by Steve Alexander
Published: Mon, July 20, 2009 - 10:34 pm CST
Last Updated: Mon, July 20, 2009 - 11:08 pm CST
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan tells News Five the number of persons of interest in the murders of Byrd and Melanie Billings is growing.In addition, a search warrant and an affidavit for a search warrant in the case have now become public.
The documents talk about what was confiscated from inside the red Dodge cargo van deputies believe was used in the murders.
Sheriff David Morgan said, "We're continuing on our list of at least three identified persons of interest. They will probably be identified starting tomorrow (Tuesday) through this week."
Morgan said he wants to make sure the current three persons of interest get re-interviewed this week, and, "I would say that we are going to have no more than seven to nine people in total."
One of the big questions that remains: Was someone supposed to disable the surveillance system at the Billings home and didn't do the job?
When asked if he found the person, Morgan said, "That's one of the three persons of interest."
When asked if there could be another arrest this week, the sheriff said, "We think if we can identify the individual in the security system, there's a high probability that we can make an arrest."
But Morgan said its also possible people will be eliminated as suspects.
The affidavit for the search warrant said a man named Jon Hartsfield sold the van to Leonard Gonzalez, Junior's mother, who said she was buying it for her son.
Gonzalez, Junior is charged with murder in the case.
The affidavit also said that Leonard Gonzalez, Junior in a recorded interview advised the van is his but is not running.
And, according to the affidavit, Gonzalez reported knowing the victims and having received financial support in the past for the opening of a martial arts studio.
Sheriff Morgan said he's also talked to the wife of Gonzalez, Junior.
He said, "We interviewed Tabitha Gonzalez today (Monday), which is Patrick Gonzalez, Junior's wife: very cooperative. Again, she's not a person of interest. We just had some questions we wanted to ask her about: whereabouts, time lines, and those sorts of things."
The search warrant also said authorities confiscated a black briefcase from the red cargo van, and that the briefcase was taken from the Billings home.
But Sheriff Morgan said it just contained papers and nothing, as he said, "newsworthy."
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