Fla. couple who adopted 12 children found slain

[kc1234]

Thanks for clearing that up for me.   

I posted the law on another site where the same question came up. Thanks!

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]

Thanks for clearing that up for me.   

I posted the law on another site where the same question came up. Thanks!

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.
 
 

Thanks~although I'm not sure how clear it was as that statute is written about as clear as mud to me

[SuzieQ]

Something Cab Tice said struck me as strange, and I can't get it out of my head. Thought about it all night. He said something to the effect that Melanie Billings didn't deserve to be killed and that Byrd Billings didn't deserve to be killed in his home.  In other words, Byrd deserved (in his mind) to be killed, just not in the home.

What if, they intended to kidnap Byrd and kill him somewhere else, after holding him for ransom, or insert any other scenario, in here.

What if something went wrong, what if Byrd tried to take a gun from Gonzalez Jr., or even reconized his voice, and he decided he had to kill them.

What if I just have an overactive imagination? lol

[islandmonkey]

Something Cab Tice said struck me as strange, and I can't get it out of my head. Thought about it all night. He said something to the effect that Melanie Billings didn't deserve to be killed and that Byrd Billings didn't deserve to be killed in his home.  In other words, Byrd deserved (in his mind) to be killed, just not in the home.

What if, they intended to kidnap Byrd and kill him somewhere else, after holding him for ransom, or insert any other scenario, in here.

What if something went wrong, what if Byrd tried to take a gun from Gonzalez Jr., or even reconized his voice, and he decided he had to kill them.

What if I just have an overactive imagination? lol

Fanny~that was one of the odd bit's I caught too.......I wondered if the hgit was supposed to be on Byrd only, but Pat Poff/Gonz who always wanted to be a ninja over orchestrated it and possibly she recogized him , maybe even his voice and was murdered because of a glitch in the plan.

[islandmonkey]

Here is the entire raw video from WEAR TV

http://www.weartv.com/newsroom/raw_news/videos/vid_137.shtml

 

[Fanny Mae]

Something Cab Tice said struck me as strange, and I can't get it out of my head. Thought about it all night. He said something to the effect that Melanie Billings didn't deserve to be killed and that Byrd Billings didn't deserve to be killed in his home.  In other words, Byrd deserved (in his mind) to be killed, just not in the home.

What if, they intended to kidnap Byrd and kill him somewhere else, after holding him for ransom, or insert any other scenario, in here.

What if something went wrong, what if Byrd tried to take a gun from Gonzalez Jr., or even reconized his voice, and he decided he had to kill them.

What if I just have an overactive imagination? lol

That really was an odd thing for him to say, wasn't it? He got downright weepy talking about Melanie a few times in his interview. That is what struck me from the beginning, if someone wanted to take Bud out for whatever reason, there was plenty of opportunity to do it while he was out and about, or even, as I have said this before, an assault on him on his long secluded driveway. What reason could it be to break his doors down in the home? And to kill them BOTH in front of the children? He carried a lot of cash around in his briefcase and it seemed to be well known. Something is skewed here as far as I am concerned.

[kc1234]

Another case that *might* be related to LPG Jr.  Turner has a website that claims he was robbed of his used car business and claims rampant corruption.  You can read more at his website: http://www.markturnerandfriends.com/

“Gonzalez tried to ‘hit’ me,” says Mark Turner, Gulf Breeze resident and former used car dealer.

That’s how our conversation began. I had contacted Turner after someone had sent me a tip about his December 2007 home break-in and his website.

We had a copy of the incident report filed by Santa Rosa County Deputy Stephen Clark. The person described as the suspect didn’t fit that of Patrick Gonzalez, Jr. or anyone associated with the case­–other than the unknown trespasser was a white male. So I was curious how this had anything to do with the Billings case.

“The description in the is not what I told the deputy,” says Turner. “It wasn’t until a few weeks ago that I even saw a copy of the report. I told the deputy the suspect was clean-cut and moved like he was in the military. The officer wrote ‘well-groomed.’”

When asked about the burglar’s height –which is listed at six feet in the report­, Turner admits everything happened so fast that he was only guessing about the height. Gonzalez is listed at 5’6” in his arrest report for the Billings’ murders.

“When they showed on television the mug shot of Patrick Gonzalez, I knew that was who tried to break into our house while we were in it,” says Turner. “I saw his face as he drove away. I’m convinced that he was there to kill me.”

