"Gary Temple
is alive and doing well!!" |
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June 29, 2005 The victim with the same name worked as a security guard at Deaconess Billings Clinic. The dead man's brother-in-law, Joel White, has been charged in the death at 318 S. 31st St. While talking about the mistaken identity Tuesday, Meadowlark's Temple expressed sympathy for the victim. "There's a death involved and it doesn't matter who it is, it's a sad occasion," Temple said. Temple and his wife, Marylee Moreland, run the gallery. When Moreland's 91-year-old father in Bozeman heard the news and called his daughter in Billings to console her, Temple himself answered the phone. "That really upset him," Temple said. "Getting all upset at that age, wouldn't you be afraid something might happen?" Authorities didn't release the victim's name until Sunday. Addresses
and other identifying information were lacking, so confusion reigned
for a couple of days. On top of that, both Temples were the same age,
53. Temple and Moreland live above their gallery, and the telephone
has been ringing constantly with calls from crying and concerned friends.
While watching the TV news Sunday night, Temple said he felt almost
an out-of-body experience. "It reminded me of the 'Ghost (Dad)'
movie with Bill Cosby where he had to touch himself to make sure he
was alive," he said. At 5:30 a.m. Monday, the Temples left for the funeral of a friend, Alice Fjell, in the Ashland/Birney area. That meant they didn't get most of the telephone messages until Tuesday and didn't know how many people were concerned. On the way home from the funeral, Moreland and Temple called friends by cell phone to let them know of the mix-up. Gary Sengbusch, a friend and former Billings dentist, was driving from his home in Austin, Texas, to Billings for a vacation when he heard the news. He was driving through Wyoming and grieving with his wife in Austin when Temple called. "When I called Sengbusch's wife in Texas to tell them I was alive, she was consoling him on the other line," he said. Listening to the many messages was "gut-wrenching," he said. Bob Fears, an ex-Marine and retired gunsmith, was surprised to hear Temple's voice and said, 'You ain't dead? It ain't you?" Temple said this past year has been a wild one. With Kayla, the partially blind German Shorthair lying nearby, Temple recited some of the spooky events. Around Thanksgiving, Marylee found two men on the roof of the gallery. They claimed to be security guards, then took off. On Jan. 21, Temple caught three men spraying graffiti on the roof. He held them at gunpoint until police arrived. In April, Temple caught a man in a purple bandana and denim coat shoplifting a bronze from the gallery. Temple followed, shouted at the man to stop and the suspect put down the artwork on the sidewalk by Wendy's. Finally, on Friday the 13th in May, Temple was hunting black bear in Polebridge when he came within 17 yards of a 500-pound grizzly. Moreland said this mistaken identity has been a rare opportunity. Her
husband got to hear his friend's funeral eulogies. "How many times
in a person's life is there ever an event where people tell you what
you mean to them?" she said. Temple agreed, then added, "I hope the next six months slow down
a little bit." Jan Falstad can be contacted at (406) 657-1306 or at jfalstad@billingsgazette.com |
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Various Media Escapade Transcripts (glt) Authorities identify victim of fatal stabbing BILLINGS The 53-year-old victim of a fatal, weekend stabbing in Billings
has been identified as Gary Temple. June 26, 2005 From The K-B-L-G News Center THE 53-YEAR-OLD BILLINGS MAN WHO WAS STABBED TO DEATH SATURDAY NIGHT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS GARY TEMPLE. THE YELLOWSTONE COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE CONFIRMS THAT
THE CAUSE OF DEATH WAS MULTIPLE STAB WOUNDS. KULR 8 Television, Billings, Montana
JUNE 27, BILLINGS - A suspect is charged in the death of a man after a stabbing on Billings' south side. Billings Police were dispatched to a stabbing on South 31st and Third streets Saturday night, but the disturbance call quickly turned into a homicide investigation. Witnesses say a man had been wandering around from house to house looking for a woman. Before they knew it he found her and they exchanged heated words, apparently about who paid for a blue Dodge Durango. Shortly thereafter, another man, Joel Myles Seminole, allegedly joined the fight and stabbed 53 year-old Gary Temple. Seminole and the woman then fled the scene in the same Durango, but officers quickly caught up with them, and detained them. Meanwhile neighbors and witnesses rushed to help Temple, but said there wasn't much they could do. Emergency medical crews tried to resuscitate Temple on the scene, then rushed him to St. Vincent hospital where was pronounced dead shortly. Seminole is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday, and there is no word on whether or not the woman will be charged. The murder is still under investigation. June 28, 2005 A 47-year-old man arrested in connection with a fatal weekend stabbing
