Fla. couple who adopted 12 children found slain

[kc1234]

PLW will be charged with murder and might get an increase in bond!

Source:http://www.pnj.com/article/20090811/NEWS01/90811023

An eighth suspect not charged in the killings, Pamela Long Wiggins, 47, of Gulf Breeze was initially charged with a third-degree felony count of accessory after the fact. State Attorney Bill Eddins said Tuesday after the grand jury that Long Wiggins’ charge will be amended to a first-degree felony, punishable by up to 30 years in state prison.

Six men and a teenage boy each were indicted today on two counts of first-degree murder and one count of home invastion in connection to the shooting deaths and robbery of Byrd and Melanie Billings.


They are scheduled to be arraigned Thursday.


Grand jury indictment was handed up Tuesday and signed by Circuit Judge Joel Boles after four hours of testimony behind closed doors.


Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Jr., 35, the man suspected of pulling the trigger on the gun that killed the Billingses, and six co-defendants are accused of staging a July 9 raid on the couple’s Beulah home.


A first-degree murder conviction carries a mandatory life sentence or the possibility of the death penalty. The State Attorney’s Office will decide in the coming weeks whether it will seek the death penalty for any of the defendants.


The seven men are all due back in court Thursday morning for arraignments.


An eighth suspect not charged in the killings, Pamela Long Wiggins, 47, of Gulf Breeze was initially charged with a third-degree felony count of accessory after the fact. State Attorney Bill Eddins said Tuesday after the grand jury that Long Wiggins’ charge will be amended to a first-degree felony, punishable by up to 30 years in state prison.


Investigators have said that Long Wiggins provided a van to transport the guns used in the homicide and a small safe taken from the Billingses’ home.


Eddins said his office would ask that the court increase Long Wiggins’ bond. She’s remained free on $10,000 bond since her arrest. Long Wiggins also faces an unrelated bigamy charge in Okaloosa County.


The safe removed from the home was found buried in her back yard. It contained little of value. Billings family attorney Robert Beasley said Tuesday that the intended target of the deadly robbery was likely $164,000 kept in another safe inside the Billingses’ home.


Byrd Billings, a used-car salesman who also financed high-interest loans through his Worldco Financial Services, was required to keep a percentage of the money he financed on hand, Beasley said.

(2 of 2)

“Worldco was a lending institution and they were required to keep cash reserves,” he said. “The money is documented and on the books. There was never any IRS investigation.”

Beasley said that the Billingses kept the money in their home because the Worldco office isn’t in the best neighborhood. The couple, who lived with nine adopted special-needs children, had a high-end security system in their sprawling home with cameras in each room with their exception of the couple’s bedroom.

“The office was not a secure place,” Beasley said.

A ninth man was arrested last week in connection with some business deals with Byrd Billings.

Henry “Cab” Tice turned himself in to investigators Thursday after he returned to the country from a trip to Colombia.

Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said that Tice admitted to having a debt to the Mexican mafia and a close relationship with the man accused of shooting the Billingses.

To date, Tice has only been charged with grand theft accused of writing more than $17,000 in bad checks to Byrd Billings’ Worldco.

Morgan continues to call him a “person of interest” in the slayings.





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[Fanny Mae]

Thanks for the welcome!     
 
The silence in this case is telling.  The national media is silent, the friends and family are silent.  Sure Ashley and family's attorney have spoken, but that has been controlled and limited in scope. Normally, friends and family of those arrested come out to these boards and/or talk to the media stating that the alleged criminal is really a good person.  What is telling in this case is the complete silence from anyone claiming to be close to those arrested, linked or a named POI.  The only things we have heard was from the juvenile's father claiming that his son was more afraid of other people than he was about the police or getting arrested.  I have two theories, either Jr is a hitman for the Mexican Mafia, or he watched too many heist movies and came up with a maniacal plan to rob the Billings and convinced the others to join the plan.  What if the Mexican Mafia claims are empty in order to get the investigators to think that Tice is not the one calling the hit?  If the Mexican Mafia was the one calling the hit, don't you think Tice would rather be in jail than walking the streets?

Exactly what I was thinking about Tice. If he were the one that arranged this and the Mexican Mafia was involved, he would have never made it back from Columbia. I think he made a quick trip down there to reassure them he would protect them and not tell the real story about what was really going on with his dealings. I don't think the buck stops at Tice, and maybe not the Mexican Mafia. They are just on the periphery of what is going on.

I think the connection of what is really going on is right in P'cola. JMO

[Fanny Mae]

PLW will be charged with murder and might get an increase in bond!

