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Suspects: Gonzalez Jr. Was The Only Shooter; More Evidence Recovered
July 22, 2009
Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Jr was the lone shooter in the murder of Byrd and Melanie Billings, according to search warrants that became public Tuesday.
Two of the seven men charged with open counts of murder in the case, Wayne Coldiron and Fredrick Thorton Jr, told investigators they witnessed the murders, and Gonzalez, Jr. (pictured left) was the only shooter, using a 9mm handgun.
A search warrant for a residence of Pamela Long Wiggins offers some insight into the murders. The warrant says Coldiron admitted to his involvement in the home invasion and murders. Coldiron told investigators that he went to a home on Ramblewood Drive in Gulf Breeze, a home he later positively identified from photographs as the home of Wiggins. He said the weapons used in the home invasion were in the residence.
A search of the residence revealed a number of firearms, including a 9mm handgun. Coldiron reported a female at the residence known to him by the first name “Pam”.
Wiggins denied involvement in the murders or home invasion, but indicated that Patrick Gonzalez Jr. was her friend and he “had a key to the residence and permission to come and go as he pleased”.
The search warrant also reveals that Thorton (pictured left) told investigators that after the crime was over, he along with the others rode in an older red van to an unknown location just up the road from the Billings residence. That’s where a safe was transferred into a smaller red minivan. Thorton said he then got into a SUV belonging to Gary Sumner and met again with the others involved at an antique store in Gulf Breeze. Wiggins reportedly owns or operates an antique store in Gulf Breeze.
At the antique store, Thorton said he met a white female who was in the same minivan he had seen the safe transferred to on the side of the road. He said she was in the company of “Pat”, a man whose description matched that of Gonzelez Jr. as the lone shooter in the Beulah incident.
Ten guns total were recovered from Wiggins’ home, including a a 9mm handgun, a .32 caliber handgun, rifles and ammunition and additional handguns. Investigators also seized black gloves, a black cap, more black clothing in an outdoor trashcan, business cards and documents from an office and a black briefcase.
Evidence recovered from Gonzalez, Jr.’s home included possible blood samples from a laundry room wall and door, a piece of carpet from a closet in the master bedroom, black jacket, black gloves, black pants, a computer, a red bungee cord, cell phone, watches and a silver necklace.
Some of the other items recovered so far under the search warrants include:
- blue jeans with suspected blood stain
- water bottles
- a large atlas
- open envelope with four checks payable to “Magnolia Antiques” and $60
- sealed envelope labeled “Deposit Thursday 7/10/09 $140.00″
- brown gloves
- brown loafers and brown boots
- a laptop computer
- $1115 and a cell phone from a purse
- additional cell phones
- “miscellaneous paperwork”
- pill bottle with 39 unknown pills
Comments
14 Responses to “Suspects: Gonzalez Jr. Was The Only Shooter; More Evidence Recovered”
i think there was more to this than whats being said. But as far as Gonzales paying childsupport why should he? others are not made to. mentalhealth problems thats all deadbeat parents have to tell criminal judges then they dont have to pay it to get out of jail only the bond for their crime. I think if any of the 8 knows the real reason behind it they should sell it to the highest. At least then maybe their own children will have something since they are not going to be able to do anything for them.
all of these people who planed, participated, and tried to cover up this crime need to get their day in court so justice can be served. I hope it is a speedy trial, and I hope they get the maximum sentence. It would not suprise me if some of these folks don’t make it to trial. some will plea a deal to save themselves if they testify against the others. you know the prison system has their own form of justice as well. some of these folks are going to see that jail justice first hand.
Who ever thinks pat didnt do this is crazy.His website plainly showed that he is a bit off his rocker.Yes he was trying to find his daughter but if you read the herkels side of things he lost a sole custudy battle and did not pay child suport and didnt go to parenting class like he was ordered to do to get to visit his child.He should have done what he was supose to.He made up all those people on his friends to make himself look better.he wrote those moods up because he was trying to cover up something.dahhhh.anyway I hope justis is served in this case for all 8 of them.My heart goes out to the familys distroyed by this hanus crime,that was so very selfish.Pray for all the children hurt by this!!!
actually it says he has 6 boys
omg just some way to get “mexican’s” involved guest..geez I HIGHLY doubt this was a gang related thing. Just cause a man has an hispanic last name does not a mexican make or a gang member
Looking at his myspace page, you seriously would not get the feeling that he’s some cold blooded killer. Something is going on, which they will try to hide from us, I have a feeling. This guy just won an award for helping protect children from predators. Has anyone stopped to think?? perhaps he was still doing that? I mean I have no clue what the reasons were, but it’s extremely fishy. His last post on myspace says “making a move for humanity” and “adventurous”. Why would he put that? Some of you have got to be thinking beyond the surface right???