had recently been released from a private prison in Shelby where he was
serving time for aggravated assault. June 29, 2005 $1 million bond set for stabbing suspect
Court documents filed in the case Tuesday provide a detailed look at
the allegations against White, who was released Friday from a prison in
Shelby and traveled to Billings by bus, authorities said. Temple died
of multiple stab wounds he suffered during a fight reported to police
about 6:30 p.m. Saturday outside a residence at 318 S. 31st St. Officers responding to the report of a fight were told a suspect was
seen leaving in a Dodge Durango. An officer spotted the Durango a few
blocks away and arrested White, whose clothing was covered in blood, prosecutors
said. Gary W. Temple Gary Wayne Temple Gary Wayne Temple, 53, left us on Saturday, June 25, 2005. Published in the Billings Gazette on 6/29/2005. July 1, 2005 Feud resulted in husband's stabbing, wife says By BECKY SHAY White, who also goes by the last name Seminole, pleaded not guilty Thursday
to deliberate homicide for stabbing Gary Temple, 53, in the chest and
neck. Diane Temple said she has been scared of White for years because
he had been violent toward her and other family members. She and White
have the same mother. White has a long and violent criminal history -
including a conviction for shooting his father, Temple said. Regardless of the ill feelings between the Temples and White, Diane Temple
said she did not turn him away. She said she did not immediately recognize her brother. "He looked
mean," she said. "He just looked hard. As soon as he walked
in, my stomach just started turning in knots." White told Temple
he had spent the night looking for the house and was "pissed"
about the delay. White said he had been walking around and drinking with
people downtown, she said. Gary Temple left the house, apparently upset
that White was there, she said. When he returned, Diane Temple said, she
thought he may have been drinking. Diane Temple and White left the house in a Dodge Durango and drove to
a friend's house a few blocks away. While there, Temple said, she heard
the Durango's alarm go off, looked outside and saw Gary Temple. Diane
Temple said her husband yelled at her that he did not want White in his
vehicle. People in the neighborhood were coming out of their houses. White
and the friend watched from the house while the Temples argued about the
car for a few minutes, she said. Then Gary Temple pointed at White and
yelled at him by the family's nickname for him, "Joey." She said Gary Temple shoved past her and that he and White started fighting.
"Then I saw Joe take a swing," she said, waving her arm. "And
Gary was holding himself." Temple said she backed away and was screaming
for someone to help and call 911. The men continued to struggle, Temple
said, "then Gary just dropped." She said she kneeled by her
husband, hoping to help. White ordered her to get him out of there or
"I'm going to do the same (expletive) thing to you." Temple said she was in shock from seeing her husband hurt and, scared
of White, obeyed. As they drove away, Temple said she saw police vehicles
in the rearview mirror, had the fleeting thought that the police were
there and that White could not hurt her. Although White yelled at her
not to stop, Temple said she hit the brakes and got out of the car. As
the police approached, Temple said she screamed, "He just stabbed
my husband, he just stabbed him." Diane and Gary Temple were married in 2000, shortly after she got out of a pre-release program. She was convicted of robbery in 1987 for her involvement in the robbery, kidnapping and murder of John Etchemendy Jr. Then known as Diane Bull Coming, she served 12 years of a 40-year prison sentence and is on parole. Temple, who is sober and often refers to things she learned in treatment programs, said she has worked to make her home safe. Family members describe it as a "place where it's calm" and comfortable. "How can this happen?" Temple said crying. "I tried so hard to have a nonviolent home. I don't know why my brother came." There has been speculation that Temple will be charged with a crime because she drove White away from the crime scene. She said she did nothing wrong but acted out of fear based on her history with White and his threat to her at the scene. "Because I was involved in a crime a long time ago, I can't be a victim?" Temple said. Temple admitted she knows a few things about the criminal system, and she hopes prosecutors won't accept a plea bargain and reduce White's charge to manslaughter: "He outright killed my husband." Temple and her close family said they are going through a rush of emotions - anger and grief being the strongest. "I know he's my brother," Temple said. "But sometimes ? when somebody crosses that line, it hurts so bad that the love is not there anymore," Temple said. |
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