Well, thank God and Jesus!!! When are they going to put her smirking, strutting azz back in jail? I guess she will be there for a while now. 

Can everyone say SQUEEZE!! Just like a big fat orange!   

[cece]

http://www.northescambia.com/?p=10087

BREAKING NEWS: Grand Jury Indicts Suspects In Billings Murder

August 11, 2009

t took an Escambia County grand jury just four hours Tuesday to indict eight people in the Byrd and Melanie Billings murder case.

The six men and one teenager arrested in connection with the murders were each charged with two counts of first degree murder and one count of home invasion in connection with the July 9 murders and robbery of the Beulah couple.

Leonard Patrick Gonzalez, Jr., Leonard Patrick Gonzalez, Sr., Wayne Thomas Coldiron, Gary Lamont Sumner, Jr., Frederick Lee Thornton, Jr., Rakeem Chavez Florence and Donnie Ray Stallworth will each be arraigned at 9:00 Thursday morning on two counts of first degree murder and one county of home invasion. Judge Joel Boels ordered that all defendants be held without bond in the Escambia County Jail.

Pamela Long-Wiggins was indicted on a charge of first degree accessory after the face, a felony charge that carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. She remains free on bond, but the State Attorney’s office is requesting that her bond be increased.

[cece]

PLW will be charged with murder and might get an increase in bond!

Well, thank God and Jesus!!! When are they going to put her smirking, strutting azz back in jail? I guess she will be there for a while now. 

Can everyone say SQUEEZE!! Just like a big fat orange!   

 

[cece]

Welcome kc1234

[cece]

Thank you everyone for the updates today.  I've had a sick doggie & have been distracted.   

[kc1234]

Welcome kc1234

Thanks for the Welcome.  I'm surprised that I was finally the first to posting something... you guys fast!

 

[Fanny Mae]

Thank you everyone for the updates today.  I've had a sick doggie & have been distracted.   

I'm sorry your doggie is sick. I will pray for him too.   

I have been a bit distracted myself for the past few days. 

[cece]

Thank you everyone for the updates today.  I've had a sick doggie & have been distracted.   

I'm sorry your doggie is sick. I will pray for him too.   

I have been a bit distracted myself for the past few days. 

TY Fannie Mae.  Sorry to be off topic.  She has been a little sick since the weekend & we just found out they sprayed the grass around our office (where she goes daily).  Along with her (Ashley) three other doggies that come to that strip of offices (including a groomer's dog) have also become sick.  She goes to the vet tomorrow.  (We thought she had eaten something that disagreed with her).  Thank you so much for your kind thoughts and words.  I know you have been a little quiet recently & am glad to see you posting again.   

[cece]

Welcome kc1234

Thanks for the Welcome.  I'm surprised that I was finally the first to posting something... you guys fast!

 

You're welcome & we're always glad to have new eyes on this case.  The more the merrier.    

[Fanny Mae]

Thank you everyone for the updates today.  I've had a sick doggie & have been distracted.   

I'm sorry your doggie is sick. I will pray for him too.   

I have been a bit distracted myself for the past few days. 

TY Fannie Mae.  Sorry to be off topic.  She has been a little sick since the weekend & we just found out they sprayed the grass around our office (where she goes daily).  Along with her (Ashley) three other doggies that come to that strip of offices (including a groomer's dog) have also become sick.  She goes to the vet tomorrow.  (We thought she had eaten something that disagreed with her).  Thank you so much for your kind thoughts and words.  I know you have been a little quiet recently & am glad to see you posting again.   

I worry about my inside /outdoor cats when they spray the lawn around here. They put up little signs all over the lawn, but cats can't read. I try to keep them inside. Sometimes they pout a lot. 

Thank you. 

[islandmonkey]

I'm not sure who all saw the dateline interview last night but several things "got my attention", one was the fact the Gonz Jr was at his place the day of the murders, the fact Tice called Gonz Jr almost directly at the exact time of the murders, the fact Tice tried to say Gonz Jr was "trying to set him up", and when he said I'm innocent of those charges (ummm, hello Cab you haven't even been charged with anything regarding the murders yet........guilty conscience maybe "

ITA. The fact he was the one on the other end of the phone during that time period just screams to me that he knew what was going on. He may have been the intermediary for the person that really had this done, but he has blood on his hands too. The fact he was on camera with his crocodile tears doesn't move me. He is a crooked, stealing "used car salesman" for God's sakes. Since when can you trust a snake oil salesman? Tice says he didn't know that his loan was from the Mexican Mafia at first. Are you kidding me?? He has been wheeling and dealing across South American lines for a long time. He knew exactly what he was doing.

