Couple who adopted 12 children shot to death #1

[NSC]

I thought they were not looking at Billings as being "involved" in the motive? Did I read that wrong?

 

[GannyP]

I live in the next county to the west, Baldwin County, AL--remember they lived right near the state line. Byrd is a very common sirname around here, but until these murders, I had never heard of Byrd being a given name. So it's possible that Mr. Billings has some Byrds in his family tree.

 

[NSC]

Snipped:

Morgan said the investigation involves a complex web of relationships between suspects, though he declined to elaborate on them. He said it did not appear that the suspects knew the victims, though the companies the Billingses owned included a used car dealership

Not sure on the stolen car ring though possible. If they didn't know the suspects personally would make me think they didn't work for him? What angle are you looking at Linda? I just might now be seeing it

 

[GannyP]

David Morgan was the name of the officer. I think.

 

[Lindadanette]

What kind of finance company do the Billings own? Money laundering comes to mind as well....just sayin.

You know I don't want to throw stones at the victims - but there is a connection somewhere. I started looking a little last night and the finance company Worldco has very little info. I did read that they do auto financing. That was a red flag for me.

 

[NSC]

You know I don't want to throw stones at the victims - but there is a connection somewhere. I started looking a little last night and the finance company Worldco has very little info. I did read that they do auto financing. That was a red flag for me.

Could be something like "loan shark" rates? Are you going in that direction? The lot of them had cars from him and couldn't pay their payments? Group getting revenge? Repossion deal? I guess now would be the day and age people would be loansharked with the credit crunch etc.. And what better way to make money to feed those sweet kids - might be a push for me :waitasec::blowkiss:

 

[FifthEssence]

I misunderstood the reporter earlier, his phrasing confused me.
THREE have been arrested to my knowledge.

http://www.pnj.com/article/20090712/NEWS01/90712004&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL
snip:
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan announced the arrests of Wayne Coldiron and Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Jr. in a 10 p.m. press conference Sunday. Earlier, Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Sr., 56, was charged with tampering with evidence, said Morgan at a press conference in conjunction with State Attorney Bill Eddins.

In the earlier press conference, Morgan was reluctant to release emerging details about the investigation, but said the complexity of the case rivals “a movie script.”
“I’m not prepared to tell you a motive at this time,” he said. “But I will tell you this: We are very anxious to share this story with Escambia County and the nation. ... It’s going to be a humdinger.”
Gonzalez Sr. was one of two people being questioned by investigators as “a person of interest” Saturday. Morgan did not want to discuss Gonzalez’s level of cooperation, but Gonzalez spent several hours Sunday talking to investigators.

 

[Lindadanette]

Also noted, Sunbiz info on the Car business, Purshu Auto Inc, doesn't list Byrd, only Melanie. This may or may not mean anything at all. . .

http://www.sunbiz.org/scripts/corde..._princ_comp_name=BILLINGSMARY&ret_princ_type=

Worldco is the same way

http://www.sunbiz.org/scripts/corde...comp_name=WORLDCOFINANCIAL&names_filing_type=

Ashley Markham is the daughter of Melanie and Byrd Billings

 

[JustMe42]

Something odd......Was looking at the myspace page pics. Uncle Lonnie that he talks about and says knows all about it (daughter and ex thing) He list his name on pics as Lonnie Pockets..........Look at the pic of him in uniform in Mosul, Iraq..........what does the name on the uniform say????????

 

[LotsaLatte]

Something odd......Was looking at the myspace page pics. Uncle Lonnie that he talks about and says knows all about it (daughter and ex thing) He list his name on pics as Lonnie Pockets..........Look at the pic of him in uniform in Mosul, Iraq..........what does the name on the uniform say????????

I looked earlier. Wasn't it "Sm***?" not sure if I can put the whole name in???
Also, maybe "pockets" is like "Joey the Bull" - Costa Nostra, ya' know?? Pockets this, pockets that??

 

[Lindadanette]

Could be something like "loan shark" rates? Are you going in that direction? The lot of them had cars from him and couldn't pay their payments? Group getting revenge? Repossion deal? I guess now would be the day and age people would be loansharked with the credit crunch etc.. And what better way to make money to feed those sweet kids - might be a push for me :waitasec::blowkiss:

Again, being careful not to assert this as truth, I did some searches and it's big business to steal cars (especially SUVs and luxury cars) do a job on the VIN and registration and sell them in the southeast.

They recently sentenced 20 people in a ring working Georgia and Florida:
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/251/story/764546.html

If you were going to sell stolen cars, you'd need someone to steal them and someone to buy them. You'd need to handle the financing via "Buy here-Pay here" and, I imagine you'd have to have a repo squad too. Is anyone local? Can you tell us anything about Purshu Auto to put this avenue to rest?

 

[SuziQ]

Something odd......Was looking at the myspace page pics. Uncle Lonnie that he talks about and says knows all about it (daughter and ex thing) He list his name on pics as Lonnie Pockets..........Look at the pic of him in uniform in Mosul, Iraq..........what does the name on the uniform say????????

Do you have a link handy? I've closed out all the myspace pages. Thanks!

 

[LotsaLatte]

Not to imply that all auto sales and/or financing businesses have - less than kind intentions but I have first hand experience and it can be an ugly business. I mean really ugly.

 

[JustMe42]

I looked earlier. Wasn't it "Sm***?" not sure if I can put the whole name in???
Also, maybe "pockets" is like "Joey the Bull" - Costa Nostra, ya' know?? Pockets this, pockets that??

Blew it up......Its Smith

 

[babycat]

Wow. I'm floored. This couple lives only about 2 hours from me, and I remember seeing them on a Mobile news report last year, if I remember correctly. My boyfriend and I were commenting on what wonderful people they must be to take care of all of those children. Then he called me Friday to tell me what had happened. So sad


Lindadanette, I'm absolutely floored at how fast you had nailed everything down. Everyone here has done such a great job so far sorting things out.

I don't know what to say about the myspace pages, but it does appear that those "friends" are made up, and obviously this man had some issues.

This whole case has my head spinning...

wondering how it will all unfold, and feeling so sorry for those children...

 

[Lindadanette]

Lonnie Allen Smith and Lonnie Douglas Smith, both in their 30's. http://www.escambiaclerk.com/xml/xml.asp?ucase_id=61108720

Both have the same kind of records that LPatricks other associates hoave, drugs and bad tempers.

ETA - I just tried to follow this and it just hits on one traffic charge. You have to go back to search and put their names in to see all of their crimes.

 

[SuziQ]

Here is a link to tonight's presser if anyone missed it. I hope the link works.

ETA: scratch that, heavy traffic or something. The video won't start.

 

[pferrin]

http://www.dc.state.fl.us/InmateReleases/detail.asp?Bookmark=3&From=list&SessionID=270792139


wayne coldiron mugshot from a while back

 

[SuziQ]

LPG Jr isn't booked yet.

http://66.210.33.206/oiscript/oiget.asp?name=coldiron&alias=&ACTION=+++++++++++++++++++++++Search+++++++++++++++++++++++

 

[lucky181]

I wonder if any of the security cameras in the home had sound. If LE was watching hours of footage and the perps were only in the house 9 min, maybe something was picked up via telephone calls or conversation.