Summary: David Temple was convicted twice in the 1999 killing of his eight-months-pregnant wife, Belinda. After gunshot-residue links prompted his 2004 arrest, he was convicted in 2007, won a retrial in 2016, was convicted again in 2019 and ultimately sentenced to life in 2023. The case involved allegations of a staged burglary, a possible alternate suspect and a weapon that was never recovered. Temple is serving his sentence at the Alfred D. Hughes Unit in Gatesville, Texas.
Where Is David Temple Now? Trials, Convictions and a Life Sentence More Than Two Decades After His Wife’s Murder
Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle via APDavid Temple during his sentencing trial on April 10, 2023 in Houston, Texas.
David Temple remains imprisoned more than two decades after his wife, Belinda Temple, was found shot in the couple's Katy, Texas, home on Jan. 11, 1999. The case drew national attention for its disputed forensic evidence, allegations of a staged burglary, a possible alternate suspect and a long legal fight that produced two guilty verdicts and repeated appeals.
Case Overview
Belinda, eight months pregnant at the time, was discovered dead in the bedroom closet. David called 911 that evening and reported finding what appeared to be a forced entry. Initial investigators suspected a burglary staged to conceal the true circumstances of the killing after noting inconsistencies at the scene.
Marie D. De Jesus/Houston Chronicle via GettyDavid Temple enters the 178th court on May 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas.
Investigation and Evidence
Police determined Belinda was killed with a 12-gauge shotgun. Investigators later reported that gunshot-residue (GSR) tests linked residue on Belinda’s clothing to residue on clothing David had worn the day of the killing; that match led to his arrest in 2004. The shotgun itself was never recovered.
Trials, Appeals and New Trial
Temple was first tried and convicted of first-degree murder in 2007 and sentenced to life in prison. His defense successfully had the GSR evidence excluded at that trial, but a jury still found him guilty. After new testimony surfaced — including a recorded statement from a witness who implicated an alternate suspect, Riley Joe Sanders III — the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals granted Temple a retrial in 2016.
Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via APDavid Temple (C) arrives to court for his murder retrial on July 8, 2019 in Houston, Texas.
The retrial began in 2019. Prosecutors argued Temple staged the scene, ran errands to create an alibi, drove his young son to a neighbor’s house and then reported the crime. The defense renewed efforts to implicate Sanders; Sanders testified, reaffirming his alibi and denying involvement. Temple was again convicted, and after juries initially deadlocked on punishment, a subsequent jury in 2023 sentenced him to life in prison.
Victim Impact and Family Statements
"Belinda was my life. It has been hell for me for the last 24 years," said Brenda Lucas, Belinda's twin sister, describing long-term trauma and survivor’s guilt. Family testimony and victim-impact statements played a role during the final sentencing.
Belinda and David had met at Stephen F. Austin State University, earned master's degrees in education, and returned to the Houston area to teach. Their son Evan, born in 1995, publicly maintained his father’s innocence and called David a role model even as the legal process continued.
Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle via APDavid Temple during his sentencing trial on April 10, 2023 in Houston, Texas.
Where He Is Now
According to Texas Department of Criminal Justice records, David Temple is serving a life sentence at the Alfred D. Hughes Unit in Gatesville, Texas.
Outstanding Questions
Key unresolved elements of the case include the murder weapon, which has never been found, and lingering disputes about the reliability and admissibility of forensic evidence. The case remains notable for its contested forensics, the alternate suspect theory, and the rare successful appeal that led to a retrial.
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