Texas Pastor, Son Accused of Murder

It sounds like a thriller type horror movie: a pastor and his son, a love triangle, and a murder-for-hire plot that resulted in a son shooting his stepmother.

According to the Houston Chronicle, On May 18, 2010, a Houston pastor’s wife was shot execution-style in her garage, leading the police to suspect her husband. However, they ended up charging the pastor, his son and the woman who was dating them both.

After the trial began on September 26^th, prosecutors stated that Pastor Tracy Bernard “T.B.” Burleson distracted his wife, Pauletta Burleson, with a shouting match so his 21-year-old son, William Fuller, could creep up and shoot her in the head. All of this was supposedly in order to gain part of her life insurance pay-out.

During the opening arguments in Burleson’s capital murder trial, prosecutor Kari Allen said, “He manipulated his son, who was easily manipulated.”

If convicted, the 46-year-old faces life in prison without parole.

Defense lawyers for Burleson said a web of deceitful behavior, including an affair Burleson had with a woman his son was in love with, led to the slaying.

Attorney Laine Lindsey said William Fuller was trying to frame his father for the shooting so he could date Burleson’s mistress, Tyonne Palmer.

“William ended up dating Ty after the shooting,” Lindsey told jurors. Fuller, who is charged with murder, is expected to testify against his father.

Lindsey went on to suggest an even more despicable plot alleging that Palmer orchestrated the shooting to be with the pastor whose church had burned down a week earlier. Palmer is also charged with capital murder, due to the accusation that she picked up Fuller after the shooting and helping him destroy the murder weapon.

During the trial in state District Judge Susan Brown’s courtroom, the jurors spent the afternoon listening to the first half of a recorded statement from Burleson’s to the police.

For over two hours, Burleson can be heard stating that he was not involved.

“I’m giving you the truth,” Burleson said. “I did not shoot my wife.”

The pastor also denied any wrongdoing involving the fire that destroyed his church, the First New Mount Calvary Baptist Church.

As far as the insurance payout goes, the jurors also heard that there was a life insurance policy on Mrs. Burleson that totaled about $60,000.

During the investigation, police said a neighbor stated that they heard a gunshot at about 10:15 p.m.

An hour afterwards, Burleson called the police to report that he had just arrived home to find his wife was dead.

According to court records, Burleson noted that he and his wife had argued in the driveway, and that he then went to a convenience store for chips and candy, neither of which were found in his car.

Police did discover, however, that the store he said he went to closed at 10 p.m. that night.

Court records also note that a confidential informant later told police that Fuller admitted to shooting his stepmother in exchange for money from his father.

Fuller was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia before this shooting ever took place. He was living with Palmer, who acted as a caretaker.

It is expected that Fuller will testify that he fell in love with her, but that his father became involved with her first. After the shooting, Palmer began dating Fuller. Investigators stated that she was dating both men at the same time. After his arrested, Fuller led police to the murder weapon that he said he tried to burn with Palmer.

No charges are expected to be filed in connection with the fire. The trial is expected to last a week.