"Gary Temple is alive and doing well!!"
(Please read the following as I was reported murdered but it was another person.)

June 29, 2005
Last modified June 29, 2005 - 12:44 am


City man mistaken for stabbing victim
By JAN FALSTAD
Of The Gazette Staff

DAVID GRUBBS/Gazette Staff
Gary Temple, owner of the Meadowlark Gallery in downtown
Billings, listens to a reporter's questions Tuesday in the gallery.
Another Gary Temple of Billings died of stab wounds over the
weekend and many people assumed it was the man pictured above.

News that Gary Temple had been stabbed to death in Billings Saturday caused some confusion among people thinking the well-known Billings art dealer had been killed. Since then, the Gary Temple who owns Meadowlark Gallery at 118 N. 29th St. has been assuring dozens of grieving and shocked friends that he is alive and well.

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

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.
The Yellowstone County coroner confirms that multiple stab wounds caused the death of the Billings man, stabbed on a city street Saturday evening.
Witnesses reported seeing two people leave the area. Police subsequently took custody of a man and a woman, for questioning.
Police say it appears the pair and Temple knew each other.
(APcredit: Michael Lyon, KBLG)
Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten

June 26, 2005
Billings Gazette


Man dies in South Side stabbing

A 53-year-old Billings man was fatally stabbed on the South Side on Saturday evening.
His name was not released.
Police responded to the 300 block of South 31st Street about 6:30 p.m., Sgt. John Bedford said. They found a man with stab wounds and witnesses who said two possible suspects had left the area in a blue Dodge Durango.
Officers located the Durango nearby, and the man and woman inside the vehicle were being questioned late Saturday night, Bedford said.
The victim was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Bedford said details were sketchy but that the victim and the people who were detained appeared to know each other.

From The K-B-L-G News Center
Posted on Monday, June 27@10:25:25 MDT by michael

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.
TEMPLE WAS KILLED AT ABOUT 6:30 SATURDAY NIGHT IN THE 300-BLOCK OF SOUTH 31ST STREET.
WITNESSES OBSERVED TWO PEOPLE LEAVING THE AREA IN A DODGE DURANGO, AND POLICE FOUND THE DURANGO NEARBY. THE MAN AND WOMAN INSIDE WERE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY FOR QUESTIONING.
POLICE SAY TEMPLE AND THE TWO PEOPLE IN CUSTODY APPEARED TO KNOW EACH OTHER.

KULR 8 Television, Billings, Montana
South Side Homicide
By Kara Graetz

 

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
Billings Gazette


More details of stabbing released
Gazette Staff

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.
Joel Myles Seminole, who also uses the last name White, remained in the county jail Monday in connection with the stabbing death of Gary Temple. Seminole is expected to make his first court appearance today.
Temple, 53, was killed Saturday during a disturbance on South 31st Street. Seminole, who is Temple's brother-in-law, was arrested a short time later after witnesses provided police a description of the suspect's vehicle.
Assistant Police Chief Rich St. John said a motive for the stabbing remained under investigation Monday. Temple was a security guard at Deaconess Billings Clinic and was married to Seminole's sister, who was with Seminole when he was arrested, St. John said. She was not detained, he said.
Seminole was released from prison a day or two before the fatal stabbing and rode a bus to Billings, St. John said. He was convicted in 1994 of aggravated assault and has a lengthy criminal record that includes several felony convictions for violent crimes, according to state prison records.

June 29, 2005
Billings Gazette

$1 million bond set for stabbing suspect
By GREG TUTTLE
Of The Gazette Staff


One day after his release from a state prison in Shelby, Joel White stabbed his brother-in-law to death during a confrontation in Billings, prosecutors said Tuesday. White, 47, was charged in Justice Court with deliberate homicide for the slaying Saturday of 53-year-old Gary Temple. Bond was set at a total of $1 million on the murder charge and a separate probation violation. Judge Pedro Hernandez ordered White to appear Thursday for arraignment in District Court. White, who also uses the last name Seminole, appeared in court by video from the Yellowstone County Detention Center. He spoke briefly during the hearing, acknowledging that his true name is White.
Hernandez set White's bond for the murder charge at $750,000 after hearing about the man's criminal history from Deputy County Attorney Rod Souza. White's criminal history stretches back to 1977, Souza said, when he was convicted of voluntary manslaughter, and includes numerous convictions for violent offenses in Montana. White also was convicted in California of possessing medication used in the manufacturing of methamphetamine, Souza said.
Hernandez rejected a request by Chief Public Defender Penny Strong to set White's bond at a lower amount. Hernandez also ordered the bond on the homicide charge to run consecutive to a $250,000 bond set for White on a probation violation. White was to be on probation for the next 10 years, Souza told the judge.

