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Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Grand Jury Capital Murder Indictments for Byrd Melanie Billings Murders

Grand jury capital murder indictments for six adult men and a male teenager were handed down yesterday in the deaths of Byrd and Melanie Billings, the Beulah, Florida couple murdered on July 9th. See update below 8-20-09 10-25-09.
 


Grand Jury Capital Murder Indictments for Byrd Melanie Billings Murders

Two counts of capital murder were leveled, and one count of home invasion robbery for each of the suspects. The six adults are (pictured below from left to right) Leonard Patrick Gonzalez, Sr., Leonard Patrick "Poff" Gonzalez, Sr., Wayne Coldiron, Gary Lamont Sumner, Frederick Thornton, and Donald [Donnie] Ray Stallworth. The charge of "capital murder" allows these six men to face the death penalty. Rakeem Florence, 16, is the teenager charged, and the last male in the photograph. Florence will be tried in adult court. Originally, reports were that Florence would not be subject to a possible death penalty but WKRG.com in Pensacola is saying that it is a possibility for the teenager.



The female above is Pamela Long Malden Wiggins who is charged with "accessory after the fact." In the state graphic above, the reddish-orangish states represent those with those allowing executions since 1976, the blue states have no current death penalty statute, the gold states have declared the death penalty unconstitutional, and the green states have performed no executions since 1976. 


Update 8-17-09: Here is how Mr. and Mrs. Billings died with 9 children inside the home at the time: From Pensacola News Journal:
The documents released Monday reveal:
--Byrd Billings struggled against the five intruders in his home, grabbing one of them by the neck. Two suspects remained outside.
--His body, found in the master bedroom, had six bullet wounds — one in the back of each leg, two in the face and two in the back of the head. A white zip tie was on his left arm.
--Melanie Billings was shot five times — twice in the chest and three times in the face and head. Her body was found in a hallway leading out of the master bedroom.
-- A child — one of the couple’s nine adopted children with special needs — said that “bad men” woke his father and told him “You’re gonna die.” He watched as his mother was “shot in her shirt.”
--While intruders drove away with a small portable safe containing only medicine and family jewelry and papers, a second green gun safe with $164,000 in $100 bills sat undisturbed in a second-floor room.
Update 8-17-09: 
Patrick Poff Gonzalez Whack Bud Billings? Gonzalez Implicates MS-13. 

Another Update from 8-17-09:
Gonzalez has been tied to Pamela Long Malden Wiggins' husband Hugh: Hugh Wiggins is Pamela Long Wiggins Husband, Patrick Poff Gonzalez Friend?  

Update 8-20-09: Hugh Wiggins, the husband of bigamist Pamela Long Wiggins, has been named a person of interest in the Billings murders by Sheriff David Morgan. Read what Hugh knew: Hugh Wiggins Immunity in Byrd Melanie Billings Murders.

NOTE: All major updates are first added to my original post on the Billings murders, and then added to other relevant articles in the case.

As of 8-18-09, there is new information on this post. You can access the original here.

Update 10-25-09 - new articles:
Henry Cab Tice Mexican Mafia: Henry Cab Tice Byrd Bud Billings Contract Murders 

Byrd Billings, Melanie Billings Murdered: Parents of 16 Children

Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Stabs Inmate


Related and Background:

Mark Turner - Pensacola Autos, Pensacola Attorneys: Mark Turner Media Silent

Sheriff Morgan, Patrick Gonzalez Contract Murders: Local Business Rivals Implicated?

Byrd "Bud" Billings Business: Mark Turner Bud Billings Connection

Mark Turner Pete Moore Lawsuit: Bud Billings Pete Moore Connection

Henry 'Cab' Tice is Byrd Billings Arrested Debtor: Tice Billings Mexican Mafia?

Byrd and Melanie Billings Murders Contract Hit? Billings Murders Tails of Trial Runs  

Rakeem Florence is Teenager charged in Billings Murders Byrd Billings Human Trafficking?

Patrick Poff is Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Jr.: Leonard Patrick Gonzalez, Jr. Profile

Kathryn Colbert is Billings Murder Tipster: Colbert Denied Reward

Pamela Wiggins Bigamy Arrest: Pamela Long Wiggins Food Stamp Fraud?

Pamela Long Wiggins Bail, Billings Murders: Pamela Wiggins Multiple Marriages?

Pamela Laverne Long is Person of Interest in Byrd, Melanie Billings Murders

Byrd Billings, Melanie Billings Murder Arrests: Three Arrests in Billings Murders (video)

Leonard Patrick Gonzalez, Jr. is Byrd, Melanie Billings Murder Organizer

Byrd Billings, Melanie Billings Murder Arrests: Three Arrests in Billings Murders (video)

Byrd, Melanie Billings Murders:Fourth Arrest Made, New Details

Byrd Billings, Melanie Billings Murdered: Billings Parents of 16 Children

©2007-2012copyrightMaggie M. Thornton