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Gonzalez Sentenced To Death For Billings Murders
February 17, 2011
An Escambia County judge sentenced Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Jr., 36, be put to death for the first degree murders of Byrd and Melanie Billings.
Circuit Judge Nick Geeker sentenced Gonzalez Thursday afternoon on two counts of first degree murder. An Escambia County jury recommended the death penalty 10-2 last October.
Assistant State Attorney John Molchan told an Escambia County jury that Gonzalez planned, organized and then executed the July 9, 2009, robbery and murder of the Billings, who were known for adopting special needs children.
According to testimony, Gonzalez believed he would steal a safe containing $13 million from the Billings home.
The defense rested in the October trial without calling any witnesses.
Comments
34 Responses to “Gonzalez Sentenced To Death For Billings Murders”
Pat was my high school crush. What a disappointment he turned out to be. I pray peace for Ms. Terri. What a precious soul who loved that boy so much.
don’t be too sure of anything……he wouldn’t be the first death row murderer in FL to be let out to walk (stalk) the streets, only to murder again…
Perhaps one of his “roommates” will expedite his death sentence.
Damn….I must be a Muslim…..Kill em, & be done with this piece of crap!
REGARDING:
“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind”
Only if everybody is poking out eyes
The smirk on his face just makes me ill. According to his statement there is no evidence he’s guilty. Jurors saw a different picture. We will have to support him for many years BUT at least he cannot hurt/kill anyone else. Eventually appeals will run out and maybe we won’t have to see that face again.
“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind”
I am a death penalty supporter…Unlike the rest of you, I understand the complexity of the legal and political systems of this country, The reason for the delay in the actual death sentence is a series of “safe guard” appeals. You people who quote the bible sound barbaric and savage. The people who wrote most of these blogs sound primitive, if not uneducated, definitely undereducated.
Think of all the individuals who have been released from death row after being cleared of the accused crime…..thus the safe guards……You bloggers should move to Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia, convert to Islam, so you can watch hangings, stonnings, and beheadings. And being a Muslim, you not only get to watch, but you can participate in the stonnings of women and children of all ages
When you bloggers quote the Bible / Old Testament in relation to puinshment, you sound both silly ………Mob justice is what Muslims do……..““““““““““
Grim Reaper, excellent chilling post!
ATTN: “Concerned”
It takes too long !!!!
Hope it sticks!!!
why does it take so long to execute a convicted person? just curious
Now we can spend 1.2 million of tax money to feed, house and get this guy many legal appeals over the next 20 years until he is executed. I’m all for group public hangings like the old west. If found guilty before noon hang at sunset. If found guilty after high noon, hang the next morning.
I can assure anyone if we go back to public hanging, crime will drop. Watching someone hang on the end of a noose until they turn blue in the face and their tongue hangs out to their stomach will make folks think twice about taking a life.
Put executions on live pay per view for $39.95. You’ll get the 1.2 million back in the cable fee alone per execution.
There is no “Ol Sparky” anymore. We’ll have to settle for the needle with this guy.
bama boy read the old testemant the original commandment if thou shalt not murder.
In response to “Just do it”
I am definitely in agreement with the death penalty; it’s just too bad that it will take so long for that to happen (if that happens).
I just wanted to correct one point, it’s “conscience” not consious.
That crapeaten grin won’t be there long. Wait till it really hits him what a life is ahead of him. Now he will find God in prison, Like most of em do. But most of em leave God in prison when they get out. Gonzalez won’t get out……hopefully.
Why only 10 of 12 for death?
Why didn’t all 12 sentence him to death?
Wasn’t it obvious?
Did the other two jurors object to DEATH because they felt PATRICK GONZALES Jr. might be innocent?
OR?
Was it because they did not want Patrick Gonzale Jr’s death on their concious?
Why would one care? Eye for an Eye. Tooth for a Tooth.
If religious beliefs shadowed these juror’s judgement, they should have asked to have been dismissed from the jury.
I am so tired of these mamby-pamby liberals feeling sorry for these Darwin Award canidates.
This is for Bill Thanks for the correction.
Roadrunner725,
Your right we are not God! But gave specific instructions on how to handle a murder! I’ll repeat the verse, “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.” – Genesis 9:6 KJV God have mercy on his soul!
Death Penalty should not take 20 yrs.Sentenced to death..do it before wasting the tax payers money keeping him alive in prison. We have taken care of him for 2 yrs already!!
Someone needs to slap that smurk off of his face…
Let the punishment fit the crime !
All of us will die. None of us know when…..except people sentenced to the death penalty. There will be a date associated with sentencing. Yes, there will be appeals, etc. But in the end, there will be a date on the wall. That is what makes the death penalty so powerful.
Garth Brooks wrote a song called “The Dance” and I ofter think about what I would do with my time if I knew how it would all end. I am sure he LPG never imagined that he would be caught. And now he can see the end of time. I pray that his story will turn someones life around and help them realize that the next time they get out of control that there are consequences. May something good come out of something so evil.
Florida State Prison. K-wing. Is the new proporty you just invested in for the rest of your life. LPG when you walk down that long hall way at Raford, pay close attention to that lone door at the end of the hallway. almost so far down that you can barley see it. Thats the door that awaits you. When you walk through it 20 years from now, You will never walk out of it alive. LPG in my younger years I knew you very well. I knew your mom terri and you were just a youngster liveing behind tom thumb by winndixie in gulf breeze with mom. I sometimes wondered how you were doing. Now I realize what you have been up to. You MURDERED 2 people who opened their home to spechial needs children who were raising them and trying to give them as close to a normal life as possable. FSP only fires up Sparkey for spechial reasons these days. Mainly, its leathal injection now. Make no Mistake! SPARKIE IS THERE AND HE DOES GET FIRED UP. Its called the death house! Catchey isent it? The only Electric chair in the state of florida. Just think about it LPG your gonna fry in the same chair that Ted Bundy did. Theres something else you can be famous for. GOTTA GO LPG. I HOPE YOU FRY IN HELL.
Roadrunner 725 you are right we are not God but the bible is clear Thou Shalt Not Kill. and well he broke that and now he has to render to Ceaser what is Ceasers and that is exactly what Jesus Said!
So much potential wasted traveling the wrong path . . . and now, no return.
What a shame this guy couldn’t have used all that energy being one of the good guys.
Well, sayonara, Patrick.
Old Sparky will light up your life.
I suppose he will eat good watch tv and have 20-30 more years to live.We the tax payers will pay for that scum bag.What a shame.
Undoubtedly, what he did was wrong. Putting him to death will not bring Byrd and Melanie back. Keeping him locked up in solitary for the rest of his miserable life would’ve been the best punishment. We are not God. It’s not up us to decide who lives and who dies.
@john molino… THANK YOU. quit spending hard working, honest peoples peoples money on housing, food, & electricity. Hang em now and get it over with.
Minor point for Jim W — all 12 believed he was guilty. The vote was 10-2 for death.
That is great news! Even though it will take them 20 years to fry him sadly enough.
I hope this family can finally have some peace!
We have several large Pecan,Walnut and Oak trees on our property that can be used, free of charge.I have plenty of rope.Lots of free parking.
If there is any interest, I can have a BBQ as well.
“Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.” – Genesis 9:6 KJV
Now let’s see how many years it will take to accomplish what has been given to him in punishment. I’m sure many years of appeals and so on all on the taxpayers backs. Sorry if you did the crime then be willing to pay the price and get it over with. 10 of the 12 beleived you were guilty so your peers have spoken. Get on with it.