On February 11, 2013, Christine Belford was murdered in the lobby of the New Castle County Courthouse in Delaware. The woman died due to a violent crime that her ex-husband's father, Thomas Matusiewicz, allegedly committed because she had been involved in an aggressive custody battle over her three daughters.
Very Scary People on Investigation Discovery delves into the case in season 6, episode 4. It airs on ID on January 5, 2024.
David Matusiewicz is serving time at the United States Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana. His mother, Lenore Matusiewicz, died in a Texas prison in 2016, and his sister, Amy Gonzalez, was also sentenced to life in prison. Thomas Matusiewicz shot himself dead in 2013 inside the New Castle County Courthouse.
Whereabouts of those responsible for Christine Belford's murder
Christine Belford's former husband, David Matusiewicz
David Matusiewicz is now serving a life sentence in a federal prison, convicted of conspiracy and cyberstalking that killed his ex-wife, Christine Belford. The court defined the stalking and shooting as "a crime of malice," as per a report by Philadelphia-based media organization WHYY, dated February 19, 2016.
Such a plan of a well-coordinated harassment campaign continued over several years by David as well as falsely defaming character and parental capability. His participation in the crime that took the life of Christine led to a life imprisonment by a federal judge in February 2016.
According to the United States Attorney's Office press release on July 10, 2025, David is reported to display no emotions in court during sentencing, and no comments have been seen from him after the sentence was pronounced.
Thomas Matusiewicz
Thomas Matusiewicz, aged 68 at the time of the shooting, was the one who had fired the bullets to kill the mother, Christine Belford, and her friend Laura "Beth" Mulford. After shooting them in the courthouse lobby, Thomas engaged police in a shootout before killing himself.
His act was premeditated since he traveled from Texas to Delaware with weapons and ammunition for this purpose. Thomas's death ended his involvement in the case immediately after the tragic incident, leaving behind a legacy of violence that would haunt his family and community.
Lenore Matusiewicz
Lenore Matusiewicz, the mother of David and Amy, was also sentenced to life in prison for her role in the stalking campaign against Christine Belford. She was convicted, along with her children, for conspiracy and cyberstalking, resulting in death. Lenore Matusiewicz was reported to be in poor health and was hospitalized at the time of her sentencing.
According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons' online inmate locator, Lenore Matusiewicz passed away on May 6, 2019, at the Federal Medical Center Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas.
Amy Gonzalez
The sister of David, Amy Gonzalez, also served life in a prison sentence, having been accused of involvement in the cyberstalking campaign against Christine Belford. In her sentencing, Amy apologized for the tragedy that occurred and expressed her remorse for the impact of their actions on Christine's family.
Like her brother and mother, she was convicted of conspiracy and cyberstalking that led to death. Amy's role was to assist in the harassment efforts that led to the murder of Christine by her father.
Christine Belford's life was violently ended by a culmination of familial control, harassment, and, ultimately, murder. As Very Scary People looks further into this case, it highlights the serious consequences of domestic violence and stalking.