Three men are being sought in connection with a forced entry home invasion that left two dead in Beulah, Florida at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday night. The three are believed to have murdered Byrd ‘Bud’ Billings and his wife Melanie Billings, who were discovered shot in their bed. The couple leave behind sixteen children, twelve of them adopted.
According to Escambia Sheriff’s Office, a 911 call came in at 7:30 p.m. last night from the residence, located 17 miles northwest of Pensacola. When officers arrived they found a woman who is employed as a caregiver by the couple, as well as eight children ranging in age from 8-years-old to 14-years-old in the 10,000 square foot home – see photo below.
A Sheriff’s Department spokesman confirmed that one of the children had summoned the caregiver, who lives in another building on the property. The female employee told the 911 dispatcher that she believed two people were dead in the home.
Several of the children are developmentally disabled. A source close to the situation revealed that the Billings’ were known throughout the Pensacola area for adopting special needs kids.
Surveillance equipment on the property captured footage of a late 1970’s or early 1980’s model red 15-passenger van leaving the house. Police have released photos of the vehicle and report that three white men entered the home using multiple entrances.
UPDATE: Three arrests have been made in the case. Day laborer Wayne Coldiron, 41, turned himself in to Escambia County authorities. Leonard P. Gonzalez Jr., 35, was arrested in Santa Rosa County. Both have been charged with murder. Their first court appearance will be on Tuesday July 14. Also jailed is Leonard P. Gonzalez Sr., on a charge of evidence tampering. He was reportedly attempted to hide damage by repainting part of the red van that was used in the crime.
Law enforcement officials believe that between 6-8 people were involved in the highly orchestrated crime. Robbery was one motive but authorities indicate that there were multiple motives in what Sheriff David Morgan characterized as a very complex case.
Police found Pamela Laverne Long at an Orange Beach, Alabama marina. She is a ‘person of interest’ in the case. She voluntarily turned herself in to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department for questioning. The real estate agent is the landload and family friend of suspect Leonard P. Gonzalez Jr., and was associated with him right up to the date of the murders. Police do not believe she was on the premises during the murders. Long was arrested on Wednesday, July 15 – see photo and details here.
The Pensacola News Journal featured a story on the family in December 2005 – photo below. We’ve also included mugshots of three suspects who have been arrested. See video of other suspects below.