Three Arrests In Billings Murders

Pensacola Escambia County Authorities have three people in custody they say were involved in the deaths of Byrd and Melanie Billings. Two have been charged with murder.

by Chad Petri

Published: Mon, July 13, 2009 - 12:25 am CST Last Updated: Mon, July 13, 2009 - 12:55 am CST

First, 56-year-old Leonard Gonzalez Senior was arrested Sunday afternoon. He was charged with tampering with evidence in a murder investigation. Authorities say he tried to change the appearance of this van confiscated by the sheriff's office. Then law enforcement officials announced the arrests of 41-year-old Wayne Coldiron and Gozalez's son, Leonard Gonzalez Junior. Those two have been charged with an open count of murder--but connections to the billings are unclear.

“We have no information that would lead us to believe that Mr. Coldiron had any previous contact with the Billings family,” says Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan.

According to Coldiron's arrest report, Gonzalez Senior claimed to be the getaway driver when his son, Coldiron and several other unknown men road to the billings home in the now infamous red van. The report says Gonzalez Senior saw his son, Coldiron and the others enter the Billings home to commit a robbery but he didn't know who fired shots killing Byrd and Melanie Billings. Sheriff Morgan says this is a hum-dinger of a case--with movie-like twists and turns, but he's keeping those details under wraps for now.

“Motive and motives in this investigation are still being developed,” says Morgan. Even though three arrests have been made, more are expected.

“We are looking for multiple suspects is all I can answer at this time,” says Morgan. Authorities say they're still processing the van but won't say what they've found in it so far.

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alabamaoutlaw Says:

Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 8:37 pm

I just seen on fox news they have a fourth one charged keep it going justice for the children.
Alabamaoutlaw

glamblitz Says:

Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 9:08 am

my prayers go out to the family of these wonderful people who were heartlessly murdered.

these sorry sacks of horse $h!+ need to be hung!

windatmyback Says:

Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 8:20 am

Outlaw agree with you. I also wonder if we are dealing with illegal aliens here at least in part or at one time before they got amnesty. They will run to Mexico where we can’t get them back unless we agree to not apply the death penalty. These people truly seemed special and were the kind of generous people that this country needs and their lives gone due to some low life scumbags.

alabamaoutlaw Says:

Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 4:38 am

Well time will tell the tale of who and how and why,Greed,drugs,ignorance,no respect for life.Looks like death penality,I hope so,I’ve always leaned toward an eye for an eye.Make my blood get up to see such inhumanity in humans.
Alabamaoutlaw