HOUSTON — More than 24 years after he killed his pregnant wife in their Katy home, a Houston jury took just two hours to sentence David Temple to life in prison Friday.
Jurors handed the ex-high school football coach the maximum sentence for killing Belinda Temple in 1999 when she was eight months pregnant.
During closing arguments, prosecutors said Temple wanted Belinda dead because he was having an affair with a woman he later married.
Temple’s lawyers highlighted their client’s ministry during 13 years behind bars.
“The people we met who worked with David in prison, out of prison, in the Harris County Jail said that David was special," defense attorney Stanley Schneider told jurors.
After Temple was sentenced, Belinda's brother and sister took the stand to make victim impact statements.
"Belinda was my life. It has been hell for me for the last 24 years," her twin sister Brenda Lucas said. "I have suffered from PTSD. I have felt survivor guilt. Belinda should be here."
"You're a despicable piece of trash. You call our family white trash? Look at you, David." Brian Lucas told Temple. "You completely ruined our family, you ruined your family ... I want you to think about that the rest of your life when you sit in prison and rot in hell."
Temple's crime
On Jan. 11, 1999, Belinda Temple was found dead in a closet from a shotgun blast to the back of her head.
Temple claimed someone had broken into the home and killed the woman he'd met in college and later married.
Less than two years after his wife's murder, Temple married Heather Scott, a fellow teacher at Alief Hastings High School, where he coached football.
In 2004, Temple was arrested and charged with killing his wife.
During his first trial in 2006, he was convicted and sentenced to life.
After nine years behind bars, a judge ordered a new trial saying prosecutors had withheld crucial evidence.
Scott filed for divorce after Temple's second murder trial began in 2019.
The second jury convicted him again but couldn't agree on a sentence so a third trial was held for sentencing only.
Ex-mistress, son testify
On the stand Monday, Scott told the jury that she and Temple never talked about Belinda Temple's murder despite being married for 18 years.
On Thursday, the defense's star witness took the stand. Evan Temple, who was three years old and in the house when his mother was killed.
With his mother dead and his father in prison, Evan was raised by Scott.
But he told jurors that his father was his role model.
"I want my dad out of prison. I lost my dad once, I don't want to lose him again," he said.
The son testified that he stayed in touch with his father all these years.
"My father was a big influence even when he wasn't present. He got to write letters, calls maybe three to four times a week," he said.
Since Temple had already served 13 years behind bars, he would be eligible for parole after 17 more years.
Schneider said he'll appeal today's sentence.