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.
According to the court documents, witnesses told police they saw the victim and his wife, Diane Temple, arguing outside the house about ownership of a Dodge Durango. One witness said Gary Temple was angry at his wife for giving White, her half-brother, a ride in the vehicle. White and Temple had a long history of confrontations and had been in a physical fight in the past, a witness said. Diane Temple said she had been married to her husband for about six years. Authorities said the victim worked as a security guard at Deaconess Billings Clinic.

White watched his sister and her husband arguing from inside the house, then walked outside and confronted his brother-in-law in the front yard, court documents say. The two men exchanged blows, and then White pulled out a knife and stabbed Temple several times in the chest and neck, prosecutors said. Temple stumbled to the street and collapsed. He was pronounced dead a short time later.

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.
Diane Temple was driving the Durango. She has not been charged. A bloody pocket knife was recovered from inside the Durango.

Gary W. Temple
BILLINGS - Retired Master Sgt. Gary W. Temple, 53, a decorated Air Force veteran and former Great Falls resident, died Saturday at a Billings hospital, the victim of a homicide. Services are 1 p.m. today at Dahl Funeral Chapel in Billings, followed by a lunch. Burial will take place 1 p.m. Thursday at Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis, S.D.
Survivors of Great Falls include daughters Susan Temple and Betty Temple; sons Gary W. Temple Jr. and Michael Temple; and five grandchildren.
Great Falls Tribune
Originally published June 29, 2005

Gary Wayne Temple

Gary Wayne Temple, 53, left us on Saturday, June 25, 2005.
He was born March 25, 1952, in Norman Park, Ga., to J.D. and Mattie Lee (McKinley) Temple. At age 15, he moved to Florida and graduated from Del Ray Beach High School. He joined the Air Force, retiring in 1994. During his Air Force career, he attained the following medals: AF Commendation Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster, AF Outstanding Unit Award with 3 OLC, AF Good Conduct Medal with 6 OLC, National Defense SVC Medal with Star, Vietnam SVE Medal, AF Overseas Short Tour Ribbon with 3 OLC, AF Overseas Long Tour Ribbon, NCO Professional Military Education Grad Ribbon with 1 OLC, Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, AF TNG Ribbon, AF Longevity SVC Award Ribbon with 4 OLC, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with DEV, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
Gary moved to Great Falls and worked for Great Falls Bus Transit. On Oct. 21, 2000, he was united in marriage to Diane White in Great Falls and they moved to Billings where he worked for security at Deaconess Billings Clinic until the time of his death. He enjoyed western movies, working in his yard and spending time with his grandchildren.
Gary is survived by his wife, Diane; children, Michael, Betty and Susan Temple of Great Falls; stepchildren, Joe Martinez of Deer Lodge, Steven (Becky) Martinez of Las Vegas, Norene (Darrin) Bullcoming of Lame Deer, Waylon (Josephine) Bullcoming of Seiling, Okla., and Dawn Marie Martell of Billings; brothers-in-law, Ross (CeCe) Parker of Billings, Stephen "Mutt" (Kris) Parker of Ashland, Tom (Janis) Mexican Cheyenne of Lame Deer and Eddie (Kathy) Foote, Jr. of Lame Deer; sisters-in-law, Flora Parker of Ashland, Michelle (Carl) Buckley of Casper, Wyo., Teri Malene Seminole of Birney and Ramona Carrasco of Tennessee; mother-in-law, Jennie Parker; and grandchildren, Kiara, Kiana, Kane, Kale, Troy, Neosha, Kristy and Sharlyce.
Gary was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters.
We would like to thank all of Gary's family and many friends that have shown so much support for us.
Visitation was 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 28. Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 29, at Dahl Funeral Chapel in Billings, with a luncheon to follow. Burial will be 1 p.m. Thursday, June 30, in Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis, S.D.
Gary, you will be missed by all who knew you. The strong sense of dedication you carried and quiet sense of humor that showed itself to those closest to you will be fondly remembered.

Published in the Billings Gazette on 6/29/2005.

July 1, 2005
Billings Gazette

Feud resulted in husband's stabbing, wife says

By BECKY SHAY
Of The Gazette Staff


A long-standing feud escalated into a stabbing death on the South Side on June 25, according to the widow of the victim, who is also the accused killer's half-sister. Joel White was "on the fight" when he arrived last Saturday morning at the house of his sister, Diane Temple. Temple told The Gazette on Thursday that her brother and husband have never gotten along and that she tried to keep them apart in the hours before the stabbing.

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.
"Because he's my brother, I always tried to help him and hoped things would change," she said.
When White arrived at their house Saturday after being released from prison in Shelby, Gary Temple was working in the yard - "playing with the grass and rocks," his family joked - and Diane Temple was inside sewing a blanket.
"I was shocked," she said. "He just came walking up to the house."

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."
"Joey, come here," she said her husband yelled. "You and me. This has been a long time coming. Let's do it now."

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."
Temple said she was taken to the Police Department, where she waited several hours, and was questioned. It was at City Hall that she was told her husband had died.

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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