I still think their was a closer connection to the Billings for the cause of the murder. I have seen nothing that really moves me off of that. As far as more people being arrested, that surprises me not at all. I just hope they go all the way to the top of this thing and bite it off at the jugular vein.

I wonder how Mr Eddins is squirming around in his padded executive chair today? I am sure he did not approve Sheriff Morgan's little cameo last night on Dateline. He sure wasn't singing the same song as Morgan was singing last night. All he would talk about was a "home invasion."

Where is Pamela, and why is that b*tch still walking the streets or sailing on her yatch??? jmo

ITA agree about this going higher up than Tice and being right here in P-Cola miss Fanny! But, I did hear they were going to upgrade her charge to acc after the fact and in the Florida statutes there are several different ways this is applied , one includes knowledge before the fact and it also states that this charge WHEN a capital offense is committed as in this case becomes a first degree felony meaning 30 yrs in the clink for Ms. Pam..........   Although I never saw on any channel that she was going to be charged with murder....yet

I also loved watching Eddins squirm, does indeed make me wonder if he is trying to cover for the GOB's IMO and I bet he was ticked when Morgan laid it all out there, seems like he is going to have quite a bit of trouble keeping a muzzle on Morgan and I for one LOVE it!!!!! I wonder if you are thinking about "the same closer connection" that lingers in the back of my mind B?????

[cece]

http://ricksblog.biz/?p=7153

The grand jury has indicted Leonard Patrick Gonzalez, Jr., Leonard Patrick Gonzalez, Sr., Wayne Thomas Coldiron, Gary Lamont Sumner, Jr., Frederick Lee Thornton, Jr., Rakeem Chavez Florence and Donnie Ray Stallwortheight people in the Byrd and Melanie Billings murder case.

The six men and one teenager are each charged with two counts of first degree murder and one count of home invasion and will be re-arraigned today.

The eighth suspect, Pamela Wiggins, was also indicted on a charge of first degree accessory after the face, a felony charge. It carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.

[cece]

[kc1234]

Eddins asked for PLW's bond to be increased 500K.  Hearing to be held on Monday.   

The article is a worded in a way this is unclear what her current charge is.

The State Attorney’s Office has filed a motion to increase Pamela Long Wiggins’ bond to $500,000.


The Gulf Breeze real estate agent and antique broker was arrested in July in connection with the deadly home invasion at the Beulah home of Byrd and Melanie Billings.


Long Wiggins, 47, is scheduled to appear in court in Escambia County at 9 a.m. Monday before Circuit Judge Frank Bell.


Long Wiggins was originally charged with accessory after the fact to a felony. The third-degree felony is punishable by five years in state prison.


She was freed on $10,000 bond after her July 15 arrest.


With the seven men accused in the Billings murders indicted on first-degree murder charges on Tuesday, the State Attorney’s Office amended Long Wiggins’ charge to a first-degree felony which carries a possible 30-year prison sentence upon conviction.


Long Wiggins is accused of providing the suspects with a red minivan that was used to transport guns used in the robbery and homicide. Also transported from the crime scene was a safe belonging to the Billingses.


Investigators found her aboard her yacht “The Classy Lady” at an Orange Beach, Ala. marina.


Her husband, Hugh Wiggins, later told investigators that the safe was buried in the back yard of her Gulf Breeze home. Investigators found the safe buried beneath a pile of bricks.


In addition to the charges related to the Billingses’ murders, Long Wiggins also faces a count of bigamy as investigators have said she is married to men in Florida and Alabama. She also is being investigated for food stamp fraud.




Next PageundefinedPrevious Page


http://www.pnj.com/article/20090812/NEWS01/90812011

[Fanny Mae]

http://ricksblog.biz/?p=7153

The grand jury has indicted Leonard Patrick Gonzalez, Jr., Leonard Patrick Gonzalez, Sr., Wayne Thomas Coldiron, Gary Lamont Sumner, Jr., Frederick Lee Thornton, Jr., Rakeem Chavez Florence and Donnie Ray Stallwortheight people in the Byrd and Melanie Billings murder case.

The six men and one teenager are each charged with two counts of first degree murder and one count of home invasion and will be re-arraigned today.

The eighth suspect, Pamela Wiggins, was also indicted on a charge of first degree accessory after the face, a felony charge. It carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.

I still think Pamela should be charged just like the rest of them, first degree murder. She was in on the planning, as it has been stated it was done at her house. Her car was used in the murders, and the contents of the robbery  were in her car when she was in it. The evidence was found hidden at her house. She had as much to do with this as the rest. She just didn't go inside the house.