The attempted burglary and possible hit happened late the evening of Dec. 16, 2007. Turner was lying on the bed in his bedroom. He had fallen asleep with the window open, watching television with one of his children.

His wife was awake in another part of house and heard the garage door open. She went outside to see if her son was home. She noticed a plastic chair inside the garage had been moved and when she checked her car, it was unlocked. She always locked her car.

She went back into the house to wake her husband, who grabbed a bottle off his wet bar and headed towards his interior door that opened into the garage.

As he grabbed the door knob, he felt it turning. Turner pulled the door open and shocked the intruder, who yelled “Wrong house” and bolted out of the garage towards a Blue Ford Explorer.

“He was out of the garage in two steps,” says Turner. “My adrenalin was pumping and I chased after him.”

Turner grabbed the door handle on the driver’s side of the Explorer, but wasn’t able to open it. He smashed the bottle on the window trying to break the glass. The Explorer sped off.

“I am now certain that was Patrick Gonzalez,” says Turner. “He did have something in his hand as he was running from the garage. My wife thinks it was a small black box.”

Turner is involved with a large civil case and is appealing a conviction on money laundering. He believes that the break-in is tied to those cases.




http://ricksblog.biz/?p=7169

[Fanny Mae]

Another case that *might* be related to LPG Jr.  Turner has a website that claims he was robbed of his used car business and claims rampant corruption.  You can read more at his website: http://www.markturnerandfriends.com/

“Gonzalez tried to ‘hit’ me,” says Mark Turner, Gulf Breeze resident and former used car dealer.

That’s how our conversation began. I had contacted Turner after someone had sent me a tip about his December 2007 home break-in and his website.

We had a copy of the incident report filed by Santa Rosa County Deputy Stephen Clark. The person described as the suspect didn’t fit that of Patrick Gonzalez, Jr. or anyone associated with the case­–other than the unknown trespasser was a white male. So I was curious how this had anything to do with the Billings case.

“The description in the is not what I told the deputy,” says Turner. “It wasn’t until a few weeks ago that I even saw a copy of the report. I told the deputy the suspect was clean-cut and moved like he was in the military. The officer wrote ‘well-groomed.’”

When asked about the burglar’s height –which is listed at six feet in the report­, Turner admits everything happened so fast that he was only guessing about the height. Gonzalez is listed at 5’6” in his arrest report for the Billings’ murders.

“When they showed on television the mug shot of Patrick Gonzalez, I knew that was who tried to break into our house while we were in it,” says Turner. “I saw his face as he drove away. I’m convinced that he was there to kill me.”

The attempted burglary and possible hit happened late the evening of Dec. 16, 2007. Turner was lying on the bed in his bedroom. He had fallen asleep with the window open, watching television with one of his children.

His wife was awake in another part of house and heard the garage door open. She went outside to see if her son was home. She noticed a plastic chair inside the garage had been moved and when she checked her car, it was unlocked. She always locked her car.

She went back into the house to wake her husband, who grabbed a bottle off his wet bar and headed towards his interior door that opened into the garage.

As he grabbed the door knob, he felt it turning. Turner pulled the door open and shocked the intruder, who yelled “Wrong house” and bolted out of the garage towards a Blue Ford Explorer.

“He was out of the garage in two steps,” says Turner. “My adrenalin was pumping and I chased after him.”

Turner grabbed the door handle on the driver’s side of the Explorer, but wasn’t able to open it. He smashed the bottle on the window trying to break the glass. The Explorer sped off.

“I am now certain that was Patrick Gonzalez,” says Turner. “He did have something in his hand as he was running from the garage. My wife thinks it was a small black box.”

Turner is involved with a large civil case and is appealing a conviction on money laundering. He believes that the break-in is tied to those cases.




http://ricksblog.biz/?p=7169

Soooo! That is why Pete Moore's name keeps popping up in Ricksblog's posters. I wasn't wrong about the GOB's network. Push! Sheriff Morgan, push!!! But watch your back. The GOB network is alive and well!  And it is not just in the Fla panhandle. Sheriff Sam Cochran, you need to get off your azz. I knew you when you were just a cadet. Let's see how you handle this! Or have you turned too? And Sheriff Huey Mack, what are you going to do? You've been there for a looong time. Are you now a part of the GOB's?? Let's see what you are really made of.

