David Temple, a former football coach, is in prison for the murder of his pregnant wife, Belinda. The case is almost 30 years old.
The Crime
On January 11, 1999, David called 911, saying he found Belinda shot in their home in Katy, Texas. Belinda was eight months pregnant with their second child.
The Investigation
For years, the murder went unsolved. Eventually, investigators found gunshot residue on David’s clothing that matched the residue on Belinda’s clothes. David was arrested in 2004 and first convicted in 2007.
The Trials
David appealed his conviction and was granted a new trial in 2016. He was found guilty again in 2019 and sentenced to life in prison. At a court hearing in 2023, Belinda’s family spoke about the pain David had caused.
Belinda’s twin sister said that the murder had caused her PTSD and survivor’s guilt.
The People Involved
David and Belinda were high school teachers who had been married for seven years. They met at Stephen F. Austin State University. David played football, and Belinda was also an athlete. They married in 1992 and had a son in 1995.
The Day of the Murder
David said he was running errands with his son when he came home to find the back door broken and Belinda shot in their bedroom closet. Police found Belinda had been shot with a 12-gauge shotgun.
The Arrest
Police noticed some things that seemed strange about the scene, like a door that seemed to be broken. David’s story about his errands also changed slightly each time he told it.
Police learned David was having an affair with another teacher. Two years after Belinda’s death, David and the other teacher got married.
The Conviction
In 2004, David was arrested after gunshot residue was found on his and Belinda’s clothes. He was convicted in 2007 and sentenced to life in prison.
The Appeal
David fought his conviction for years. One of Belinda’s student’s friends said that the student confessed to killing someone during a burglary. In 2016, David was granted a new trial.
During the second trial, David’s lawyers tried to say the student killed Belinda. The student denied it. Prosecutors said David’s family owned the murder weapon and that his alibi was not solid.
David was again convicted of murdering his wife. In 2023, he was sentenced to life in prison.
David is now serving his sentence in a prison in Gatesville, Texas.
