Henry "Cab" Tice

[Gene]

I know Cab Tice and I knew Bud Billings. All I want to say is that I believe Cab had nothing to do with Buds murder. Yes,Cab and Bud had problems with each other,alot of people had problems with Bud and the way he did business, and alot of people lost everything because of Bud,and yes, Cab knew LPJ, but he shouldn't be considered guilty by association.I'm not saying Cab did right on the car situation,but as he stated himself,"Worldco is a Corporation, and whether Bud was alive or dead,I would still owe that money to the Corporation" end quote.

Maybe. But Tice has proven himself to be vindictive. What did he do after he gave Billings rubber checks and Billing went to the police?

"Tice sent a letter to the feds." (IRS)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32364584/ns/dateline_nbc-crime_reports/page/6/

Billings reaction of filing a police report was to recover money for his business. It sounds to me like Tices' reaction of writing a letter to the IRS was to punish Billings.

I also don't think that Tice hired the hit. I do not think he had the money to pay for it. But he was obviously very VERY angry with Billings. Angry enough to write a letter to the IRS. He had a close relationswhip with LPG Jr and with the mafia. I think only Tice, LPG and 1 or 2 other people really know what depth his involvment was.

 

[Lossmitpro]

Tice is odd -- he seemed so sincere, unscripted, and willing to work 'offthe cuff' without crossing himself up in a 'story' on Dateline and here.... it's a head scratcher if he is *not* the guy behind this.


Like on the 'made up' 50K figure -- I think Cab believes that it was made up. I recall reading that the amount was "something between 20-50K', and I'll bet that was an amalgam figure put together by the sheriff, and NOT just some inflated and "invented" amount, but I think Cab believes what he says about it.

Of course, this is a used car salesman, too.... amazing how he can generate good will in even a cynic like me, even in circumstances like these.... I really do believe he was totally legally broke (stashed funds offshore, or in offshore real estate?), and yet....it is difficult to believe he could have flown in such heights, traveled, bought and sold cars, gotten money from Billings, etc... is he just a good con man.....

even the trip out of US sounds 'plausible' when he says it....

 

[daisy7]

In the interview, Tice basically said the MM was brought in only cuz of Rick's Blog. I look forward to reading Rick's response to this.

 

[daisy7]

I agree, Loss, he does seem sincere. But, there are still lots of fishy things...

His dealership catered to Mexicans, mainly undocumented ones. Then the business started failing after SR did started arresting all the illegal aliens (there were a lot of raids at Mexican restaurants and nurseries IIRC - gonna go find a link). His whole explanation of how he ended up borrowing from the MM is ?? He got a 20k loan from a guy who worked for him and then it turns out it was from the MM?

Also, he clearly said the bad checks that he wrote to Bud, were known to be loans (cuz that's how the car business operates, he says). So, if it was a loan, why do a check instead of a prom. note. If Bud really thought this was a loan, why did he file a complaint with ECSO.

How did ECSO know about Tice's 20k loan from MM the night of the murders?

 

[daisy7]

Here's some links on the raids about undocumented workers:

http://www.srpressgazette.com/news/hall-2685-workers-business.html

http://www.srpressgazette.com/news/county-2702-task-force.html

 

[Gene]

Something Tice said in the interview seems odd to me...the phone call with Gonzalez. I would like to have a transcript to understand it clearly.

He said he called Gonzalez the night of the murder to ask for computer help. He did not speak to him, but left a message. Gonzalez called him back the day after the murder. After he spoke to Gonzalez and got through with a customer, he called the police....Tice Said: "I called the investigator and said I dont know if this is important......then the reporter Thomas interupts him.....then he told them that Patrick did not call him back, even though Patrick was not yet a suspect!!! Thomas says " Did you suspect Patrick?" Tice: "No I did not"

Why would he do that??? He said, it was because Patrick always called him back immediately. But he also said he did not suspect him. So, why would he call the Police simply because he did not immediately return a phone call???

Can you imagine this scenario:

* A business collegue is killed.
* You call a very close friend for another purpose (Computer help)
* Your friend does not call you back.
* The police call you that evening to ask you if you know anything about the murder
* The next morning, your friend calls you to see if you still need help.
* You call the police to tell them that your friend did not return your call until the next morning.

Would you do this? THAT is difficult to believe.

 

[Gene]

I agree, Loss, he does seem sincere. But, there are still lots of fishy things...

Also, he clearly said the bad checks that he wrote to Bud, were known to be loans (cuz that's how the car business operates, he says). So, if it was a loan, why do a check instead of a prom. note.