I think that if anyone is murdered in the commission of robbery or any other crime, they are just as guilty as the rest if they were in on they planning and execution of the crime.. If I am not mistaken, Florida law says that. I know it is that way in Alabama. Pamela is no better than the vermin that dressed themselves in black, and broke into the home.

I still want to know who it was that failed to turn the surveillance system off. That is one of the big reasons I think they were set up. They may not know who they were REALLY working for. There was probably many layers. If it was the Mexican Mafia, they wouldn't care if it was known it was them. They would want to send a message. No, this isn't over, and far from it. JMO

[Fanny Mae]

Eddins asked for PLW's bond to be increased 500K.  Hearing to be held on Monday.   

The article is a worded in a way this is unclear what her current charge is.

The State Attorney’s Office has filed a motion to increase Pamela Long Wiggins’ bond to $500,000.


The Gulf Breeze real estate agent and antique broker was arrested in July in connection with the deadly home invasion at the Beulah home of Byrd and Melanie Billings.


Long Wiggins, 47, is scheduled to appear in court in Escambia County at 9 a.m. Monday before Circuit Judge Frank Bell.


Long Wiggins was originally charged with accessory after the fact to a felony. The third-degree felony is punishable by five years in state prison.


She was freed on $10,000 bond after her July 15 arrest.


With the seven men accused in the Billings murders indicted on first-degree murder charges on Tuesday, the State Attorney’s Office amended Long Wiggins’ charge to a first-degree felony which carries a possible 30-year prison sentence upon conviction.


Long Wiggins is accused of providing the suspects with a red minivan that was used to transport guns used in the robbery and homicide. Also transported from the crime scene was a safe belonging to the Billingses.


Investigators found her aboard her yacht “The Classy Lady” at an Orange Beach, Ala. marina.


Her husband, Hugh Wiggins, later told investigators that the safe was buried in the back yard of her Gulf Breeze home. Investigators found the safe buried beneath a pile of bricks.


In addition to the charges related to the Billingses’ murders, Long Wiggins also faces a count of bigamy as investigators have said she is married to men in Florida and Alabama. She also is being investigated for food stamp fraud.




Next PageundefinedPrevious Page


http://www.pnj.com/article/20090812/NEWS01/90812011

Pamela is still walking around free until MONDAY???? Come on Eddins, you're getting too obvious now!!

[islandmonkey]

Eddins asked for PLW's bond to be increased 500K.  Hearing to be held on Monday.   

The article is a worded in a way this is unclear what her current charge is.

The State Attorney’s Office has filed a motion to increase Pamela Long Wiggins’ bond to $500,000.


The Gulf Breeze real estate agent and antique broker was arrested in July in connection with the deadly home invasion at the Beulah home of Byrd and Melanie Billings.


Long Wiggins, 47, is scheduled to appear in court in Escambia County at 9 a.m. Monday before Circuit Judge Frank Bell.


Long Wiggins was originally charged with accessory after the fact to a felony. The third-degree felony is punishable by five years in state prison.


She was freed on $10,000 bond after her July 15 arrest.


With the seven men accused in the Billings murders indicted on first-degree murder charges on Tuesday, the State Attorney’s Office amended Long Wiggins’ charge to a first-degree felony which carries a possible 30-year prison sentence upon conviction.


Long Wiggins is accused of providing the suspects with a red minivan that was used to transport guns used in the robbery and homicide. Also transported from the crime scene was a safe belonging to the Billingses.


Investigators found her aboard her yacht “The Classy Lady” at an Orange Beach, Ala. marina.


Her husband, Hugh Wiggins, later told investigators that the safe was buried in the back yard of her Gulf Breeze home. Investigators found the safe buried beneath a pile of bricks.


In addition to the charges related to the Billingses’ murders, Long Wiggins also faces a count of bigamy as investigators have said she is married to men in Florida and Alabama. She also is being investigated for food stamp fraud.