[cece]

[cece]

http://www.pnj.com/article/20090814/NEWS01/908140320

The surviving members of Byrd and Melanie Billings' family are asking the court to block public access to crime scene photos and video surveillance footage from the victims' home.

Ashley Markham, 26, daughter of the Beulah couple shot to death on July 9, wants the State Attorney's Office to be barred from releasing the photos and video to eight defendants and the public, as well as the media.

Under state law, in a process called discovery, the usual procedure is for the state to release documents to be used in prosecutions to the defendants' lawyers so they may prepare their cases. At the same time, the documents become open to the public.

However, Markham's motion argues: "The only media or public interest in the information arises out of morbid exploitation by some members of the public and the sensationalism surrounding the criminal case."

Surveillance cameras "captured the violence that took place in the home, including the murder of the Billings and the (suspects') interaction with the minor children" who were at the home during the invasion, according to one of the allegations in the motion.

Escambia Sheriff David Morgan has refused to say whether the murders were captured on camera. Law enforcement sources have said the killings took place in the couple's bedroom and that no security cameras were installed in the room.

On Thursday, Circuit Judge Michael Jones called a last-minute hearing on the issue. Markham had filed a civil complaint, which was assigned to Jones, and a separate but identical motion, filed with the judges handling the criminal cases.

Jones ended up deferring the decision to the judges assigned to handle the criminal cases.

Circuit Judge Nick Geeker is assigned to five of the cases, and Circuit Judges Frank Bell, Terry Terrell and Paul Rasmussen have one each. State Attorney Bill Eddins said his office is working with the court to consolidate the homicide cases under a single judge.

Jones made his decision after Eddins said he would not release video and photos until a hearing is held in the criminal case, and Markham's attorney, Paul Wilson, said that satisfied him.
(2 of 2)

Eddins said he will release other material in the case, including defendants' statements to law officers, on Monday. He called that material "voluminous."
Advertisement

Discovery items usually include but aren't limited to witness information, statements made by defendants, investigative reports, surveillance footage, audio recordings and crime scene photographs.

Evidentiary rules require the release of the discovery information by Monday, Eddins said. The defendants' attorneys agreed to the delay on the release of the photos and video but said they hope for a speedy hearing on the matter so their clients' trials won't be unduly delayed.

The hearing Thursday brought together for the first time the seven defendants accused of going to the Billings home. At least 10 defense attorneys were in the courtroom.

More than 25 armed Escambia County sheriff's deputies lined the walls of the courtroom. Deputies in civilian clothes sat behind several of the defendants, who sat handcuffed inside the jury box. Spectators were checked for weapons upon entry into the courthouse and, in an unusual step, again directly outside the courtroom.

Ashley Markham and her husband, Blue, sat in the center of the courtroom.

Markham's complaint says that if the videos and other images are released, the good name of the Billingses would be defamed and the slain couple's nine adopted special-needs children would be placed in harm's way. Markham is now the primary caregiver for those children.

[cece]

"Markham's complaint says that if the videos and other images are released, the good name of the Billingses would be defamed and the slain couple's nine adopted special-needs children would be placed in harm's way. Markham is now the primary caregiver for those children."


Does anyone know how the realease of the video & other images would defame the Billingses?  Or how that would place the children in harm's way?

[cece]

link to photo gallery:

http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=DP&Dato=20090813&Kategori=NEWS03&Lopenr=908130803&Ref=PH

[cece]

Markhams to block release of images

http://ricksblog.biz/?p=7172

(Some interesting comments at that link)

[cece]

http://www.wibw.com/nationalnews/headlines/53224182.html

Not Guilty Pleas For Men Charged In Florida Couple's Murders     
Posted: 9:28 AM Aug 14, 2009
Last Updated: 9:28 AM Aug 14, 2009
Reporter: CNN

The seven men charged in the deaths last month of a Beulah, Florida, couple known for adopting special-needs children pleaded not guilty Thursday, a court clerk said.

The court set trial dates for late October and November, though those dates may change, the Escambia County court clerk said.

Each man was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of home-invasion robbery in connection with the July 9 killings of Byrd and Melanie Billings, the office of State Attorney Bill Eddins said this week.

The suspects are Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Jr., 35; Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Sr., 56; Wayne Thomas Coldiron, 41; Gary Lamont Sumner, 30; Fredrick Lee Thornton, 19; Donald Ray Stallworth, 28; and Rakeem Chavez Florence, 16, who was charged as an adult, authorities said. All seven are being held without bond.