Apparently he had been looking for his daughter that his ex-wife had taken from him. He had all kids of information on his page about her, the family that took her, and stated a reward for information on her. He had 2 boys, I believe, from pictures, I saw. Why would he do this?
I disagree with them sitting in jail playing cards and eating on our dime the rest of their lives- they need to be extinguished.They gave no chances to the Billings. How were they recognzed?They were masked. Billings could guess but would not know this troup per se.
I feel along with above this Gonzalez is a wannabee. Some neighbor said he saw them rolling and practicing -too bad noone of the fab 8 didn’t spill before the hit.
This will be a detailed story , but I feel everyine should go down for it. we all make choices in our lives.No one has this power.Noone is perfect Billings included but the good outweighs the bad like contributing to the man who kills you ??Something is off with this Gonzalez guy big time and how in the world did he persuade the others(who leave their masks and guns lying in their vehicles?)All these perpetratoers have kids too.sadly Must have been a lot of hate somewhere???
Their is going to be alot more to this story.Very,very sad that all this took place.My heart goes out to the victims and thier family.Also to the young people that were connected in this mess.It still puzzles me why would it take 8-10 people to raid a home and kill 2 loving people.Even if thier was 100,000 involved,if you divide that into the people that are mixed up in this triangle,that would be around 10 to 12,000 dollars a piece.I just dont believe that many people would risk thier life and the life of others for such a small amount of money.Most of whom had good jobs and lived comfortable.Just alot to think about .Something is missing in this puzzle.Dont get me wrong,im not trying to judge the Billings family,and again my heart goes out to them ,especially those kids.But something,something,just aint Right.I am still weiry as to how Pamela is out and so much is against her.The 16 year old just got caught up in a bad situation.The adults should have been trying to show him the right things in life to do instead of getting him caught up in murder.Sad, Sad, Sad.And Nakaoi,i just told my friend this morning the same thing about he killed them bc they knew who he was.He must of went there and one of them figured out it was him and he knew he was going down regardless.They all should have really thought this over before they done this.How can you all ride and kill some one together, then when caught you you tell on each other.A bunch of idiots and cowards.I do feel sorry for that 16 year old.I know he knows the different between right and wrong but to me he is still a child,a child that was surrounded by adults that should have known better.Yes, he does need to be punish bc he was involved,but he is still a child.
They are amateurs, Gonzalez is a wanna be commando…..no professional would involve so many people in something like this and certainly wouldn’t involve a minor (16 yr old boy who has never been in trouble before) . Gonzalez’s idea he probably wanted that $100k in the other safe (which he didn’t find) he took the wrong one. He killed them because they knew him. He and all the others are the dirt under decent folks shoes…..slime and I hope they all rot in the hottest corner of hell. Death is too good for them…life without parole is better in fact too bad they couldn’t do their time in Mississippi since I hear their prison system is the narliest in the US…..yeah hard labor forever.
First the rumor mill said that they were murdered and rob for over $250,000 plus cash that was in the safe and then it was thought that they were ties to the Mexican gang MS13. It was said that Mr Billing’s kept large amounts of money at his house. And then the sheriff said some one was suppose to turn the cameras off. There are alot of unanswered question and I can’t wait to see what happens next. One thing for sure is two people died and eight will go to jail for what. We will find out when it goes to court and then maybe it will make some kind of sense if any can be made.
Whoever the sub-humans were that masterminded this murder plot, including the accomplices. should get a televised execution. It doesn’t get any lower than this.
It’s a huge chess game. My bet is that Pamela Wiggins is out because she is a walking “magnet” for whomever ordered the contract hit. Investigators will watch her like a hawk, see who tries to contact her or who she tries to contact, etc. My thought is that she and an unknown person ordered the hit, employed the squad, and implemented the scheme. None of the “ninja squad” knew it was a murder hit but the unknown person, Pamela, and Mr. Gonzalez, Jr.
Who is the “Master Mind”? Could it be Wiggins? Gonzales Jr. I think was just the shooter!! Does Wiggins seems to have the money and clout? Just my 2 cents worth. I would love to be the fly on the wall.
Any plea deal that may be offerred to Wiggins depends on the content of a “Proffer”, that is a full, complete and accurate statement of Wiggins involvement in the case. If any adverse information is developed that is inconsistent with the proffer the deal is off. Here the trap is set for Wiggins. She says she is not involved – that Gonzales had free run of the house. Her cooperation is not complete according to other adverse information. Sheriff Morgan can reel her in anytime he wants on the full murder charge.
Why not charge Wiggin’s with murder. Sounds to me she was part of the whole mess. Thorton stated she was in the mini van parked down the road when the safe was moved/unloaded from one van to another. Sounds like she should be charge with murder as well. Could you fine out WIlliam.