Next PageundefinedPrevious Page


http://www.pnj.com/article/20090812/NEWS01/90812011

Thanks KC1234..........I'm thrilled her bond is going up and I can't wait to stop having to see her ugly mug on tv at Starbucks etc

I still think it's going to be the same charge but to the the felony degree as the Florida Statutes are written oddly IMO. However I DO hope that in the future she get's smacked with a no bond or 1mm bond and charged with conspiracy to murder etc. The Florida Statute is below and if you notice you can even have PRIOR knowledge and be charges as acc AFTER the fact (sounds like the legislators were drinking when this was written  )


http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=Ch0777/SEC03.HTM


 The 2009 Florida Statutes
 
 Title XLVI
CRIMES Chapter 777
PRINCIPAL; ACCESSORY; ATTEMPT; SOLICITATION; CONSPIRACY View Entire Chapter
 
777.03  Accessory after the fact.--

(1)(a)  Any person not standing in the relation of husband or wife, parent or grandparent, child or grandchild, brother or sister, by consanguinity or affinity to the offender, who maintains or assists the principal or an accessory before the fact, or gives the offender any other aid, knowing that the offender had committed a crime and such crime was a third degree felony, or had been an accessory thereto before the fact, with the intent that the offender avoids or escapes detection, arrest, trial, or punishment, is an accessory after the fact.

(b)  Any person who maintains or assists the principal or accessory before the fact, or gives the offender any other aid, knowing that the offender had committed the offense of child abuse, neglect of a child, aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter of a child under 18 years of age, or murder of a child under 18 years of age, or had been an accessory thereto before the fact, with the intent that the offender avoids or escapes detection, arrest, trial, or punishment, is an accessory after the fact unless the court finds that the person is a victim of domestic violence.

(c)  Any person who maintains or assists the principal or an accessory before the fact, or gives the offender any other aid, knowing that the offender had committed a crime and such crime was a capital, life, first degree, or second degree felony, or had been an accessory thereto before the fact, with the intent that the offender avoids or escapes detection, arrest, trial, or punishment, is an accessory after the fact.

(2)(a)  If the felony offense committed is a capital felony, the offense of accessory after the fact is a felony of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(b)  If the felony offense committed is a life felony or a felony of the first degree, the offense of accessory after the fact is a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(c)  If the felony offense committed is a felony of the second degree or a felony of the third degree ranked in level 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 under s. 921.0022 or s. 921.0023, the offense of accessory after the fact is a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(d)  If the felony offense committed is a felony of the third degree ranked in level 1 or level 2 under s. 921.0022 or s. 921.0023, the offense of accessory after the fact is a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(3)  Except as otherwise provided in s. 921.0022, for purposes of sentencing under chapter 921 and determining incentive gain-time eligibility under chapter 944, the offense of accessory after the fact is ranked two levels below the ranking under s. 921.0022 or s. 921.0023 of the felony offense committed.

History.--s. 6, sub-ch. 11, ch. 1637, 1868; RS 2356; GS 3180; RGS 5010; CGL 7112; s. 700, ch. 71-136; s. 65, ch. 74-383; s. 13, ch. 95-184; s. 16, ch. 97-194; s. 15, ch. 99-168; s. 2, ch. 2006-237.

Note.--Former s. 776.03.
 
 

[islandmonkey]

Eddins asked for PLW's bond to be increased 500K.  Hearing to be held on Monday.   

The article is a worded in a way this is unclear what her current charge is.

The State Attorney’s Office has filed a motion to increase Pamela Long Wiggins’ bond to $500,000.


The Gulf Breeze real estate agent and antique broker was arrested in July in connection with the deadly home invasion at the Beulah home of Byrd and Melanie Billings.


Long Wiggins, 47, is scheduled to appear in court in Escambia County at 9 a.m. Monday before Circuit Judge Frank Bell.


Long Wiggins was originally charged with accessory after the fact to a felony. The third-degree felony is punishable by five years in state prison.


She was freed on $10,000 bond after her July 15 arrest.


With the seven men accused in the Billings murders indicted on first-degree murder charges on Tuesday, the State Attorney’s Office amended Long Wiggins’ charge to a first-degree felony which carries a possible 30-year prison sentence upon conviction.


Long Wiggins is accused of providing the suspects with a red minivan that was used to transport guns used in the robbery and homicide. Also transported from the crime scene was a safe belonging to the Billingses.


Investigators found her aboard her yacht “The Classy Lady” at an Orange Beach, Ala. marina.


Her husband, Hugh Wiggins, later told investigators that the safe was buried in the back yard of her Gulf Breeze home. Investigators found the safe buried beneath a pile of bricks.


In addition to the charges related to the Billingses’ murders, Long Wiggins also faces a count of bigamy as investigators have said she is married to men in Florida and Alabama. She also is being investigated for food stamp fraud.




Next PageundefinedPrevious Page


http://www.pnj.com/article/20090812/NEWS01/90812011

Pamela is still walking around free until MONDAY???? Come on Eddins, you're getting too obvious now!!

Hi Miss Fanny  To me Eddins has been very obvious even before this point......GOB network once again IMO