Billings Murders A Contract Hit? – A source with knowledge of the investigation says there were two motives – robbery and a contract hit – in the home invasion murders of Florida couple Byrd and Melanie Billings.
Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Jr., 35, is believed to be the ringleader of the group responsible for the murder of Byrd Billings and Melanie Billings.
The source told reporters that the state attorney’s office believes that most of the suspects in the case thought they were there for a robbery, but that Leonard Gonzalez Jr., the alleged organizer of the crime, along with other unnamed suspects were plotting a hit on the couple.
The source said that from “Gonzalez down” it was a robbery and that from “Gonzalez up” it was a hit. The source was not sure of the motive behind the hit.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has said it believed robbery was the prime motive, but that it would explore all avenues, a position Sheriff David Morgan reiterated Friday night.
“We are, in fact, looking at this,” Morgan said. “We want to ensure the citizens of Escambia County that we are not in any way, shape or form of the imagination taking that possibility or probability off the table in the conduct of the Billings murder.”
Morgan told reporters that early in the investigation, investigators had “uncorroborated information that would lead a reasonable person to believe that this was an avenue of the investigation that we should in fact pursue.” He added, “We have and will continue to do that very thing.”
“I want the citizens of Escambia County to understand that this investigation will go where it goes, and anyone who aided or abetted in the commission of this crime will be brought to justice,” the sheriff said.
Greg Marcille of the Escambia County Office of the State Attorney did not deny that investigators were considering a contracted hit, but said his office believes “that the prime motive was robbery.”
“We will consider all possibilities and review any evidence that is brought forward regarding the issue of motive in this case,” he said.
Byrd and Melanie Billings, who were known for adopting special-needs children, were killed during a robbery at their Florida home on July 9.
A small safe containing prescription medication, family documents and some jewelry was taken, and later found in the backyard of a woman who said she was a friend of Gonzalez, authorities have said.
Two sources familiar with the investigation told CNN that a second safe at the home contained at least $100,000.
Eight people have been arrested in the case. Seven are facing murder charges and one is accused of being an accessory after the fact.
Gonzalez once worked for a car dealership Byrd Billings owned, and court documents state that Gonzalez received a $1,000 donation from the family for a martial-arts studio that he ran.
And that’s the latest news on the Billings Murders A Contract Hit?
Tags: billings murders, billings murders a contract hit, byrd billings, melanie billings
August 2nd, 2009 at 7:37 am
Billings Murder Suspects
Composite photo from Escambia Sheriff’s Office of the suspects in the murders of Byrd and Melanie Billings.
August 2nd, 2009 at 11:48 am
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August 14th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
more on Gonzalez, another “attempted” hit and panhandle corruption:
http://markturnerandfriends.blogspot.com/
August 27th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) – A Florida couple known for adopting special needs children struggled with armed intruders before they were led away to be gunned down, surveillance video shows.
The video viewed Thursday by reporters shows Byrd Billings first put his arms in the air, then grapple with armed men who entered the family’s living room July 9.
His wife, Melanie, is seen protectively grabbing what appears to be a child on the shadowy, time-lapsed video taken by the home’s surveillance system. The couple are then led away from the room.
The two were shot dead in their bedroom, where there were no surveillance cameras. Video taken by investigators includes shots of the couple’s bodies in their bedroom. The crime scene footage was also shown to reporters Thursday.
The viewing took place at the prosecutor’s office under a compromise reached by the media and survivors of the Billings, who adopted 13 special needs children.
A judge allowed the media to view but not copy or distribute security video taken from the home.
Six men and a 16-year-old have pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the slayings.
Investigators say that in the weeks before the attack, alleged ringleader Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Jr., 35, asked a few friends to help in the crime.
Gonzalez’s stepmother told investigators that he persuaded his 56-year-old father, Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Sr., to drive the getaway car by telling him that the Billings children were being sexually abused.
Besides the Gonzalezes, also charged are Wayne Coldiron, 41; Donnie Ray Stallworth, 28; Gary Lamont Sumner Jr., 30; Frederick Lee Thornton Jr., 19; and Rakeem Florence, 16.
The surveillance cameras captured men wearing ninja garb and black masks entering the couple’s sprawling house, stealing a safe that had little of value in it and leaving in less than four minutes.
The robbers missed a second safe that held $164,000 in cash, a lawyer for the victims’ family has said.
Nine children between the ages of 4 and 11 were at the home during the slayings.
According to a sheriff’s report, one child told investigators he heard a knock on the door and that “two bad men” said, “You’re going to die, one, two, three” and then, “no way, no way.”
According to autopsy reports, Melanie Billings, 43, was shot twice in her chest, and in the face and head.
Byrd Billings, 66, was shot multiple times in the head and legs.
December 15th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
they had the best jewelry
December 15th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
they had the best jewelry. that was the motive