Kingwood Man Sentenced to 45 Years for Murdering Longtime Girlfriend

Matthew Haberland, a resident of Kingwood, has been sentenced to 45 years in prison for the murder of his longtime girlfriend, Ashley Wallace, announced Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg on Tuesday.

The incident occurred on June 21, 2022, at their home in the Kingwood area. Haberland fatally shot Wallace with a shotgun in the living room while their two young children and Wallace’s son were present. Initially, Haberland attempted to portray the murder as a suicide, reporting to the Houston police that he had found Wallace in a pool of blood. However, discrepancies between his account and the physical evidence led authorities to doubt his story.

Following eight days of trial, a Harris County jury found Haberland guilty of murder. Assistant District Attorneys Lindsey Bondurant and Rashonda Shaw, both from the DA’s Domestic Violence Division, prosecuted the case.

During the trial, it was emphasized that there was no evidence indicating suicide, contrary to Haberland’s claims. Bondurant stated, “This defendant didn’t take just one life, he ruined so many lives because of what he did. Her family — her children — will have to live the rest of their lives without her.”

Haberland has been sentenced to 45 years in prison and must serve at least half of the sentence before being eligible for parole. District Attorney Ogg reiterated the importance of recognizing the various forms of domestic violence, expressing gratitude that the jurors delivered justice for the victim and her family.