Shivangi Sinha
In April 1985, Billy Mac Fleming, a high school football coach in Hull, Texas, was reported missing after failing to show up for personal appointments. His family and close friends had no contact with him, and this sparked concern. It wasn’t until ten days later that his remains were discovered in Polk County, Texas. He had been shot twice in the back of the head, leaving authorities scrambling for answers. The case, which stirred significant controversy, is explored in detail in ID’s episode of ‘Murder Under the Friday Night Lights’ titled ‘Dirty Little Lies.’ It delves into the circumstances surrounding the crime and the ensuing investigation.
Billy Mac Fleming Remained Missing for About Ten Days
Billy Mac Fleming was born on September 2, 1948, to Gloria and Clyde Fleming. From a young age, he displayed both academic excellence and a passion for sports and always strived to stay ahead in his pursuits. During his time at Galena Park High School in the late 1960s, his athletic abilities began to shine, and his love for sports became a defining part of his identity. Determined to turn his passion into a career, he enrolled at Rice University, where he played varsity football. However, the intense competition at the collegiate level proved challenging, and after two years, he decided to take a different path. Shortly after marrying his wife, Ann, he transferred to Stephen F. Austin State University along with her.
Billy took some time to find the right career path, but everything eventually fell into place for him. Initially studying to become a stockbroker, his interests later shifted toward agriculture. However, with limited job opportunities in that field, he found himself drawn to coaching. Alongside his coaching duties, he also taught math and science and worked at several schools, including Corrigan, Hempstead, and Anahuac. In the 1983-1984 school year, Billy joined Woodson Junior High School in Liberty County’s Hull-Daisetta school district. Around this time, his personal life also saw major changes. His first marriage had come to an end just before he transitioned to his new role, and by the early 1980s, he had remarried, tying the knot with Linda.
Linda Fleming was also an educator. She worked as an English teacher at Barbers Hill Middle School in Mont Belvieu. On the surface, his life seemed stable and fulfilling, but by December 1984, Billy confided in Linda that he wanted to focus on himself and no longer saw a future in their marriage. As a result, he initiated divorce proceedings. Billy, 36, was last seen at school on April 12, 1985. When he failed to show up for his commitments, a search was launched. Ten days later, on April 22, a berry picker discovered his remains in Polk County, Texas. He had been shot twice behind the ear with a small-caliber pistol. His whistle, still attached to a lanyard, remained intact, but his boots and billfold were missing. Authorities speculated that he had been killed elsewhere, and his body was later placed at the site.
The Police Looked at Various Aspects of Billy Mac Fleming’s Life to Identify His Killer
The police initially searched Billy Mac Fleming’s house, but there was no sign that he had even returned home before his disappearance. The last known person to see him was Hurley Fontenot, the school principal, who claimed to have dropped Billy off at his car but had no knowledge of what happened afterward. Investigators also looked into his ongoing divorce and discovered that just before he went missing, he had received news that the proceedings were going to be delayed due to logistical issues. He was reportedly frustrated with it, and it was also noted that Linda was set to get $55,000 in insurance benefits in case of his death.
The police also explored the possibility that Billy’s murder was drug-related due to the nature of his killing. The fact that his boots had been removed matched a known execution-style in such cases. Additionally, investigators found a small amount of cocaine in his bathroom cabinet. While the quantity was minimal, they speculated that it might have been planted. However, the most significant lead in the case did not come from physical evidence but from rumors. People at the school and within the community spoke about Billy’s alleged relationship with Laura Nugent, a clerk at the junior high school where he worked.
Inconsistencies in a Suspect’s Alibi Made Police Charge Them With Murder
Billy Mac Fleming’s wife, Linda Fleming, discovered the affair during their ongoing divorce and suspected that he had left her for his new partner. What made this romance even more controversial was that Laura Nugent had previously been in a long-term relationship with Hurley Fontenot, the school principal. Bill was the man she dated after him, and rumors suggested that he planned to marry her as soon as his divorce was finalized. On the day he disappeared, he was supposed to meet Laura and her mother for dinner but never showed up. The day after his body was discovered, police brought in Hurley for questioning.
Hurley provided an account of his whereabouts on the day Billy disappeared in April 1985. He claimed that he had borrowed a camper shell for his pickup truck to help move furniture for his daughter. After that, he said that he went to pick her up at Hobby Airport, but when she didn’t arrive, he drove to Intercontinental Airport instead. He further stated that he had made a phone call from the airport, though records did not support this claim. Additionally, his daughter never arrived as expected. Believing he might have mixed up the schedule, he said he decided to stay overnight at his sister’s empty house in Raywood, Texas. The police claimed that they were never able to corroborate a lot of this information, and that is why they decided to charge him with Bill’s murder.
Hurley Fontenot Passed Away Three Years After Billy Fleming’s Murder
In 1986, Hurley Aloysius Fontenot’s trial began, with prosecutors arguing that the murder stemmed from a love triangle gone wrong. The defense, however, claimed that Hurley was being unfairly targeted due to his race and emphasized that there was no physical evidence linking him to the crime. During the trial, the prosecution presented witnesses from a hotel where registration pages had been used to send Billy Mac Fleming a note about his affair. One hotel staff member testified that they had seen Hurley near the premises. Despite the arguments presented, he was ultimately acquitted of the crime. On May 17, 1989, 52-year-old Hurley passed away in Lufkin, Texas, reportedly due to a heart attack. Though the case remains legally closed, the rumors and speculation surrounding the events of 1985 continue to linger in the small town.
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