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Photos: Oprah Winfrey Show To Feature Billings Murder With Markham, Morgan
September 25, 2009
An upcoming episode of the Oprah Winfrey show was taped Thursday afternoon with Ashley Markham, daughter of murder victims Byrd and Melanie Billings, and Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan.
Markham, her husband James, and Robert Beasley, their attorney, were in Chicago for the taping. The sheriff taped his portion of the program via the Skype Internet video chat program from his office in Pensacola.
The show is expected to air sometime next week; and exact date has not been announced. The show will reportedly focus around the Billings family and their children.
Pictured above: Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan waits to film a segment on the Oprah Winfrey show via an Internet teleconference from his office Thursday afternoon. Pictured below: Morgan conducts his interview with Oprah. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
22 Responses to “Photos: Oprah Winfrey Show To Feature Billings Murder With Markham, Morgan”
As I expected, finances came up during the show. No way do those kids get only $300/month SSI as Ashley claimed. Nor do I believe her claim that the family only got $1100 in donations. The trust that Oprah links to is one of three separate trust funds set up for these kids.
BTW, special needs kids who get SSI are eligible for a multitude of other services, including a state supplemental check per child per month, Medicaid, food stamps, & free lunch at school. If my tax dollars are already supporting the kids, why should I donate more? Let Ashley & family sell off some of their land or sell the businesses. That’s what the rest of us mere mortals would have to do.
I hope that Oprah gave them some money. I remember that she once gave a Porsche to a guy that lost like 100;lbs. I realize that she got a dealer to donate it I’m sure,’ However if she believes in this family she should donate some money to them as clearly she has much more then any of us do to donate.
What difference does it make how much they had “hidden” in a home safe. I have 10K “hidden” having found out after Katrina and Ivan that cash talks . And Sue, I don’t think anyone particularly cares if you’ll “be short on sympathy”… I hope Oprah DOES give an address to donate… I’ve seen those kids in action and I’ll personally donate to keep them together, loved, and healthy.
Air date is Wednesday, October 7th. No doubt Oprah will be very sympathetic to Ashley. Knowing her reputation and the reputation of Bud Billing’s businesses, I will be short on sympathy if there is mention of donating to a fund for the children. Anyone who feels compelled to give money to help a special needs child should consider donating instead to the ARC. That’s where you’ll find kids whose parents don’t have $164K hidden in a home safe.
This family is going through a hard time right now financially, if you pay attention, Melanies will was not valid and everything has to be split 12 ways and anything with Buds 14 ways… so taking care of 9 children, all with some form of special need is not cheap, its not like a single mom who had 4 kids, these kids parents were murdered with them in the home, they are traumatized, you cant just up root them and they need all that space, at one time there were a lot more than that living there… Ashley & Blue are doing there best and are asking for a little help, its not easy believe me.. the money goes to the 9 children not Ashley & Blue, so its not like theyre trying to get “rich”.. the family is in a hard time, a very hard time, and I would like to thank the people who are supportive and ones that are able to help, and to those who want to run their mouths, put yourself in their shoes…
I think that is is great that Oprah is airing this story….. Everyone needs to know what kind of people the Billings were and how terrible these killers really are… Great job Sherriff Morgan…. Best Sherriff we have had in a while… Better than the last one… THATS FOR SURE !!!
How much money does this girl need I know single mom’s who raise 4 children on almost nothing. NOONE feels sorry for them. Maybe this girl needs to ask herself if she really wants to raise these kids and maybe they will have to move to a smaller home welcome to the real world sometimes people have to down grade.
One of the Byrd’s businesses was in Melonie’s name! The same money that came into the Billings household is still there and doesn’t need to be divided. The business was always in Melonie’s name. That means it’s not part of the estate. Furthermore, Melonie will get social security benefits and other social services for each one of those children. If it’s $1,500/month, that’s $13,500 a month coming in just from social security disability. She can’t raise 9 children on $162,000 per year? Ha!
Old Cherokee….no one called you a racist????? If anyone needs to get a life, then it probably should be everyone voicing their thoughts/opinions on any subject. JUDY C. MASEK …there were celebrities that supported McCain during the election, too…so did they have a hidden agenda??? People like/agree with whomever they choose and that is why this is the United States of America, home of the brave and land of the free! You guys and girls have a great night and God Bless!
CP, if you know about opinions, then you must also know about assumptions. I never said anything derogatory about Oprah, but I did commend Sheriff Morgan on a job well done. Nor did I mention that “something is bad, sorry, no good, or politically motivated.” I simply said I would not be watching. So what point did I miss?
You folks need to grow up. Feet are like opinions, everyone has them and most of them stink. Why is it when you don’t like something, it is bad, sorry, no good, politically motivated, etc? You have missed the whole point here. Thank you Northescambia.com, thank Sherrif Morgan, thanks the Billings daughter!!!
i used to be a loyal oprah watcher….now, i watch her show only every once in awhile….after this last election, i realized that she, too, had an agenda and was more than willing to use her show, her name, her celebrity status and her mega-money to advance that agenda……i will still watch her if she has something on that is relevent to my life or, my interests….with that being said, if i am able, i do plan to watch her show, next week, which features the billings murder investigation….i dont hate her, by any means….i just dont buy (hook, line and sinker) into the “oprahmania” any longer..
Ditto, Old Cherokee.
I was not going to respond again, but who said anything about hating anyone. If I don’t agree with Obama’s policies, I’m a racist. If I don’t watch Oprah, I’m a hater. There are several other programs I don’t waste my time with. If I listed them here, I’m sure it would tax some folks imagination to come up with enough words to describe me. I don’t hate anyone. Get a life folks.
Great job sheriff!!! I agree go oprah!!!! Love Oprah and she does give recognition when it is needed. Oh yeah and for all the haters it is sad that you don’t watch oprah every once and a while maybe you could watch someone other than our GREAT OBAMA!!!!! Oh Yeah, thanks Oprah for supporting OBAMA!!!!!!!!!
I don’t think it would matter if two or a few more people didn’t watch the show. She’s doing her part for the country/world and no one can knock her for that. If only more people would try to help instead of trying to hate. Sheriff Morgan….great job!
Note: Me too!
Nor will I be watching Oprah. However, I am proud of Sheriff Morgan for the excellent work he is doing. He deserves the recognition.
Go Oprah; You’re right, she has been on for quite a while and probably will for as long as she wants to be. That being said, if you want to waste your time, go ahead, I won’t waste mine, thank you!
To Old Cherokee: Apparently she doesn’t need you to watch her show because she’s been on for years without your support!
I wouldn’t watch her show even if she had Obama on.
I think this is Great News, I sure miss Melanie online but I do know her daughter will do great with the smaller kids.