Police have described the younger Gonzalez as the organizer of the crime. Two of the suspects claim he was the lone shooter, according to court documents.

An eighth suspect, Pamela Wiggins, was charged with being an accessory after the fact, though she was not included in the indictment returned by the Escambia County grand jury this week. Police said they found a safe belonging to the Billingses in Wiggins' back yard.

Wiggins was absent from court Thursday and a bond hearing was scheduled for Monday in her case, the court clerk said.

Meanwhile, an attorney representing the Billings family filed an emergency motion asking the court to bar public disclosure of photo and video evidence in the case, including surveillance video from the Billings home at the time of the slayings. The evidence was set to be released on Friday.

Attorney Robert Beasley said Thursday the video depicts the crime, but he wasn't sure if the slayings themselves were on the video. However, both the Billingses and a child are seen in various scenes of the video, and the child witnessed most of the murder, Beasley said.

Court documents have said the Billingses were found in the master bedroom. Beasley said he was not sure if there was a surveillance camera in the bedroom.

Investigators were working with him to bar the release, Beasley said, but decided it would be against the rules without a court order. He said at least one media outlet is opposing the motion. A hearing was under way on the motion late Thursday afternoon, he said.

Relatives of the slain couple this week confirmed previous reports that another safe containing more than $100,000 was in the home at the time of the killings.

The first safe, containing prescription medications, family documents and some jewelry, was taken from the Billingses' home when they were shot, authorities have said. That was the safe found later in Wiggins' yard, according to police.

The Billings family said the second safe contained $164,000 in cash, antique jewelry and assorted legal documents. The money was a reserve for Byrd Billings' financing business, the family said.

Prosecutors believe there were two motives in the killings -- robbery and a contracted hit, a source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN last month. The source said the state attorney's office was working under the belief that most of the suspects in the case were told only that they were robbing the Billingses, but that Leonard Gonzalez Jr. and other yet-unnamed suspects also were plotting a hit on the couple. The source was not sure of the suspected motive behind the hit.

The Billingses, who each had two biological children, also had adopted 13 special-needs children. Police have said nine of the children were at home at the time of the invasion, and one managed to flee and seek help from a neighbor.

[cece]

[cece]

http://www.fox10tv.com/dpp/news/crime/Discovery_In_Billings_Murders_To_Begin

Discovery in Billings'
murders to begin
Evidence to be released to public,
defense

Updated: Friday, 14 Aug 2009, 6:14 PM CDT
Published : Friday, 14 Aug 2009, 6:14 PM CDT

PENSACOLA, Fla. - All the evidence that's been building up for the past month in the Billings case is expected to be released Monday. The state will hand over police reports, witness interviews, defendant interviews, and several more pieces of evidence to the defense and to the public. The defense said this information is critical to building their cases.

State Attorney Bill Eddins said he'll be releasing almost all the evidence on Monday. The defense has filed notices of discovery and the state had 15 days to respond. In that packet, will be all the evidence.

"Under Florida law, the defense is entitled to all the police reports, all the statements by witnesses, and all the ballistics and forensics," Eddins said. "Over the next several months, they have the right to question, under oath, every witness that we intend to call to the stand up at trial."

The public find out everything the officials know, from how the Billings were killed, to anything the defendants may have said. The documents also may show any information that would point to it being a hit, or if the Mexican mafia is involved. As the case continues, the state will keep releasing evidence.

"We'll provide a lot of information at this time, but the case is continuing to be developed, items testing haven't been completed," said Eddins.

The only thing that won't be released is video footage of the couple actually being killed. The family's attorney told FOX10 News the surveillance system caught it all on tape. The family has filed a motion asking the court to not release that evidence. A judge will have to decide on that, and a hearing has not been set yet. Eddins said it's a tricky issue.

"What the court will be required to do, is to engage in a balancing test, that balances privacy rights of family and children, against publics right to know. The court will have to make decision to satisfy those competing interests, " said Eddins.

Eddins said the defense will have more than enough to look through, while they wait for a judge rule on that motion.

All seven murder suspects in the case were arraigned Thursday. Leonard Gonzalez, Sr., Leonard Gonzalez, Jr., Wayne Coldiron, Donnie Stallworth, Gary Sumner, Frederick Thornton, and Rakeem Florence all plead not guilty to two counts each of first degree murder, and one count each of home invasion robbery. The six men may face the death penalty, while Florence, 16, may face life behind bars.