Exactly. Also he used the story about the post dated checks before:

http://www.bradleyarant.com/publications_opinions.php?ID=3624

He says, everyone in the business knows that you are not supposed to cash the checks. And yet, his best friend did it in Alabama, which is what led to the court case above. Then Billings does it. If everyone knows you are not supposed to do it, why is everyone doing it?

 

[KeenEyes]

Wow - there's so much in this video and I haven't even finished watching it. The interviewer is very good.

Tice called the Sheriff's Office to let them know that Jr. hadn't answered his phone the night of the murders the day after the murders. Bizarre.

Re: interviewer
ITA! Finally someone asks the obvious questions and at the most natural parts of the interview. I felt like I was querying Tice myself as I watched the video.

Re: Tice phone call to G/Jr
I pondered in post 22 of the dateline thread last night if Tice might have initiated the discussion about this call with LE as a stratagem to make it appear the call was a coincidence. BUT WHY would he volunteer it before G/Jr had even been connected to the murders?!

I was feeling totaled chastened about my assumptions in regards to Tice as I watched this candid interview, UNTIL his answer about this call, and his fumbling about the time G/Jr returned his call the next morning, AND his answer about not mentioning the murders to G/Jr during the returned call. WHAT?! I don't care if President Obama was standing there waiting to buy out my entire fleet of cars, I would have to say to G/Jr, "Have you heard the stunning news about the murders of our mutual business associate and FRIEND and his BELOVED WIFE, Saint Melanie for god's sake, and that their totally dependent children were in the home as well. OMG, G/Jr don't we hope those babies didn't see anything!"

 

[daisy7]

I don't find it it odd that Tice didn't speak about the murders when Jr. called him, cuz sometimes you just can't talk about personal stuff at work (especially with customers there). But, I do find it odd if Tice and Jr. didn't speak about the murders at all. IIRC, the reporter didn't ask about this, unless I missed it.

 

[Spyglass]

I got interrupted a couple of times while watching the wear tv interview with Tice, but I didn't see any mention of Wiggins. Tice said he didn't know any of the others charged in the murders, but I didn't hear a follow-up as to whether he knows Wiggins.

Another issue I've wondered about is Tice keeps saying even though he couldn't pay Worldco back, he had to scrape up the money he owed the MM. He goes on and on about how there was no way he could pay Worldco or they could collect their money from him. Then he describes Billings as so smart and talented about making money. He said something like Billings always comes out ahead, never loses. Huh? Worldco sure lost money with Tice.

 

[daisy7]

Tice said in the interview that Bud reportedly said he had more $ than he could spend in a lifetime (paraphrasing), but when Tice talked to him about Tice's business going under, Bud said he couldn't afford for that to happen?

 

[Dallasdon]

Something Tice said in the interview seems odd to me...the phone call with Gonzalez. I would like to have a transcript to understand it clearly.

He said he called Gonzalez the night of the murder to ask for computer help. He did not speak to him, but left a message. Gonzalez called him back the day after the murder. After he spoke to Gonzalez and got through with a customer, he called the police....Tice Said: "I called the investigator and said I dont know if this is important......then the reporter Thomas interupts him.....then he told them that Patrick did not call him back, even though Patrick was not yet a suspect!!! Thomas says " Did you suspect Patrick?" Tice: "No I did not"

Why would he do that??? He said, it was because Patrick always called him back immediately. But he also said he did not suspect him. So, why would he call the Police simply because he did not immediately return a phone call???

Can you imagine this scenario:

* A business collegue is killed.
* You call a very close friend for another purpose (Computer help)
* Your friend does not call you back.
* The police call you that evening to ask you if you know anything about the murder
* The next morning, your friend calls you to see if you still need help.
* You call the police to tell them that your friend did not return your call until the next morning.

Would you do this? THAT is difficult to believe.

Very well put.

This is the biggest flaw in an otherwise good interview.

What was Tices purpose in volunteering this info? Why not just leave it at "called that night for computer help, didn't connect until the next morning"?

Maybe what he meant was AFTER LPG Jr was arrested, Tice THEN informed the police about the phone call the night of the murders?

Otherwise, if he called the police that next morning after the murders, Tice might have been the one to put LPG Jr on the police's radar.

 

[KeenEyes]

I don't find it it odd that Tice didn't speak about the murders when Jr. called him, cuz sometimes you just can't talk about personal stuff at work (especially with customers there). But, I do find it odd if Tice and Jr. didn't speak about the murders at all. IIRC, the reporter didn't ask about this, unless I missed it.

