'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Christine Belford was killed on February 11, 2013, within the lobby of the New Castle County Courthouse in Delaware. She lost her life from a violent crime that was allegedly performed by her ex-husband's father named Thomas Matusiewicz because she was entangled in an aggressive custody fight for her three daughters.
The case is featured in Very Scary People season 6 episode 4 on Investigation Discovery. The episode will air on January 5, 2024 on ID. The synopsis of the episode says,
"David Matusiewicz, Christine Belford and their four kids live the American dream. But when David's parents move in, his family's need for control over the children leads to allegations of abuse, a 19-month kidnapping, and ultimately, a brutal murder."
Trending
David Matusiewicz currently serves a life sentence in federal prison with no parole eligibility on his conviction for the crime.
The custody war
According to the United States Attorney's Office press release on July 10, 2025, Christine Belford's issues began during her turbulent marriage with David Matusiewicz. They married after two years of courtship and produced three daughters for the family.
However, their relationship deteriorated significantly when David's parents, Thomas and Lenore Matusiewicz, moved in with them shortly after the birth of their second child. This arrangement strained Christine and David's marriage, leading to Christine filing for divorce in 2006.
During the divorce proceedings, David attempted to minimize Christine's contact with their children, claiming she was unfit as a mother.
This was a baseless claim but ignited an already volatile situation. In 2007, after losing their children to custody, David and Lenore kidnapped the girls and escaped to Nicaragua.
According to the United States Attorney's Office press release on July 10, 2025, they were caught in 2009 and returned to the United States, in which case David was sentenced to four years in prison for kidnapping.
In January 2010, Christine successfully had the parental rights of David as well as his parents terminated. This court victory made matters worse between Christine and the Matusiewicz family.
The day of the shooting of Christine Belford
According to the United States Attorney's Office press release on July 10, 2025, on February 11, 2013, Christine Belford went to the courthouse with her friend Laura "Beth" Mulford to attend a scheduled hearing over child support payments.
She did not know that Thomas Matusiewicz had come from Texas, armed with weapons and ammunition, to confront her.
Thomas Matusiewicz shot her multiple times when Christine entered the lobby of the courthouse around 8:00 AM. Thomas Matusiewicz then shot Mulford when she tried to flee. The two women were killed in the shooting.
Following the attack, Thomas Matusiewicz was involved in a shootout with law enforcement officers before killing himself outside the courthouse.
According to the United States Attorney's Office press release on July 10, 2025, David Matusiewicz was at the courthouse on that particular day but was arrested for violating his probation relating to his earlier kidnapping conviction.
His ruling was that he went to Texas without permission for the specific intention of attending the hearing.
Aftermath and legal consequences
This unfortunate event has led a federal jury to indict David Matusiewicz and his mother, Lenore, along with sister Amy Gonzalez on charges of interstate stalking and cyberstalking, which led to the eventual murder of Christine Belford.
According to the United States Attorney's Office press release on July 10, 2025, they have been held criminally liable for devising a scheme of harassment against her by creating false claims on the internet.
The convictions highlighted the severity of their actions and resulted in life sentences for all three family members. Prosecutors described their behavior as part of a coordinated effort to regain custody of Christine’s children at any cost.
The case underscored how domestic disputes can escalate into violence when fueled by obsession and malice.
The death of Christine had a profound impact not only on the surviving children but also on the community at large. The legal procedures that followed were a reminder of the dangers associated with unresolved family conflict and stalking behavior.
Christine Belford's life was violently ended by a culmination of familial control, harassment, and ultimately murder. As Very Scary People prepares to delve deeper into this case, it sheds light on the serious consequences of domestic violence and stalking.