On Monday, the eighth suspect in the case, Pamela Long Wiggins will be in court. The state has asked for her bond to be increased to $500,000, because her charge was upgraded to accessory after the fact, of a first degree murder. A judge will rule on that Monday morning. Long will also be arraigned immediately after the hearing.

Another person of interest, Henry "Cab" Tice, has been arrested in connection to the case. Tice was a former business partner of Byrd Billings, and allegedly stole thousands from him.

Sheriff David Morgan said Tice was into the Mexican Mafia, and allegedly owed tens of thousands of dollars to them. The sheriff went on to say they don't believe Billings had any ties to the Mexican Mafia. Tice is charged with theft.

While the case is moving forward in the courts, the sheriff's office continues to interview persons of interest. The sheriff hopes to make several more arrests. He said that right now they are in the conspiracy phase, and it's harder to find probable cause when dealing with rumors and innuendo.

[kc1234]

Wow, I bet this means that LE has the murder weapon.  Talk about the smoking gun...

Source:  http://ricksblog.biz/?p=7190

According to Watt’s affidavit:

Co-defendants reported that Pamela Wiggins’ 2005 Chevrolet Venture was left at 9717 Mobile Highway, a predetermined location near the Billings’ home, on the night of the murders to aid in the suspects escape from the home.

The firearms used in the crime and the safe taken from the home were placed inside the van. In his July 15 statement to investigators, Hugh Wiggins told the ECSO that the stolen safe was hidden in Pamela Wiggins’ backyard. The safe was later recovered from the place described by Hugh Wiggins.

Pamela Wiggins told investigators that she placed the murder weapon – a 9mm gun – in the back seat of the 1971 Buick. She told them that one could not find the gun by simply raising the back seat and gave the investigators specfic details how to find the weapon.
Ms. Wiggins drove the car to a mechanic’s house at 6905 W. Jackson Street and parked the car in the driveway. She locked the car and placed a tarp over it. Hug Wiggins also told investigators that the murder weapon was hidden in his care and that his wife had dropped the car off at the mechanic’s house. The vehicle was seized for forfeiture on July 15, based of Investigator Watt’s belief the car is contraband and used in violation of the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act.

Judge Frank Bell has yet to make a ruling on the forfeiture.

[kc1234]

I wonder whom the mechanic is and where he works.  I am amazed at the shear volume of people connected to this horrific crime.  I hope they have the murder weapon, it will make the prosecutors job much easier.

Wow, I bet this means that LE has the murder weapon.  Talk about the smoking gun...

Source:  http://ricksblog.biz/?p=7190

According to Watt’s affidavit:

Co-defendants reported that Pamela Wiggins’ 2005 Chevrolet Venture was left at 9717 Mobile Highway, a predetermined location near the Billings’ home, on the night of the murders to aid in the suspects escape from the home.

The firearms used in the crime and the safe taken from the home were placed inside the van. In his July 15 statement to investigators, Hugh Wiggins told the ECSO that the stolen safe was hidden in Pamela Wiggins’ backyard. The safe was later recovered from the place described by Hugh Wiggins.

Pamela Wiggins told investigators that she placed the murder weapon – a 9mm gun – in the back seat of the 1971 Buick. She told them that one could not find the gun by simply raising the back seat and gave the investigators specfic details how to find the weapon.
Ms. Wiggins drove the car to a mechanic’s house at 6905 W. Jackson Street and parked the car in the driveway. She locked the car and placed a tarp over it. Hug Wiggins also told investigators that the murder weapon was hidden in his care and that his wife had dropped the car off at the mechanic’s house. The vehicle was seized for forfeiture on July 15, based of Investigator Watt’s belief the car is contraband and used in violation of the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act.

Judge Frank Bell has yet to make a ruling on the forfeiture.

[cece]

I wonder whom the mechanic is and where he works.  I am amazed at the shear volume of people connected to this horrific crime.  I hope they have the murder weapon, it will make the prosecutors job much easier.

That's the same question I have.  Who is this mechanic and how many others are involved.

TY for the article & link.   

[SuzieQ]

Has anyone seen islandmonkey today? That tropical storm is coming her way.
I have a son in Panama City, so have been trying to keep track of it. He is not right on the beach, but I think islandmonkey is. Hope all is well for everyone down there.