Internet searches lead to murder arrest in missing Tyler woman case

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - A man has been arrested in the homicide case of a Tyler woman who was reported missing several months ago. According to a press release by the Tyler Police Department, an arrest warrant for Jesse Lee Williams, 40, of Tatum, was obtained Tuesday and he subsequently was arrested by members of the U.S. Marshal’s Joint East Texas Fugitive Task Force. Williams is accused of the murder of Paula Belonga, who was reported missing back in April. The warrant said that Belonga’s car was found on April 9 by use of her phone’s location. The car was reportedly parked next to a single-wide mobile home in Rusk County, and investigators were able to speak with the home’s owner, Debbie Johnson. According to the report, Johnson said that Williams had dropped the car off her home, saying he was watching it for a woman who he was also housesitting for. Johnson provided Williams’ phone number to the investigators. When asked about Belonga’s location over the phone, Williams reportedly claimed that he had “just gotten off the phone” with her and that she sounded “okay.” He then allegedly gave the investigators a number that he claimed belonged to Belonga. After several failed attempts to reach Belonga at this number, the report said they began receiving texts from it. “Belonga” told them she was “fine” and “out of state with (her) man,” and demanded the authorities leave her and Williams alone, according to the document. The texts reportedly said that Williams was her friend, and she had paid him to watch her dog.