Closing arguments begin in the trial of a man accused of murdering a woman

TYLER, Texas — Closing arguments began Thursday in the trial of a Tatum man accused of killing a missing Tyler woman in 2023.

Jesse Lee Williams is charged with murder in the disappearance of 51-year-old Paula Belonga. He pleaded not guilty to the charge last week. She was last seen on April 7, 2023, leaving her Paluxy Drive apartment complex in her Chevrolet Impala.

Both the state and the defense rested their cases Wednesday afternoon. Williams decided not to testify on his behalf.

In closing arguments, the state told jurors that Williams made a living from women he was friends with and had relationships with. He pointed out that he spent his ex-girlfriend's lottery winnings and, over time, accepted $7,100 in CashApp payments from another woman.

The prosecutor noted Google searches including hot weather body decomposition, missing woman in Tyler, body found in Rusk County and others. She also noticed Williams downloading the app that told law enforcement they were texting with Belonga, but it came from his phone.

The State noted the testimony about Williams' hog hunting trips at the time Belonga was last seen and remained missing. The lawyer said that pigs would eat anything, which was what Williams said and mentioned in the testimony of those who hunted with him.

In police interviews, Williams tried to distance himself from Belonga as much as possible. He initially described her as a close friend, but later claimed that he did not care where she was.

The prosecutor said investigators did not know what weapon was used, but Williams had access to weapons. The location of her body is also unknown, nor is why Belonga was killed.

“From all of this evidence, we know that Jesse killed Paula,” the state said.

Prosecutors said the evidence showed there was no reasonable doubt he killed her.

“This family has been through enough. We can’t bring Paula back,” the lawyer said. “But what we’re doing for Paula’s family is getting them some justice.”

Williams' defense attorney Mishae Boren said the evidence presented was insufficient to refute the presumption of innocence.

Boren said the search history regarding a body found and its decomposition may well be connected to an April 6, 2023 news article about two people who were arrested after a body was found in Rusk County.

Video from the apartment complex showed Belonga leaving her apartment building and getting into her car alone. It did not appear that Williams got in the car with her and was traveling with Belonga, as investigators suggested based on the phone records.

His stories are not all the same, Boren said. But she said that might have something to do with the fact that he was texting with five women at the time, or maybe he didn't want his ex-girlfriend, who he wanted to get back with, to know.

Williams' semen was found on a sheet in Belonga's apartment, but other stains were also found in her apartment that were not investigated by law enforcement, Boren said. She added that what she meant was an incomplete police investigation.

Boren pointed out that there was a large pot of water in Belonga's apartment, and she questioned why Williams would care for her dog after he killed Belonga.

Police searching the area of ​​Rusk County where they believed Belonga's body may be located did not record video of the scene. But four days later, during a voluntary search, they found a necklace they believed belonged to Belonga.

Boren implored the jury to ensure that the necklace found in Rusk County was gold and that it would always be gold. Belonga's necklace was made of silver.

She told the jury what they heard was a lot of character evidence that showed Williams may be a liar and a crook. But she said all of these characteristics did not make him a murderer and he had the right to a fair trial.

“The law says you have to acquit if you have reasonable doubt,” Boren said. “And that’s what I’m going to ask you.”

His other lawyer, Kurt Noell, simulated asking virtual assistant Siri questions about the case to highlight a lack of information in the investigation, such as no blood, no body, a motive and when and where the death occurred. After a series of questions, Siri said she couldn't answer the question “Did Williams kill Belonga?”

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