TYLER, Texas — Editor's Note: The above video aired in June 2023.
The trial of a man accused of killing a Tyler woman who was last seen in April 2023 was reset to September.
Jesse Lee Williams, 40, is charged with murder in connection with the death of Paula Belonga, 51. He was arrested after officials obtained evidence allegedly pointing to his involvement.
Belonga was last seen on April 7, 2023 leaving her apartment complex in the 4400 block of Paluxy Drive in her white Chevrolet Impala.
On Monday, the defense told the 114th District Court Judge Austin Reeve Jackson that they recently received new evidence items and they're in need of an expert. Williams' case was originally scheduled to go to trial on Monday.
The state and defense agreed on the new date of Sept. 23 that was proposed by the court. Williams' next status hearing is set for July 8, and a pre-trial hearing will happen on Sept. 13 ahead of the jury trial.
Also at the hearing, Jackson swore in several of the state's witnesses.
According to an arrest affidavit, Belonga's brother told police on April 9, 2023, that she was supposed to pick up her son in Lake Charles, Louisiana that day and also provided police with her phone number. Police went to her apartment, but they couldn't find her or her vehicle.
About five days later, her car was found in Zavalla, which is the midway point between Tyler and Lake Charles.
The affidavit later states a ping of Belonga's phone showed it was at 1701 FM 1797 in Tatum. The Rusk County Sheriff's Office located Belonga's vehicle parked next to a single-wide mobile home on Lot #2.
A woman at the mobile home park told police Williams had Belonga's car off at the home and said he was watching the car and the house for someone who was out of town. The resident gave authorities Williams' phone number, the affidavit stated.
Police say they called Williams who claimed he had just gotten off the phone with Belonga and she "sounded OK." He then gave deputies a number where he said they could reach her, but nobody ever answered, the document said.
The affidavit states the female resident said she and Williams were in a relationship and lived together for about two weeks until he assaulted her and her teen daughter. Authorities had responded to the incident and Williams voluntarily left the residence and no arrest was made at that time.