TYLER, Texas — A Tatum man convicted of killing a missing Tyler woman in 2023 was sentenced to life in prison Thursday afternoon.
Jesse Lee Williams, 41, was convicted of murdering Paula Belonga, 51, who was last seen on April 7, 2023 leaving her apartment complex on Paluxy Drive in her Chevrolet Impala, in the morning within 20 minutes. Her body has yet to be found.
After about 15 minutes, the jury handed down the sentence of life with the eligibility for parole. He must serve 30 years in prison before becoming eligible for parole. Prior to Thursday, jurors heard testimony and evidence over seven days.
During the sentencing phase, jurors heard evidence showing Williams was convicted of multiple crimes in Texas and Louisiana, including assault, theft, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, burglary and criminal mischief.
For the defense, a family friend of Williams testified his mother was on drugs and his father was abusive. The friend called Williams "very emotional and soft-hearted” and also a “day-to-day liar."
Smith County Assistant District Attorney Kasey Sirianni had asked for the jury to give Williams a life sentence, citing his 20 past convictions over the past 23 years. She called Williams a thief, liar and now by the jury's verdict, a murderer.
No amount of years is going to bring Belonga back, but maybe Belonga's story can save someone else, Sirianni said.
Smith County Assistant District Attorney Angela Faulkner noted the Google searches, including body decomposition in hot weather, missing woman in Tyler, body found in Rusk County and others. She also noted how Williams downloaded an app used to make investigators think it was Belonga texting them, but it was coming from his phone. Other evidence, including inconsistencies in Williams’ story, deleted text messages, phone location data and his possession of Belonga’s vehicle, were factored into the jury’s decision.
"From all this evidence, we know that Jesse killed Paula," Faulkner said. "This family has been through enough. We can't bring Paula back. But what we do for Paula's family is bring them some justice."
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