spoke on the phone often.
He said communication was frequent among family members, but all speaking with her family stopped on April 7, 2023. And that's when Baldinell called Tyler police for a welfare check.
He recalled his mother saying she got a text from Belonga asking for $500 late at night, which seemed out of character for Belonga. Baldinell called Belonga several times, but the calls went unanswered. He also learned that Belonga didn't pick up her son in Louisiana.
He recalled that she went through hard times and had suicidal ideation in Louisiana. After going to the hospital, she was diagnosed as bipolar and prescribed medication. However, she was doing well after getting the help she needed. Baldinell testified that he never heard of Williams.
On the 911 call, he reported his mother said Belonga was acting strange for a few days, but he didn't know the details of what their mom meant. He said he knew his sister used alcohol to cope with hard situations, but he also knew her to get through challenges without drinking.
Tyler Police Department Detective James Holt testified data showed Belonga's phone went to Henderson, the Martin Lake area and other parts of Rusk County on April 7, 2023. On April 8, the phone showed to be in Zavalla. On April 9, the phone appeared to move to an area just west of Tatum, which is also in the area of where Williams stayed with his ex-girlfriend.
When looking at Williams' phone, the data shows both phones traveled a similar path within the period of April 5 to 12, 2023, of going to Tyler and moving around Rusk County, going to Zavalla, to Tatum and later on back to Zavalla again. Both devices appeared to be in the same area and traveling together, such as moving along State Highway 64 and other roads and areas of Rusk County, Holt testified. The defense questioned the accuracy of the location data and how close the phones were.
Tyler Police Department Detective Cory Chamberlain testified on April 12, 2023, his calls to the phone number that Williams claimed was connected to Belonga went unanswered. He began texting with the number and the texts did not match the way Belonga spoke. The messages said to leave Williams alone and claimed he was paid to watch her dog.
Records later indicated that Williams set up the number he gave police within a few days before Belonga's disappearance. Once he learned this, his belief that Belonga was alive began to dwindle.
Williams brought up Belonga without being asked during a police interview.
In an interview, Williams continued to emphasize that he and Belonga were just friends and he appeared disgusted by the thought of having a sexual relationship with her.
Chamberlain testified that after conversations with Williams, he came to realize that the timeline that Williams gave was false. The detective also told the state he got the impression that Williams wanted Chamberlain to think Williams cared for Belonga when he brought up giving her gifts like a necklace and suitcases.
Once got Williams' phone unlocked, police found 200 deleted messages and Google searches.
A Google search on Williams' phone asked how to avoid police tracking a phone and the article suggested driving in random patterns. Chamberlain said the path Williams' phone took on April 7, 2023, of moving all around Rusk County would be considered "random." Williams' internet searches gave Chamberlain the indication that Williams was "fishing the internet" to see if Belonga's body was found.
During his third police interview, Williams said while at the Tyler Police Department interview room alone, “I don’t know the (expletive) she’s at. I could care less.”
He said the last time he talked to Belonga was April 7, 2023. He claimed Belonga had his phone and he needed her to bring it to him. So she came to him in Tatum and she asked Williams to watch her dog and apartment. Williams said he got his phone back on April 8. He called arresting him for murder “bull (expletive).”
The trial will resume Wednesday at 8:30 a.m.
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