I keep getting auto-logged out even when I just logged in, and I get redirected to a blank page rather than the reply I had just typed, so my message is lost, and I have to start over. [ETA: JBean kindly solved this mystery for me in the PLW thread]

Venting, please excuse digression.

Actual message: Yeah I can see this, but with the news so fresh and poignant, it seems like it would be major water cooler conversation. I would think everyone in Pensacola was talking about it, maybe even the customers. Though Tice did say the customers that morning were Hispanics, and said his Hispanic customers were normally low income and/or illegal; therefore, current events might not have been at the top of their list of concerns. Perhaps they didn't speak English and wouldn't have even noticed a news report announcing the murders.

I wonder what time Tice was questioned the night before. He was at work at least by 7 a.m. according to the video. Of course, living on the property would facilitate an early arrival at the job. I would have had a hard time sleeping even if I were innocent if the SD had tracked me down as a POI immediately following a double homicide, plus the disturbing news that the victims were my long-term pals even if we were estranged. Maybe he never went to sleep, which would also have been one of my reactions.

Just pondering out loud.

 

[Lindadanette]

It was a about 8 months later after bouncing the checks to Bud that Cab gave a letter to the IRS, and he was not the only person to do so.I believe there were 5 or so that also gave a letter to them.The ( persons ) felt that Bud was using illegal write offs on his taxes.

Do you know if the others, who sent letters to the IRS, were folks that the Billings had "helped", then "harmed" with loans?

 

[redfish]

Do you know if the others, who sent letters to the IRS, were folks that the Billings had "helped", then "harmed" with loans?

oops......where did it go??????!!!!!!!!:waitasec::crazy::waitasec:

 

[Lindadanette]

oops......where did it go??????!!!!!!!!:waitasec::crazy::waitasec:

Please edit your post to delete the name, and my mistake - thanks!

 

[Pcola Hog]

Tice calling LPG Jr at 7:15pm could also of been a preplanned signal/coded message, right?

Example 1) The message Tice left could say: I fixed my computer and it's working great now, thanks.

Code for: All camera's are shut down.

Example 2) The message Tice left could say: Having trouble need your help, working on my computer.

Code for: Having trouble shutting off cameras, cameras still working.


Criminals/drug dealers use coded words all day long on the streets or by phone.The stupid ones use the same code words over and over again making them useless, as in, is Mary Jane there (pot) or, it's Snowing (cocaine), etc...

 

[Gene]

Very well put.

This is the biggest flaw in an otherwise good interview.

What was Tices purpose in volunteering this info? Why not just leave it at "called that night for computer help, didn't connect until the next morning"?

Maybe what he meant was AFTER LPG Jr was arrested, Tice THEN informed the police about the phone call the night of the murders?

Otherwise, if he called the police that next morning after the murders, Tice might have been the one to put LPG Jr on the police's radar.

Totally agree. If he had some reason to suspect Gonzalez, then calling the police about the delayed phone call might make sense. But I can not imagine a reasonable person calling the police and telling them, "I called my friend for help at 7:15pm and he did not call me back that night. He waited until the next morning to call me."

The ONLY people I would absolutely expect to call back the same night is a spouse or a underage child and only because one might worry about their safety. If they did not call, I might be diasappointed, but I can not imagine calling the police on them.

I think that Tice is hiding something.

 

[RiverPirate]

I can't imagine that Tice would be stupid enough to call Jr. during the robbery if he was in on the plan. That said, we've already seen a humongous pile of stupidity from start to finish out of these murders.

Maybe the wheels started spinning in his head the morning after the murders. Maybe he was thinking "Did Jr. do this?" Maybe he didn't like the idea that Melanie was killed and thought he'd throw the Sheriff something to look at.

 

[Gene]

I can't imagine that Tice would be stupid enough to call Jr. during the robbery if he was in on the plan. That said, we've already seen a humongous pile of stupidity from start to finish out of these murders.

Maybe the wheels started spinning in his head the morning after the murders. Maybe he was thinking "Did Jr. do this?" Maybe he didn't like the idea that Melanie was killed and thought he'd throw the Sheriff something to look at.

It is not the call that bothers me. But first he said he was not suspicious of Gonzalez, yet he called the police to say that Gonzalez did not return his call.

He did not take the time to discuss the murder with Gonzalez when he called? Yet, he called the police to report that one of his closest friends did not return a call?

Think if you were in his shoes. would you do any of that stuff? Wouldn't you ask your friend first to see what his reaction would be? Wouldn't you want more information before calling the police on your friend?

This does not add up.